The need for leadership development, especially for new executives, has never been clearer. Organizations face significant new challenges, persistent old issues, and sometimes divided constituencies. Yet we know that great leadership in Jewish nonprofits can unlock new potential for organizations to achieve their missions.  

Against that backdrop, Leading Edge is excited to announce the fifth cohort of Leading Executives. These leaders represent a diverse range of backgrounds and organizations. From December through June, they will learn dynamic leadership practices to help them navigate this time, receive constructive personalized feedback to speed and deepen their growth, and connect with a cohort of peer leaders for mutual support long after the formal program is complete.  

The following leaders will participate in the fifth cohort of Leading Executives:

Leading Edge’s research into the experience of Jewish nonprofit executives  shows that connections with other leaders in the Jewish nonprofit sector is the single most agreed-upon form of support that leaders find valuable to them in their roles. For today’s executives, the value of a supportive peer group is higher than ever before. Recent participants have shared that the program contributed to their understanding of their roles as leaders and their responsibility for their teams, helped them learn and continuously improve, and increased their conflict resolution and communication skills. 

Are you interested in future cohorts of Leading Executives, or do you know someone who should be? Don’t miss information about future cohorts when it becomes available; sign up for the interest list for Leading Executives here and for Leading Edge’s newsletter at leadingedge.org/contact-us/.

Meet the next Jewish nonprofit leaders in the next cohort of Leading Edge’s acclaimed executive leadership development program.

Leading Edge announces fifth “Leading Executives” cohort

Executives

Since October 7th, 2023, Jewish communities have been in turmoil and Jewish organizations have been stretched and challenged. Great leadership in Jewish nonprofits has never been more important — or more difficult. 

That’s the reality in which Leading Edge announces a new cohort of senior-most executives leading Jewish nonprofits who will become the fourth cohort of the program Leading Executives. From January through June, these leaders will learn dynamic leadership practices to help them navigate this time, receive constructive personalized feedback to speed and deepen their growth, and connect with a cohort of peer leaders for mutual support long after the formal program is complete.  

The following leaders will participate in the fourth cohort of Leading Executives: 

Leading Edge’s research into the experience of Jewish nonprofit executives shows that connections with other leaders in the Jewish nonprofit sector is the single most agreed-upon form of support that leaders find valuable to them in their role. At this difficult time, the value of a supportive peer group is higher than ever before. As a recent alum of the program told us, “I am so grateful for the space to gather and learn with fellow CEOs/EDs.”

Are you interested in future cohorts of Leading Executives, or do you know someone who should be? Don’t miss information about future cohorts when it becomes available; sign up for the interest list for Leading Executives here and for Leading Edge’s newsletter at leadingedge.org/contact-us/. 

Meet the next Jewish nonprofit leaders chosen for Leading Edge’s renowned executive leadership development program.

Leading Edge announces fourth “Leading Executives” cohort

At a hard time for Jewish nonprofit leaders, Leading Edge announces fourth “Leading Executives” cohort

The tide is turning — more and more, we see evidence of increased commitment to leadership development across the Jewish non-profit sector. We have heard of new CEOs negotiating that their first contracts will include support for applying to Leading Executives. We have heard of boards who are hiring new leaders negotiating that the new leader’s contract will specify that the leader has an executive coach. Leading Executives offers powerful learning and peer support, and the field has taken notice. 

Now, Leading Edge is announcing 19 senior-most executives leading Jewish nonprofits who will become the third cohort of the program Leading Executives. From August 2023 through January 2024, these leaders will learn dynamic leadership practices, receive constructive personalized feedback to speed and deepen their growth, and connect with a cohort of peer leaders for mutual support long after the formal program is complete. 

The following leaders will participate in the third cohort of Leading Executives: 

Leading Edge’s research into the experience of Jewish nonprofit executives shows that CEOs earlier in their tenure can benefit significantly from more support. CEOs are overwhelmingly likely to feel favorable about their relationships with their boards, but less likely to feel favorable about the board’s performance of their core functions — fundraising, giving useful evaluation feedback to the CEO, and being partners in setting a long-term vision and strategy.

Leading Edge’s data also reveals that leaders find connecting with other leaders to be one of the most helpful factors contributing to their success. As one alum has said, “Because of Leading Edge, when I’m lonely as a CEO, there’s always someone I can call.” 

Meet the next Jewish nonprofit leaders chosen for Leading Edge’s preeminent executive leadership development program.

Leading Edge announces third cohort of Leading Executives

Leading Edge has announced 20 senior-most executives leading Jewish nonprofits who will participate in the second cohort of Leading Executives. From February through June 2023, these leaders will receive leadership training, coaching, and opportunities for connection and mutual support. When the program ends, they will join the growing alumni network of Jewish nonprofit leaders who have completed Leading Edge Executive Programs.

The following leaders will participate in the first cohort of Leading Executives:

Leading Edge’s research into the experience of Jewish nonprofit executives shows that CEOs earlier in their tenure can benefit significantly from more support. CEOs are overwhelmingly likely to feel favorable about their relationships with their boards, but less likely to feel favorable about the board’s performance of their core functions—fundraising, giving useful evaluation feedback to the CEO, and being partners in setting a long-term vision and strategy. Leading Edge’s data also reveals that leaders find connecting with other leaders to be one of the most helpful factors contributing to their success. As one alum has said, “Because of Leading Edge, when I’m lonely as a CEO there’s always someone I can call.”

Are you interested in future cohorts of Leading Executives, or do you know someone who should be? Don’t miss information about future cohorts when it becomes available; sign up for the interest list for Leading Executives here and for Leading Edge’s newsletter at https://www.leadingedge.org/contact-us/. 

(UPDATE: Subsequent to this announcement, Jesse Rosen and Rachel Van Etten deferred participation in this program to a future cohort.)

Meet the next 20 Jewish nonprofit leaders chosen for Leading Edge’s renowned executive training program.

Leading Edge announces second cohort of Leading Executives

Leading Edge has announced 20 senior-most executives leading Jewish nonprofits who will inaugurate the program Leading Executives. From September 2022 through February 2023, these leaders will receive leadership training, coaching, and opportunities for connection and mutual support. When the program ends, they will join the growing alumni network of Jewish nonprofit leaders who have completed Leading Edge Executive Programs.

A successor to the CEO Onboarding Program, one of Leading Edge’s original flagship offerings, Leading Executives expands the core elements of that program, while streamlining the experience to offer it to more leaders, more frequently.

Leading Edge’s research into the experience of Jewish nonprofit executives shows that CEOs of Jewish organizations are overwhelmingly proud to lead their organizations, interested and challenged by their work, and positive in their assessments of their relationships with their boards and senior teams—but often feel less confident in areas like creating and maintaining a great workplace culture, inspiring the board, and managing their organizations through significant change. Leading Edge’s data also reveals that leaders find connecting with other leaders to be one of the most helpful factors contributing to their success. As one alum of Leading Edge executive programming said recently, “Because of Leading Edge, when I’m lonely as a CEO there’s always someone I can call.”

The second cohort of Leading Executives will run from January through June of 2023, meeting in person April 16–19 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Information about applications for that cohort will be available in November 2022. To be sure you see this information when it is released, sign up for Leading Edge’s newsletter at https://www.leadingedge.org/contact-us/. 

(UPDATE: Subsequent to this announcement, Rabbi Megan Goldmarche deferred participation in this program and is part of the second, not the first cohort.)

20 leaders of Jewish nonprofits will learn and connect to face the challenges of 2023 and beyond.

Leading Edge announces first cohort of Leading Executives

Let’s face facts. From the moment our eyes open after what is often not the best night of sleep, most of us are bombarded with thoughts reminding us of what is on today’s agenda, what remains to be accomplished from yesterday’s incomplete to do list, and what unanticipated events will occur throughout the day which will throw all the best laid plans aside.

The reality is that we seldom stop and pause these days, in large part because we don’t prioritize the time to do what we each need to do to be the absolute best professional we can be. 

I share this insight because just as the legal idiom teaches, “The one who represents themselves in court has a fool for a client”, so too, the leader who believes that they can address every problem they face alone is prone to be just as foolish. And yes, while having teammates and colleagues is crucial to anyone’s success, there is a real need to find a partner whose sole commitment is the leader’s individual success.  In today’s competitive, ultra-fast-paced, and complicated non-profit environment, that partner is best known by the title, “Executive Coach”.

Coaching is a real commitment to the self. When we commit to ourselves, we provide added value and enhancement to our teams and our organizations. 

Unlike a supervisor or a professional colleague, who also have their own vested interests, which may on occasion supersede yours, or a mentor, whose time is more limited and their reasons for mentoring more complex, a coach has one, and only one obligation—your professional success.

The coach’s job is straight-forward: helping you, the client, achieve specific professional goals. Different coaches may use different approaches and each have individual, distinctive styles, but their job is the same. 

Push their client to break down internal barriers. 

Executive coaches provide the necessary guidance to support and assist their clients to achieve their professional goals, so they can reach their fullest professional potential. Whether it is dealing with a specific issue, or the individual’s overall leadership and performance gestalt, the executive coach is engaged as your partner, or some may say, guide, in helping you maximize your skills, talents, and abilities. 

Sometimes session topics may emphasize the weeds, while other times, the conversation may identify cross-session themes which have restricted or limited the individual’s ultimate success. In every case, it is the coach who holds the mirror up, or assists the client in holding it up in order to reflect on how best to move forward in a successful and productive manner.  

Now, to some this may sound similar to therapy—it is not.  Yes, there may be times when the underlying psychology of the individual clearly influences their professional performance, and sometimes psychological questions or insights can lead to a better understanding of the leader’s motivations and behaviors. To grow, and to attain higher and more satisfactory levels of performance, we sometimes must look back at who we are, who we were, how we became who we are. 

But the effective coach recognizes that the therapeutic process and goals of therapy are significantly different. In therapy, we may deal with the workplace, but with personal development as the highest goal. In coaching, we may reflect on our personal development, but only toward the end of becoming a more effective professional. 

Similarly, coaching is not mentoring. Although coaching conversation topics may overlap with mentoring topics, coaching provides a more holistic, integrated, thematic, long-term solution. Mentoring is an altruistic act provided by the mentor, which should and does have agreed upon time and resource limitations; a coach serves the client in a defined and compensated way, which allows for clearer expectations and mutually assured value. Mentoring is generally episodic, available when the mentor happens to be available; coaching is a regular practice, provided when the client needs or wants it. Mentoring may also have a networking quality to it, while coaching is more tightly focused on distinct goals.  

None of this is to suggest that mentoring isn’t extremely valuable—it certainly can be. Rather, the important point is that these two practices cannot be substitutes for one another.

During these insanely crazy, non-stop and spatially blurred times, executive coaching provides perhaps the greatest of gifts and resources. In our world in which we all are pulled in multiple professional and personal directions and where the boundary between work and home is almost non-existent, executive coaching creates a respite for self-reflection, self-care, and pause. It provides a time in which we focus just on us—a time in which we are truly the center of the universe. Executive coaching bestows upon the leader the two resources which we should all admit are in short supply: the gift of time and the gift of reflection.

Who needs professional coaching? We all do. Now is the time. You will grow from it. Your colleagues will celebrate you for taking your growth and work seriously. And your organizations will profit from you receiving the support. Find a coach.

That is a question we will address in another blog post soon.

Lou Feldstein is CEO of Dynamic Change Solutions and a coach for Leading Edge programs.

The coach’s job is straight-forward: helping you, the client, achieve specific professional goals.

Who Needs an Executive Coach—and Why?

Leading Edge is announcing the participants in the fourth cohort of its CEO Onboarding Program, the first-of-its-kind leadership development program for new top executives leading nonprofits in the North American Jewish community. Cohort participants are CEOs and Executive Directors leading organizations including educational and religious institutions, Jewish community centers, social service organizations, and more. All are in the first 30 months of their tenure and face new challenges and opportunities as the Jewish nonprofit sector adapts to the ebbing of the COVID-19 crisis.

Phillip Brodsky
The Jewish Federation of Raleigh-Cary 

Marcella White Campbell
Be’chol Lashon 

Melissa Chapman
Jewish Community Center of the East Bay

Tamar Davis
Gateways: Access to Jewish Education

Rabbi Josh Feigelson
Institute for Jewish Spirituality 

Katie Hanley
Jewish Family Services of Greater Hartford 

Robin Mencher
Jewish Family & Community Services East Bay 

Rabbi Jennie Rosenn
Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action 

“I’m very proud of the strength of this program as it begins its fourth cycle,” says Gali Cooks, President & CEO of Leading Edge. “As the incredible community of CEO Onboarding Program alumni grows, the future of strategic, collaborative leadership in our sector looks brighter.”

Over the next year, participants will receive group training, individual coaching, personalized evaluations, and opportunities to build connections and provide mutual support with one another and other leaders in the Jewish nonprofit sector. Together, they will enhance their executive skills and strengthen their performance as leaders.

“The CEO Onboarding Program is the tip of the spear when it comes to executive leadership development,” says Dena Farber Schoenfeld, Vice President of Executive Programs at Leading Edge. “We’re also piloting programming for the partnership between CEOs and board chairs, programs for improving how whole senior teams at organizations work together, and more. But the CEO Onboarding Program is the original, and highest-intensity, of Leading Edge’s programs. I can’t wait for the new cohort to get started.”

“It was powerful to have a truly inspiring cohort of professionals along with me on the journey of this past pandemic year,” says Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, an alumnus of the program (Cohort Three) and CEO of the USCJ and the Rabbinical Assembly. “I know the incoming cohort of leaders will likewise benefit from the opportunity to have partners for learning and growth as they confront whatever the coming year will bring.”

Leading Edge influences, inspires, and enables Jewish nonprofits to improve their performance through culture and leadership.

Eleven new nonprofit leaders will learn together and support one another as they face post-pandemic challenges.

Leading Edge Announces Fourth Cohort of CEO Onboarding Participants

Due to the unusually high number of leadership transitions currently underway in the Jewish nonprofit sector, the Leading Edge CEO Onboarding Program is updating its eligibility criteria. Previously, the program was open to leaders who had been in their positions for between 6 months and 30 months. Under this new change, any Jewish nonprofit leader will be eligible if they have started in their topmost executive position by July 1, 2021, and have been in that position for fewer than 30 months. (There is no longer a 6-month minimum tenure requirement.) 

This change will allow a broader set of candidates to apply for this competitive and valuable opportunity, which we hope will strengthen the rapidly-changing institutional landscape.

Applications for Cohort 4 of the CEO Onboarding Program will close on April 15. For more information, see the program's FAQs page.

Due to the unusually high number of leadership transitions currently underway in the Jewish nonprofit sector, the Leading Edge CEO Onboarding Program is updating its eligibility criteria. Previously, the program was open to leaders who had been in their positions for between 6 months and 30 months. Under this new change, any Jewish nonprofit leader will be eligible if they have started in their topmost executive position by July 1, 2021, and have been in that position for fewer than 30 months. (There is no longer a 6-month minimum tenure requirement.)

CEO Onboarding Program Now Open to Leaders with Tenure Under 6 Months

The Leading Edge team is excited to announce that applications are now open for the fourth cohort of Leading Edge’s CEO Onboarding Program, a 12-month, intensive leadership development opportunity for new CEOs and Executive Directors in the North American Jewish community. 

Working directly with expert consultants, leaders, thinkers, and leadership development institutions, accepted participants will enhance their executive skills and strengthen their performance in the North American Jewish community during their first critical months and years in their organizations.

The events of 2020, including the COVID-19 pandemic, movements for racial justice, and recent political turmoil required senior executives to confront unimaginable change, loss, and, for some, opportunity. Cohort Four of Leading Edge’s CEO Onboarding Program will provide new CEOs with the support they need to grow and build their organizations at this unique moment in history.

This period also underscored how lonely the chief executive role can be. The program creates a community of practice, including a growing alumni network which CEOs can turn to for ideas and support during and after the program.

“The Leading Edge CEO Onboarding Program alumni cohort is THE thing that has gotten me through this work.” — Program participant

Eligibility: The CEO Onboarding Program considers applicants who are the most senior professional leaders in their organizations and will have been with their organization for fewer than 30 months as of July 1, 2021. 

We’re seeking executive professionals who are highly engaged in learning and supporting one another. We anticipate a competitive selection process with careful attention to be paid to ensure the diversity of the participants is honored throughout the program.

Timeline: Applications are open from now (March 16, 2021) until 5:00 pm ET on Thursday, April 15, 2021. 

25 hours of support from an experienced, accomplished executive coach

Training at the Center for Creative Leadership, a leadership development institution ranked among the world's “top 10 providers of executive education” by Bloomberg BusinessWeek and The Financial Times

A confidential 360-degree evaluation as well as other assessments designed to give you the critical self-knowledge needed for professional improvement

A network of trusted peers with whom to share challenges and celebrate successes

Read the FAQs about the CEO Onboarding Program.

More questions? Contact us at executiveprograms@leadingedge.org.

Do you know an eligible CEO? Applications are open until April 15.

Applications are Open for CEO Onboarding Program Cohort Four

New York, NY — Leading Edge, an organization focused on building a robust leadership pipeline for Jewish nonprofits, announced the new cohort of its groundbreaking CEO Onboarding Program — the first of its type designed for new high-level organizational leaders in the American Jewish community. Now in its third cycle, this program provides CEOs with a supportive peer network and the opportunity to work directly with experts in the American Jewish community and beyond, to take their leadership and their organizations to the next level.

“It is not an exaggeration to say that the future of the Jewish community hinges on ensuring that the emerging leaders of our institutions are set up for success,” says Sandy Cardin, Board Chair of Leading Edge. “The CEO Onboarding Program provides deep, meaningful systems of support to help our leaders enact bold change at their organizations and shepherd the Jewish community into the future.”


“We often ask our CEOs to be unicorns and prove from day one that they were the right hire,” says Gali Cooks, President and CEO of Leading Edge.  “This program flips the frame and asks: how might we surround our leaders with systems of support so that they and their organizations can grow together and thrive?”


Leading Edge has assembled a diverse cohort of new CEOs representing major national and local organizations from around the country. They include federations, JCCs, social service agencies, advocacy organizations, and denominational leaders.

1. Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal – The Rabbinical Assembly

2. David Bryfman – The Jewish Education Project

4. Mariam Feist – Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas

8. Sheila Katz – National Council of Jewish Women

11. Miryam Rosenzweig – Milwaukee Jewish Federation

12. Halie Soifer – Jewish Democratic Council of America

13. Neil Spears – Silverlake Independent JCC

14. Rabbi Jay Strear – JEWISHcolorado


More information about the CEO Onboarding Program, can be found by visiting here. For more information, contact Mordy Walfish, Acting CEO at mordy@leadingedge.org

Leading Edge, an organization focused on building a robust leadership pipeline for Jewish nonprofits, announced the new cohort of its groundbreaking CEO Onboarding Program — the first of its type designed for new high-level organizational leaders in the American Jewish community.

Leading Edge Announces Participants in CEO Onboarding Program – Cohort Three

Leading Edge is pleased to announce open applications for Cohort Three of the CEO Onboarding Program, a leadership development experience focused on the unique challenges and opportunities of leading in the Jewish organizational world. Participants in this competitive program will enhance their executive skills and strengthen their leadership in the American Jewish community during the critical, initial period at the helm of an organization.

“For great leaders, learning is an ongoing endeavor,” said Leading Edge President and CEO Gali Cooks. “Through this program, we aim to provide CEOs who are early in their tenures with the support, resources, and peer network that will help them develop their leadership further and lead meaningful change in their organizations and the Jewish world more broadly.”

The 15-month-long CEO Onboarding Program is open to CEOs in their first 24 months of leading a Jewish nonprofit. Key components of the program include:

A cohort of approximately 15 peers who support each other through leadership challenges and share expertise, inspiration, and advice as they navigate their organizations through change.

Four in-person convenings, including an opportunity to study at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) and an Israel experience that serves as a leadership laboratory focused on navigating complex conversations.

A facilitated 360-review process, where team members, board members, and colleagues share their reflections on working with the CEO.

Working with an Executive Coach who supports the CEO over the course of the program by helping them further actualize their potential as a leader.

Emphasis on empowering participants to be “chief culture officers” and exploring how to successfully lead organizations that are diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

Opportunities and frameworks for participants to connect their leadership with Jewish Values, hone their leadership voice, and tell their stories.

The application process is open until Thursday, March 28, 2019. Decisions will be announced by June 2019 and the first gathering of Cohort Three will take place in October 2019.

All CEOs who have previously participated in the program indicated that it improved their leadership skills and that having a cohort of fellow CEOs has been crucial to their ability to thrive as leaders.

Leading Edge Opens Applications for CEO Onboarding Program – Cohort Three

What would happen if your CEO resigned tomorrow?

If your organization is like most others, you likely don’t have a succession plan in place, let alone a capable replacement in the pipeline.

Fortunately, organizations typically receive more than 24 hours’ notice. But regardless of how much time they have, the point still holds: nonprofit boards are generally ill-prepared for their CEO’s departure. In fact, in a 2015 survey of nonprofits, researchers at Stanford University found that over two–thirds (69 percent) lack succession plans, a shockingly high figure given that every CEO inevitably leaves office.

The challenge is even more acute in the Jewish world. Over the next few years, the vast majority of Jewish nonprofits will need to hire new CEOs. These leaders, in turn, will set the direction of their organizations for the next decade or more. It is not an exaggeration to say that the future of the Jewish community depends on our ability to ensure that the best candidates are placed in these vitally important roles, and then both enabled and empowered to succeed.

Leading Edge, an organization focused on building a robust leadership pipeline for Jewish nonprofits, has just released a CEO Search Committee Guide that lays out best practices for CEO searches and applies them to the Jewish nonprofit sector. It was prepared for Leading Edge by Eben Harrell, a senior editor at Harvard Business Review, a publication dedicated to using best-in-class research to improve the practice of management and leadership. The guide distills the most important elements of a search and presents them in a practical and accessible way, serving as a foundation from which boards can conduct searches with the greatest chances of success.

Over the years, I have been involved in executive searches for many important Jewish organizations and almost always found the process quite challenging. The Leading Edge guide contains a number of suggestions and recommendations that I wish my search committees had known—and followed—at the time:

Most organizations employ an unstructured, conversation-style interview process. While that may allow for organic discussions, research shows that unstructured interviews are essentially useless and lead to unwitting discrimination since interviewers tend to have more favorable impressions of candidates who they resemble. On the other hand, a structured process that requires the assessors to score each answer has numerous benefits, most notably the ability to compare a range of candidates using the same criteria. Unfortunately, structured interviews are rare in the Jewish nonprofit sector.


It takes time to perform a search process well. In fact, most experts recommend that boards plan for a CEO hiring process to take four to six months. That will give the board sufficient time to surface qualified candidates, perform proper due diligence, and make an informed choice. The search committees responsible for the process should be comprised of five to eight people and ideally should not include the current board chair, staff, or the incumbent CEO.


Most Jewish nonprofits prefer to hire external candidates. But in the for-profit realm, the majority of companies fill CEO vacancies with candidates from their own ranks. Research shows that internal CEOs generally perform better and remain longer than outsiders. This underscores the need to do more to develop our internal leadership teams so that organizations have an existing pipeline of talent to consider when the time comes.


A common pitfall when crafting the position description is to dump every desirable quality into a job profile—leading to job postings that one search consultant described as the “Messiah section of the classified pages.” Search committees should do evaluative work before crafting the job description to determine the specific skills they believe the new CEO must possess, what can be assigned to others on the executive team, and what can be developed over time.

Leadership transitions are a time of great opportunity and great risk for organizations; a successful search can catapult the group to the next level and a bad hire can set it back for years. That is why even the most seasoned boards should seek support with their searches, and make sure their processes are as strategic and objective as possible.

By adhering to the principles outlined in the guide, boards will give themselves the best chance to conduct successful searches. They will emerge from the process stronger and led by able executives who, with proper oversight and support, will shape the Jewish community in a positive direction for years to come.

To download the CEO Search Committee Guide, go here.

Over the next few years, the vast majority of Jewish nonprofits will need to hire new CEOs.

ISO Great Leaders: A Guide to Successful CEO Searches

How do we hire and fire? What constitutes leadership? And what’s the difference between leadership and management? What are the values of Jewish institutions? And how should their executives display them?

One of us (Dov) has been CEO of his Jewish Federation for slightly more than 18 months; the other (Abby) starts officially in her new role July 1. And together, with nine colleagues from across the nation, we form the first cohort in the innovative CEO Onboarding Pilot Program.

We come from a diverse collection of Jewish federations, public/community relations and service organizations that work to create robust, vibrant Jewish communities. At this time when our American Jewish community is refashioning how it facilitates expressions of Jewish life, this CEO Onboarding program is an invaluable support for the heads of leading Jewish nonprofits who will wrestle with these challenges. And, CEO Onboarding is a laboratory for exploring how such support might create a pipeline for and buoy future leadership of our communal organizations. Through independent evaluation of the program and feedback from current cohort members, program organizers and other stakeholders are gaining a deeper understanding about the specific leadership support and learning opportunities most helpful to current and future Jewish nonprofit heads. Subsequent cohorts thus will receive even more refined and focused professional development. Ultimately, tens of thousands of employees of Jewish organizations, and the hundreds of thousands of community members impacted by our work, all will benefit.

Stewarded by TBF Consulting and operated in partnership with Leading Edge, the program offers us the unique opportunity to learn from mentors, from experienced CEOs, and from other leadership experts; to analyze work-place scenarios and case studies; and to discuss best practices and strategies for success. The one-on-one professional coaching and the webinars and conferences with elite consultants throughout the year create a support system within the cohort that aids the development of a community of practice among participants.

The cohort’s first conference just concluded in Chicago. What were the highlights? For some, it was the opportunity to learn from thought-provoking authors in the areas of adaptive leadership and American Jewish history and politics. We explored a number of complex questions that any communal leader today must address: Do we have one community? What are the core messages that we deliver? How are the messages transmitted through our generations and across our geographies? For others in our cohort, the highlight was the guidance and toolkits offered by skilled practitioners in the fields of psychology of philanthropy, financial management, and nonprofit governance. For others still, the in-depth peer coaching or best practice materials brought the greatest insights. For each of us, the opportunity to discuss these issues with leading thinkers, along with the foundation leaders who host the program, was unprecedented.

But the impact of the program is not just in the practical guidance and support we receive. Impact also is felt through the spirit with which the program is being delivered. The organizers have, time and again, explained their intention to learn from this experiment with evaluation and feedback. And we are mindful of the way in which moral leadership has been articulated in the program implementation. Our second convening was slated to be held in North Carolina. But with the passage of that state legislature’s HB2, the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act, reversing a Charlotte ordinance that had extended rights to gay and transgender people, and nullifying local ordinances that would have expanded protections for the LGBTQ community, the organizers determined that they would model what it means to exercise leadership. Our convening was moved to a different state as a result of this discriminatory legislation. We in the cohort, observing this shift, were made aware again of the sacred obligation to demonstrate Jewish values of inclusion and fair treatment for all through our stewardship of our organizations and work.

We are grateful for the incredible support of the Jim Joseph Foundation, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, and other generous funders. We’re grateful to our own Boards of Directors and organizations, who see the benefit of their new CEOs participating in a forum that shepherds our learning and growing together.

And we’re grateful for a Jewish community — here, in North America — that believes in the future of Jewish leadership, invests in that future, and commits to it.

Tami Baldinger, Jewish Women’s Foundation of the Greater Palm Beaches · Robert Bank, American Jewish World Service · Dov Ben-Shimon, Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ · Jodi Bromberg, InterfaithFamily · Marci Glazer, Jewish Community Center of San Francisco · Danny Grossman, Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco · Michael Hoffman, The Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County · Abigail Porth, Jewish Community Relations Council of San Francisco · Stefanie Rhodes, Slingshot Fund · Todd Schenk, Jewish Social Service Agency of Greater Washington · Elana Silber, Sharsheret

At this time when our American Jewish community is refashioning how it facilitates expressions of Jewish life, this CEO Onboarding program is an invaluable support for the heads of leading Jewish nonprofits who will wrestle with these challenges. And, CEO Onboarding is a laboratory for exploring how such support might create a pipeline for and buoy future leadership of our communal organizations.

CEO Onboarding: An investment in the Jewish Future

The first-ever national CEO Onboarding Program designed for executive level organizational leaders in the American Jewish community today announced its first cohort of participants, representing a wide range of geographic, background experience, and organizational mission diversity within the community.

The 12 month program, beginning April 5, 2016, is tailored to the needs and interests of its participants and will assist them to lead their organizations in effective, strategic, high-performance ways.

Cohort members represent federations, service agencies, and other innovative organizations that connect Jewish individuals and families to Jewish life experiences. They include:

Tami Baldinger, Jewish Women’s Foundation of the Greater Palm Beaches

Robert Bank, American Jewish World Service

Dov Ben-Shimon, Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ

Marci Glazer, Jewish Community Center of San Francisco

Danny Grossman, Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco

Michael Hoffman, The Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County

Abigail Porth, Jewish Community Relations Council of San Francisco

Todd Schenk, Jewish Social Service Agency of Greater Washington

“The CEO Onboarding Program received more than 40 high caliber applicants,” Gali Cooks, executive director of Leading Edge, told eJP. “Clearly there is a need in the Jewish professional world for executive-level development programs that support new CEOs at the beginning of their tenures by bringing together peers, experienced CEOs, thought leaders, and expert consultants in the American Jewish community and beyond.”

Rachel Garbow Monroe, President & CEO of the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, added, “A new CEO’s tenure comes with tremendous challenges and opportunities. We hope that by investing in these talented individuals it will yield ongoing positive returns not only for the new leaders’ success and sustainability, but also for the health and impact of the organizations they lead.”

Along with executive coaching, cohort members will engage in a convening hosted by the Center for Creative Leadership and will participate in an on-the-ground Israel experience to provide a better understanding of the range of opinions about Israel and how to facilitate important related conversations back home. Program applicants are required to be the most senior professional leader of a Jewish communal organization who is between contract signing and 18 months of employment. (You can stay informed here about the application process for cohort 2.)

CEO Onboarding is funded by the Jim Joseph Foundation and other funders and is being operated in partnership with Leading Edge*.

This article originally appeared in eJewish Philanthropy on March 23, 2016.

CEO Onboarding Program for Jewish Leadership Announces First Cohort Members

News and insights on leadership, talent, and culture in the Jewish community

Blog: Leading Edge

News and Ideas | Leading Edge

News & Ideas

Simple, concrete steps your organization can take now to improve your organizational culture, talent management, and leadership.

Leading Actions

Organizational Culture

Leadership

Gender Equity

Meet the people driving change at Leading Edge. Together, we're shaping the future of Jewish nonprofit leadership.