Wexner Professional Leadership Programs Alumni Institute 2025

Wexner Professional Leadership Programs Alumni Institute 2025

Getting on the Balcony: Exercising Leadership in Uncertain Times

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Hotel Map
Participant Roster
Alumni-Led Electives 1 (Tuesday 4:00-5:15 pm)
Alumni-Led Electives 2 (Tuesday 5:30 pm-6:45 pm)
Long-Distance Travel, Arrivals
Long-Distance Travel, Departures

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4:00pm EST

*Alumni-Led Electives I*

Tuesday February 4, 2025 4:00pm - 5:15pm EST

Tuesday February 4, 2025 4:00pm - 5:15pm EST

Alumni-Led Electives

4:00pm EST

Finding Our Way: Mapping Journeys from October 7

Tuesday February 4, 2025 4:00pm - 5:15pm EST

A hands-on art workshop using visual tools to process the events in Israel post-October 7. When lost, humans have looked to the sky, to the sea, to the earth to map our journeys. Maps enable us to locate ourselves, to ground us, literally, and to give ourselves a stable compass to move forward. Maps encompass symbols of places real and imagined, concrete and metaphoric, which we can use to narrate the stories of our journeys and weave together threads of experience and emotions which, without a narrative, can be overwhelming and isolating. No prior art experience is necessary.

Speakers

Jenny Bayer, WGF/DS 6

Jennifer Bayer is an art educator specializing in integrating art and general/Judaic Studies, as well as the owner/chef of Jenny's Jun, a kombucha business. Jennifer moved to Israel in 2001 and taught studio art, developed curriculum for 15 years at the Jerusalem American International... Read More →

Tuesday February 4, 2025 4:00pm - 5:15pm EST
Lowrie

Alumni-Led Electives

4:00pm EST

It is not for us and you to build (Ezra 4:3): How to Manage Jewish Ownership of Organizations That Serve the Entire Community

Tuesday February 4, 2025 4:00pm - 5:15pm EST

Many of us serve organizations whose roots are in the Jewish community, whose leadership is exclusively or predominantly Jewish, but whose mission is to serve people both within and beyond the Jewish community. In institutions like this, how do we manage the tensions that arise from maintaining Jewish control/leadership/ownership of organizations that serve a much broader population? How can we include non-Jews in significant leadership roles on staff and Boards without losing the sense that this is a Jewish organization? We'll use Jewish teachings as a springboard for a set of practical conversations about managing these issues as Jewish community leaders.

Speakers

David Rosenn, WGF/DS 5

David Rosenn - Class V Rabbi David Rosenn is the President and CEO of the Hebrew Free Loan Society, a microfinance organization that provides low-income New Yorkers with access to fair and affordable credit. Previously David served as Executive Vice President at the New Israel Fund... Read More →

Tuesday February 4, 2025 4:00pm - 5:15pm EST
Henry

Alumni-Led Electives

4:00pm EST

The Art of October 7th: On Memory and Massacre

Tuesday February 4, 2025 4:00pm - 5:15pm EST

In this session we will explore the visual art that has been created in Israel in response to the horrific events of October 7th. We will focus our journey on the work of Michel Kichka, Zoya Cherkassky and Or Yogev. In addition I will showcase a moving Kol HaOt exhibit inspired by the Ot Chaim Project; commemorative posters were commissioned from fourteen Israeli artists and each is woven into the third chapter of Ecclesiastes.

Speakers

Matt Berkowitz, WGF/DS 6

Rabbi Matthew L. Berkowitz is the Director of Israel Programs for The Jewish Theological Seminary of America and co-founder of Kol Ha-Ot, a Jerusalem-based venture devoted to exploring the arts and Jewish learning. For ten years (1999-2009), Matt served as the JTS Senior Rabbinic... Read More →

Tuesday February 4, 2025 4:00pm - 5:15pm EST
Carnahan

Alumni-Led Electives

4:00pm EST

The Enneagram: The Greatest Personality Typology EVER (and it sources in the Kabbalah too).

Tuesday February 4, 2025 4:00pm - 5:15pm EST

Dod

This session will give a brief overview of the Enneagram and its development and crystallization as an extremely illuminating, accurate, helpful, and very useful master personality typology with its 9 core types and subtypes, and we will also explore how a simple understanding of its Kabbalistic background deepens, further clarifies, and expands the potential of this revolutionary system, and it's ability to clarify other typologies. If possible, and depending on the numbers, participants will be given their own copies of Riso & Hudson's classic work on the Enneagram, "Personality Types" (Revised Edition from 1996). And participants will be prompted and guided in discovering their own type, with an emphasis placed on the healthy and ideal versions and therefore on the unique strengths and gifts of each type.

Speakers

Alex Glassman, WGF/DS 25

Alex Glassman is an independent scholar, originally trained as a Philosopher, Rabbi, and Psychotherapist and Clinical Social Worker. He studied philosophy, along with psychology and classics at the New School for Social Research, while he was technically still a high school student... Read More →

Tuesday February 4, 2025 4:00pm - 5:15pm EST
Dod

Alumni-Led Electives

4:00pm EST

Torah for the Heart and Mind: An Exploration of Parashat Beshallach Through a Mindfulness Lens

Tuesday February 4, 2025 4:00pm - 5:15pm EST

For this session, we will use a poetic interpretation by Rabbi Yael Levy, from Directing the Heart: Weekly Mindfulness Teachings and Practices from the Torah (2019), to engage with the parashat hashavua, and then we will engage in a guided meditation practice rooted in the Torah portion.

This session will be modeled on a weekly class I have offered for my congregation for the past four years. No mindfulness/meditation background is necessary! If you're curious about mindfulness practice, and the way it can open up new meaning in traditional texts, this session is for you!

Speakers

Audrey Marcus Berkman, WGF/DS 15

Rabbi Audrey Marcus Berkman is the Senior Rabbi of Temple Ohabei Shalom in Brookline, MA, where she has served since 2017. Previously, she was Director and Rabbi of Wellesley College Hillel, Chaplain/Rabbi at Center Communities of Brookline (part of Hebrew SeniorLife), and Rabbi of... Read More →

Tuesday February 4, 2025 4:00pm - 5:15pm EST
Mercer

Alumni-Led Electives

4:00pm EST

What Matters: Caring Conversations About End of Life

Tuesday February 4, 2025 4:00pm - 5:15pm EST

This session is an opportunity to reflect on and learn more about the value that “end-of-life planning” can bring to you, your work, and those who are affiliated with your organization/s. What Matters is an advance care planning program--a person-centered approach to helping individuals and families identify and express their values, goals, and wishes around healthcare decision-making to select a healthcare proxy, and to consider these issues in light of Jewish wisdom and practice.

Speakers

Melanie Levav, WGF/DS 26

Rabbi Melanie Levav is the founding Executive Director of the Shomer Collective, powered by Natan. Shomer aims to improve end of life experiences, guided by Jewish wisdom. Previously, Melanie served as Director of PJ Library in New York, a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation... Read More →

Tuesday February 4, 2025 4:00pm - 5:15pm EST
Bainbridge

Alumni-Led Electives

4:00pm EST

You don't have to know a dance to do a dance!

Tuesday February 4, 2025 4:00pm - 5:15pm EST

Whether you’re graceful, awkward, or somewhere in between (and whether you went to Jewish summer camp or not) Israeli dance is slow and fast and energetic and graceful and fun... and more meaningful than you might know. We'll dance some of the classics and talk about why they are the way they are, and we'll jump around to some of the latest; come move and be moved. No experience necessary: really!

Speakers

Erica Goldman, WGF/DS 28

Erica Goldman has been an engineering linguist, a high school English teacher, and has taught Israeli dancing on four continents (so far!). A two-time Brandeis University graduate, Erica holds an MBA as well as a Masters in Jewish Professional Leadership and is a grateful Wexner Fellow/Davidson... Read More →

Tuesday February 4, 2025 4:00pm - 5:15pm EST
Fitzgerald

Alumni-Led Electives

5:30pm EST

*Alumni-Led Electives II*

Tuesday February 4, 2025 5:30pm - 6:45pm EST

Tuesday February 4, 2025 5:30pm - 6:45pm EST

Alumni-Led Electives

5:30pm EST

A Legacy of Meaning

Tuesday February 4, 2025 5:30pm - 6:45pm EST

Wilson Boardroom

An introduction to the long Jewish history of creating an ethical will and tools to begin thinking about writing one of your own.

Speakers

Paula Mack Drill, WGF/DS 11

Rabbi Paula Mack Drill retired in June 2024 from full-time pulpit life at the Orangetown Jewish Center where she served for her entire rabbinic career of over twenty years. A social worker who returned to JTS as a Wexner Fellow after twelve years in the field, she was ordained in... Read More →

Tuesday February 4, 2025 5:30pm - 6:45pm EST
Wilson Boardroom

Alumni-Led Electives

5:30pm EST

A Taste of Daily Sketching

Tuesday February 4, 2025 5:30pm - 6:45pm EST

Grab a pen and paper and join me for a walk around the hotel with stops along the way to draw what we see. The practice of sketching everyday objects is a mix of creative process, journaling, and mindfulness. Taking even a few minutes out of your day to take notice of the mundane and engage in the observation that drawing asks of us can be grounding and even fun! We will start with activities to release some of the anxiety that gets stirred up by expectations of what is a "good drawing" and focus more on the process of paying attention and being in the moment. If you brought drawing materials with you, feel free to bring them. If not, some supplies will be provided.

Speakers

Aki Yonekawa, WGF/DS 26

Aki is a freelance Jewish educator based in Massachusetts. She moved to Cambridge from Southern CA to work at Gann Academy, and is still there enjoying life in the New England. She loves camp and all things camp-related, especially movies. She studied Art History at Occidental College... Read More →

Tuesday February 4, 2025 5:30pm - 6:45pm EST
Rush Boardroom

Alumni-Led Electives

5:30pm EST

G-d grant me the serenity - the what? What is serenity and why/how is it key to acceptance?

Tuesday February 4, 2025 5:30pm - 6:45pm EST

We will explore the dynamics of the serenity prayer, in the context of a 12-step'ish group/meeting/context - pondering Jewish lenses on the 12 steps and the template for personal (and even professional) growth and development. This is meant to be a reflective, interactive session in which sharing is encouraged yet not mandatory. In the spirit of Al Anon (and other 12 step groups), you will be encouraged to take what you liked and leave the rest. Everyone is welcome as we hopefully connect with ourselves, with others, and maybe even beyond...

Speakers

Jonathan Rudnick, WGF/DS 4

Jonathan Rudnick - Class IV After receiving an MA in International Affairs as well as Jewish Communal Service, I reached my dream of working for JDC in the Former Soviet Union, based in Israel. convinced that Jewish education is the glue that holds all of the different pieces of the... Read More →

Tuesday February 4, 2025 5:30pm - 6:45pm EST
33 Stockton

Alumni-Led Electives

5:30pm EST

How to Go from Coffee Dates to Community

Tuesday February 4, 2025 5:30pm - 6:45pm EST

Many of the us know the importance of one-on-one relationships when growing our communities. Going from coffee to community—or from the one-on-one to collective participation—is often a trickier feat to accomplish. In this session, we will look a this this crucial step in the community building process, moving from individual encounters to a cultivated sense of belonging in and responsibility for the collective. Learn both the big ideas and the practical skills for how to do this in your organization.

Speakers

Graham Hoffman, WFF 1

Graham Hoffman is Chief Strategy Officer of Assembly, an innovation laboratory designed to launch, catalyze, and scale new projects to engage Jews in Jewish life.Graham previously served as the President and CEO of Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona. Originally appointed as CEO of the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizo... Read More →

Erica Frankel, WFF 3

Erica Frankel is the Executive Director of Assembly. Over the past 16 years, Erica has founded and grown five new Jewish initiatives into existence, has touched the lives of over 20,000 Jewish college students, has trained and supported more than 500 rabbis and Jewish educators, and has seeded a thriving Jewish ecosystem in Harlem.Between... Read More →

Tuesday February 4, 2025 5:30pm - 6:45pm EST
Maclean

Alumni-Led Electives

5:30pm EST

Israeli Cartooning after October 7

Tuesday February 4, 2025 5:30pm - 6:45pm EST

This interactive session will involve an exploration of art produced by Israeli cartoonists in the 16 months since October 7. By including art produced by members of right-wing and left-wing, religious and secular communities and by men and women, young and old, participants will be introduced to the rich diversity that is present in Israel's cartooning community and examine the many ways that its members have used art as a tool to respond to trauma. Opportunities for personal reflection on the art will also be present as we consider our own reactions to the cartoons produced by the Israeli artists.

Speakers

Matt Reingold, WGF/DS 23

Matt has extensive experiences and different vantage points for understanding Jewish education. In addition to 15 years of classroom teaching, he has served as a department head and a curriculum developer for courses about modern Israeli history and contemporary Israeli culture and... Read More →

Tuesday February 4, 2025 5:30pm - 6:45pm EST
Carnahan

Alumni-Led Electives

5:30pm EST

Lonely at the Top

Tuesday February 4, 2025 5:30pm - 6:45pm EST

Lessons learned in growing a start-up, creating a team across differences, locations, and adaptive challenges, and leading across generational and socio-policital gaps. This session will identify a number of emerging factors that impact staff culture, lessons learned in changing things for the better, and time to workshop challenges among attendees. Geared towards those in senior leadership, though all are welcome; come prepared to participate.

Speakers

Shira Berkovits, WFF 1

Shira Berkovits (she/her) is President and CEO of Sacred Spaces. A behavioral psychologist with a research background in creating large-scale organizational change, and a background in criminal law, Shira has spent years studying the intersection of psychology and law as related to... Read More →

Tuesday February 4, 2025 5:30pm - 6:45pm EST
Henry

Alumni-Led Electives

5:30pm EST

Management and Supervision as a Spiritual Practice

Tuesday February 4, 2025 5:30pm - 6:45pm EST

Are you serving as a supervisor for the first time and feel in over your head? Do you manage a team and struggle to balance your individual responsibilities with your management responsibilities? Do you have trouble addressing performance problems? Are you uncertain about how to both support your staff and hold them accountable? Are there professional opportunities that appeal to you that you worry you might not like or be good at because of the management responsibilities required? Do you think of management as a necessary evil rather than a core part of your leadership? Do you think of b’tzelem elohim, “meeting people where they are”, radical acceptance, dan l’kaf zechut as part of your pastoral, spiritual and/or ritual approach but have never thought about how those concepts and values apply to management and supervision? If so, this session is for you! In this skill-building session, I will share my management philosophy, provide some helpful tips and techniques and recommend resources for future learning.

Speakers

Amber Powers, WGF/DS 9

Rabbi Amber Powers serves as Executive Vice President of Reconstructing Judaism, where she holds primary responsibility for the internal leadership and management of the organization. She also serves a member of the Regular Faculty at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. Her... Read More →

Tuesday February 4, 2025 5:30pm - 6:45pm EST
Mercer

Alumni-Led Electives

5:30pm EST

There’s a Planner for That: Goal-Setting Through a Jewish Lens

Tuesday February 4, 2025 5:30pm - 6:45pm EST

Discover how goal planning can be a spiritual practice through Jewish teachings on intentionality and mindfulness. Learn to set meaningful short- and long-term goals using planner tools while reflecting on personal growth. In group discussions and personal reflection, we’ll learn new techniques to set short-term and long-term goals that resonate with your passions. This session will provide practical tools to transform your vision into reality, all with a touch of Jewish wisdom. Bring your notebook and an open mind!

Speakers

Sari Laufer, WGF/DS 14

Rabbi Sari Laufer is the Chief Engagement Officer at Stephen Wise Temple in Los Angeles. A cum laude graduate of Northwestern University (Go ‘Cats!) Rabbi Laufer was ordained by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Los Angeles in May 2006. Her published works have... Read More →

Tuesday February 4, 2025 5:30pm - 6:45pm EST
Lowrie

Alumni-Led Electives