Spertus Institute was thrilled to welcome guests to Jewish Community Networking Night, which returned in November from its COVID-related hiatus. This free event for Jewish community professionals, lay leaders, consultants, and volunteers brings participants together to mingle, build contacts across organizations, enjoy each other’s company, and learn something new to add to their professional toolkits. A special thank you to Becca Barish, Second City and iO alum, who added a fun improv twist to this year’s event. (She’s why everyone in these pictures is smiling!). Also thank you to Zelda’s Catering and Monica and Steven Perlman for their sponsorships. We were thrilled to present this year’s Community Connector Award to the Lewis Summer Intern Program (LSIP) for matching a generation of Jewish college students with work/ study experiences that serve the Jewish community. LSIP is a program of the Jewish United Fund and The Hillels of Illinois.
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(Counterclockwise from top left) Spertus Dean & Chief Academic Officer Dr. Keren Fraiman and Spertus President & CEO Dr. Dean Bell | Michael Adato and Yogev Ben-Yitschak of JUF with Spertus Assistant Director for Recruitment Amie Barrish | Emily Briskman, Associate VP, JUF Campus Affairs & Executive Director, The Hillels of Illinois, and Ila Lewis, daughter of Harriet and Maurice Lewis, for whom the Lewis Summer Intern named Institute trustee Monica Perlman and her husband Steven who were generous sponsors of the event | Miriam Brosseau and team from Tiny Windows Consulting | Robin Loeb, Associate Director of the Kehillah Fund, and Leslie Rosen Stern, Managing Director of Meeting Your Mission. Photos by Alison HooverBuilding Community | P2
Letter from Spertus President & CEO Dr. Dean P. Bell | P5
Combating Antisemitism: New Initiative | P7
Mazel Tov to Spertus Institute’s 2022 Graduates | P11
2022 Impact Report | P17
Re: Generation | P27
Alumni Profile: Rabbi Michael Friedland | P29
Workshops | Programs | Events
Critical Conversations | P9
Connect & Learn: Presented with JPro Chicago | P19
Elevate 2023: Jewish Fundraising Professionals Bootcamp | P21
Film & Discussion: 10 Questions for Henry Ford | P23
Leadership Academy: Appreciating Change | P25
A New Spin on Making a Difference | P30
spertus.edu
Our programs continue to be a mix of onsite and online. We are a mask-optional facility. For onsite events, we reserve the right to check identification. Our onsite food and beverage kiosk remains closed. Since conditions are subject to change, please check our website or follow us on social media for regular updates.
Discount parking is available for $10 at Grant Park South Garage, 325 S. Michigan Avenue. The discount is good for 12 hours with Spertus validation.
Spertus Institute is a partner with the Jewish United Fund in serving our community
Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled paper.
Recent studies confirm that there has been an appreciable and troubling increase in antisemitism, along with other forms of bias and hatred.
There is violence and vandalism as well as a rise in disturbing antisemitic stereotypes on social media, in entertainment, and in day-to-day life. Some of these contemporary expressions of antisemitism draw from current political, economic, religious, and social conditions, inflamed by increasing polarization. Some are refracted through the prism of long-standing historical accusations of world conspiracies, economic domination, dubious ethics, and dual loyalties.
Combating antisemitism requires understanding our current climate in both an historical and contemporary context, right alongside the development of realworld skills. We must engage and support constituents, leverage communications, develop networks of people and resources, build bridges to those with differing views, and actively and intentionally work towards adaptive change.
A Talmudic story tells of an incident in which the Elders were asked: “Is study greater or is action greater?” Rabbi Tarfon answered that action is greater. Rabbi Akiva answered that study is greater. Eventually it was determined that study is greater, but not as an independent value. It is greater because it leads to action.
(Babylonian Talmud Kiddushin 40b)
Study and action are both required as we address antisemitism. Indeed, one of the foundations of Spertus Institute’s educational philosophy is the importance of engaging both theory and practice. That is precisely what we are doing in our new Leadership Certificate in Combating Antisemitism (page 7), which launches this January with a cohort of 17 executive directors and senior professionals from organizations across North America. A dozen faculty members with both academic and on-the-ground experience will help our students study and take action to redress the challenging rise of antisemitism.
This year we also focus our annual Critical Conversations event (page 9) on the topic of combating antisemitism, giving you a chance to join our students to hear new ideas, learn from experts, and explore what you can do to make a difference.
According to the Pew Research Center, six-in-ten American Jews report having had a personal experience with antisemitism in the previous year, ranging from seeing antisemitic vandalism to experiencing direct harassment. The ADL tabulated 2,717 antisemitic incidents in the US in 2021, representing a 34% increase from 2020. This is the highest number since ADL began tracking in 1979. In September, a study revealed that Jews in Canada are the most targeted of religious minorities in that country for hate crimes. While Jews comprise only 1% of the population in Canada, they were the victims of 14% of reported hate crimes, reflecting a 47% increase between 2020 and 2021.
The executives accepted to this program will gain important knowledge about the historical and contemporary manifestations of antisemitism, combined with critical skills in community engagement, risk assessment, crisis communications, and alliance building. They will become part of a network of institutional leaders who can leverage each other’s talents, resources, relationships, and support.
We are grateful to the local and national foundations who have come together to support this important initiative and to the skilled faculty joining our team. Hear from four of these experts in this year’s Critical Conversation (see page 9).
We are pleased to announce the inaugural cohort of the Leadership Certificate in Combating Antisemitism
Scott Braswell | CEO, Merage Jewish Community Center of Orange County
Melissa Chapman | CEO, JCC East Bay, Berkeley
Tamara Donnenfeld | Director of Lifelong Learning, Temple Beth Am, Miami
Lisa Epstein | Director of JCRC, Jewish Federation of San Antonio
Eileen Freed | Executive Director, Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor
Monica Gebell | Director, Community Relations (JCRC), Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester, Inc.
Debra Grant | Associate Vice President, LiveSecure, Jewish Federations of North America
Jared Isaacson | Executive Director, Cleveland Hillel Foundation
Bob Kaplan | Executive Director, Jewish Community Relations Council of NY
Judith Levey | Executive Director, Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, Chicago
Tina Malka | Director of Antisemitism
Education and Associate Director, Israel Action Program, Hillel International
Johanna Novis | Director, Community Mobilization to Combat Antisemitism, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
Rabbi David Oler | Rabbi, The New Reform Congregation Kadima, Riverwoods, Illinois
Gustavo Rymberg | CEO, Hamilton Jewish Federation, Ontario
Briana Schwarz | Executive Director, University of Miami Hillel
Joyce Shevin | Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council, Birmingham Jewish Federation
Jon Warech | Executive Director, Hillel at Florida International University
Next cohort will begin Fall 2023. Visit spertus.edu/LCCA for details.
Jewish leaders need tools and training to respond to antisemitism.
Leadership Certificate in Combating Antisemitism will address this need with the expertise it demands.
Critical Conversations is generously funded by the late Eric Joss.
This is Spertus Institute’s annual Alex and Klara Tulsky Presentation on the Jewish Future.
Monday, February 20 7 pm–8:30 pm central
Critical Conversations is an annual Spertus Institute program inspired by Judaism’s embrace of civil discourse. The series brings together high-profile experts and activists to address the most critical issues of the day.
This year our presenters will focus on antisemitism—its current manifestations and what can be done to combat it, both within and beyond Jewish communities.
Join us in person or online. In person tickets —$18 Online tickets free thanks to donors like you. Closed captioning provided for online viewers.
VIP tickets —$180 VIP price includes VIP seating and pre-program dinner with the speakers. Ticket revenue supports Spertus educational initiatives
Reservations required for all tickets types. Reserve online at spertus.edu/conversations
Dr. Lila Corwin Berman is a professor of history at Temple University, where she directs the Feinstein Center for American Jewish History. She is a co-founder of the Jewish Philanthropy Research Initiative. Her current research examines the history of Jewish citizenship in the United States.
Dr. Dov Waxman is an internationally recognized expert on contemporary antisemitism and American Jewry’s relationship with Israel. He is a political science professor at UCLA and writes for publications including the Washington Pos t, Guardian, and Atlantic Monthly
Dr. Miriam F. Elman is Executive Director of the Academic Engagement Network, a DC-based organization that counters antisemitism and antiIsrael activities on college campuses. In 2018, she was named one of “the top 100 people positively influencing Jewish life” by the Algemeiner
Nancy K. Kaufman served for many years as CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women and as Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Boston. She is an advisor for SRE Network, a group of 150+ Jewish organizations committed to safety, respect, and equity.
The 2022 Graduation Address was given by Dr. Morton Schapiro, the 16th president of Northwestern University, who was presented an honorary Doctor of Hebrew Letters. Dr. Schapiro is a leading authority on the economics of higher education and a champion of Jewish student life.
Inaugural North American Cohort, MA in Jewish Professional Studies.
Photos by Maggie Russo.
Lifelong learning is a hallowed Jewish tradition that expands knowledge, roots us, and builds bonds. It makes our lives richer and our communities more resilient. In today’s world, when the need for new insight, resources, and skills is ceaseless, this tradition is undeniably relevant.
The 41 recent graduates of Spertus Institute’s acclaimed Master’s and Doctoral programs embody this tradition. They join thousands of other Spertus alumni who advance Jewish organizations and communities around the world with their Spertus-acquired knowledge and skills.
Spertus President & CEO Dr. Dean P. Bell opened the ceremony by welcoming guests in the room and those tuning in from around the world. He said: “Spertus students are adult learners whose lives outside the classroom are filled with professional and family obligations. At graduation we celebrate their academic and professional achievements—and recognize the proud colleagues, friends, and loved ones who supported them along the way.”
Spertus Dean & Chief Academic Officer Dr. Keren E. Fraiman said: “Spertus students bring their own experiences and perspectives. They enrich the lives of their colleagues and our faculty and staff as they pursue their studies with commitment, perseverance, and accomplishment.”
Representing the graduates, student speaker Sarah Cohn said: “Each of us has experienced rich learning, rooted in Jewish wisdom and tradition. Spertus has helped me contextualize complexities and put language to what I knew deep down but had inadequate words to express. I see myself as part of a tradition of Jewish people reaching across distance and time. My education informs how I show up every day as a professional and who I am as a person.”
Twenty-six graduates participated in the ceremony in person. Carrying on Spertus Institute’s decades-long role as a pioneer of advanced scholarship in Jewish studies, Marc Stopeck of Oak Park, IL, and Ken Ziejewski of Lake Bluff, IL, received their Master of Arts in Jewish Studies Rabbi Michael Friedland of Sinai Synagogue in South Bend, IN, received his Doctor of Hebrew Letters . (Read an interview with Rabbi Friedland on page 29.)
Dylan Ashworth and fans Naomi Looper
Michelle Caplan and fans
Laura Wildman with her husband Benjamin
In executive, local, regional, and North American cohorts, graduates of the Master of Arts in Jewish Professional Studies completed an intensive program that advances their work at organizations across the spectrum of Jewish life.
Marah Altenberg , District 20 Lake County Board Member, Lake Bluff, IL
Dylan Ashworth, Director of Youth & Camping, Barshop JCC, San Antonio, TX
Katie Babin, Director of Women’s Philanthropy, Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, Dallas, TX
Samantha Berinsky, Atlanta City Director of Repair the World, Atlanta, GA
Michelle Caplan, Assistant Executive Director, Congregation Neveh Shalom, Beaverton, OR
Valerie Chambers, Campus Director, Kennesaw State University Hillel, Hillels of Georgia, Atlanta, GA
Sarah Cohn, Associate Director of Engagement & Wellness, Hillel International, Cary, NC
Shelly Dresdner, Associate Executive Director, Temple Sinai, Sandy Springs, GA
Jaime Fox , Senior Manager of Women’s Philanthropy, Jewish Federation of San Diego County, CA
Jack Fuchsman, Young Leadership Division Associate, Jewish Federation of Cleveland, OH
Sarah Jarvis, Israel Program Admissions Director, Mid-Atlantic, Jewish National Fund-USA, Washington, DC
Brittany Kahn, Program & Operations Manager, Center for Rabbinic Innovation, New York, NY
Diana Kalef, Director of Development, Calgary Jewish Federation, AB, Canada
Ariella Allmayer, Director, Strategic Initiatives, OneTable, New York, NY
Stella Beili, Director of International Fundraising Projects, TaglitBirthright, Tel Aviv, Israel
Tani Prell Epstein, Creative Director, Be’chol Lashon, Chicago, IL
Rebecca Frazin-Chan, Director of Admissions, Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, Chicago, IL
Sarah Gindes, Campus Director, Hillel at NC State, North Carolina Hillel, Durham, NC
Martha Goldberg , Independent Living Program Manager, On My Own of Michigan, Detroit, MI
Rebecca Leavey, Program & Communications Director, The Haberman Institute for Jewish Studies, Rockville, MD
Rachel Lipson, Religious School Administrator, Temple Sholom of Chicago, IL
Julie Lookatch, Marketing Director, Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, Milwaukee, WI
Naomi Looper, Springboard Teen Engagement Manager, Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, IL
Devra Sadler, Manager of Youth, Family & Jewish Life, Mayerson JCC, Cincinnati, OH
Ian Solow-Niederman, Assistant Director, Syracuse Hillel, NY
Jeremy Spiegel , Assistant Director, Jewish Community Relations Council, Cincinnati, OH
Josh Steinberg , Chief Operating Officer, Swipe Out Hunger, Los Angeles, CA
Lori Tessel , Director of Development, Western Region, Simon Wiesenthal Center, Los Angeles, CA
Rabbi Kari Tuling , Congregation Kol Haverim, Glastonbury, CT
Jen Weintraub, Regional Manager, Club Z, Los Angeles, CA
Laura Wildman, Director of Elementary Education & Engagement, United Hebrew Congregation, St. Louis, MO
Cathy Winick , Temple Emanuel & Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI
Jared Isaacson, Executive Director, Cleveland Hillel Foundation, Cleveland, OH
Matt Rissien, Director of Congregation Learning, Temple Jeremiah, Chicago, IL
Susan Rizzo, Interim Education Director, Temple Sinai School of Jewish Life and Learning, Rochester, NY
Aya Shechter, Advisory Council Member, Council of Young Jewish Presidents, Los Angeles, CA
Dan Tatar, Director of Engagement & Strategic Partnerships, The iCenter, Northbrook, IL
For nearly 100 years, Spertus Institute has been dedicated to learning that is rich, rigorous, and deeply relevant to the issues that shape Jewish life.
While we proudly present programs in an array of formats—for participants in Chicago and around the world—at our core are the degree and certificate programs that offer students the opportunity to passionately engage with Jewish ideas in the service of their personal and professional advancement.
Learn more Contact Assistant Director for Recruitment Amie Barrish at abarrish@spertus.edu.
Spertus
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Institute accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Kendall McCaugherty © Hedrich Blessingspertus.edu/JewishStudies
For learners seeking to explore Jewish heritage, thought, and community.
Doctor of Science in Jewish Studies
For educators and administrators seeking to address critical issues in Jewish life.
Doctor of Hebrew Letters
For rabbis and educators seeking to understand the past to address the future.
spertus.edu/Leadership
MA in Jewish Professional Studies
For professionals seeking to advance their careers in the Jewish community.
Executive MA in Jewish Professional Studies
Accelerated program for executive-level Jewish community professionals.
Certificate in Jewish Leadership
Presented with Northwestern University for professionals, educators, and lay leaders.
Leadership Certificate in Combating Antisemitism
For leaders on the front line.
A community-building, professional development series for Spertus students and alumni, professionals at Chicago Jewish organizations, and their guests.
Spertus Institute’s esteemed scholars and practitioners lead deep dives into topics ranging from Jewish wisdom to nonprofit management skills.
Participants gain skills they can apply immediately to their life and work—and they become part of a lively network of learners and community leaders.
Sessions are free, online, live, interactive, and collaborative. Each session includes time to connect, network, meet new colleagues, and strengthen relationships.
Advance registration required. Reserve at spertus.edu
Thursday, February 9 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm CT
Led by Dr. David N. Gottlieb, Spertus Institute’s Director of Jewish Studies
Thursday, April 20 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm CT
Led by Philanthropic Advisor Caren Yanis , Principal, Croland Consulting, LLC.
Connect & Learn is a Solomon Goldman Program, endowed by the late Rose and Sidney Shure.
Monday–Tuesday, January 30–31, 2023 Onsite at Spertus Institute
Two days tailored to Jewish community fundraisers. Gain tangible strategies you can put into practice right away.
Walk away with enhanced skills and a new network of peers. Content will be geared toward organizations with smaller development teams.
Discover new ways to generate revenue
Explore tactics to engage lay leaders
Learn to streamline your development processes for increased success
Gain the skills to cultivate transformational gifts
Cost | $549 per registration. Select sessions qualify for CFRE continuing education credits.
We are proud to partner with the following national organizations committed to furthering Jewish philanthropy:
AllianceBernstein | Dlead | Torah Educators Network, Executive Directors Share | JCamp 180 | JCC Association of North America | Foundation for Jewish Camp
This ViewPoints Program is Spertus Institute’s 2023 Horwitz Family Presentation on Jewish History, generously endowed by the Horwitz Charitable Fund
Film Screening
10 Questions for Henry Ford
January 19–26, 2023
Available on demand, free with January 26 program reservation.
Discussion with the Filmmaker Thursday, January 26, 2023 from 7 pm–8 pm CT Live online, free thanks to donors like you.
Reserve online at spertus.edu
In a moment marked by resurging antisemitism, follow the ghost of Henry Ford on a modern-day journey in this creative and thought-provoking film that explores his complicated legacy.
Drawing on startling archival footage, 10 Questions examines the stillimpactful imprint of Ford’s antisemitism on fascist and white supremacist movements. It also explores his brutal resistance to organized labor and his tragic relationship with his forgotten son Edsel.
Andy Kirshner is a multimedia artist, award-winning musician, filmmaker, and historical researcher. His work has been supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the American Academy of Arts and Letters, among others, and his films have toured festivals in the US and Europe. Kirshner teaches at the University of Michigan.
Andy Kirshner will be interviewed by Spertus Institute’s Director of Jewish Studies, Dr. David N. Gottlieb
It’s no secret that many of us loathe change. What if we could embrace it and harness it for good?
Tuesday, March 28, 2023 12 pm-1:30 pm CT
Free thanks to donors like you. Reservations required. Reserve your spot at spertus.edu
Leadership Academy is a program of Spertus Institute’s Center for Jewish Leadership, supported in part by a generous grant from the Crown Family.
Sarah Lewis is the Founder and Managing Director of Appreciating Change, a Londonbased psychological consultancy that teaches how to harness well-researched positive psychology to benefit individuals, teams, and organizations. For Spertus Institute’s 2023 Leadership Academy, Lewis will lead an interactive, online 90-minute workshop for Jewish community leaders. With a focus on her concept of Appreciative Inquiry, she will equip participants with new skills they can apply immediately in their own lives and organizations.
Sarah Lewis is a consulting psychologist who helps clients around the world manage and mobilize organizational change. She is the author of a series of books on positive psychology and the developer of workshops and tools on leadership and team development.
On view in the Ground Level Arts Lab Open during Spertus Institute business hours. No charge. See spertus.edu for details.
When he was 120 years old, Moses is said to have looked back with reflection and looked forward to connect with the next generation.
After 120 years, the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Chicago is doing the same. A special exhibition celebrates JUF Federation’s impact, recognizing how it has evolved to meet changing needs.
Photo by Alison Hoover
Over the decades, JUF pioneered innovative fundraising techniques, staying nimble and effective as circumstances demanded new directions, making it a role model for philanthropic efforts worldwide.
Curated by historian Wendy Soltz and designed by Spertus Senior Designer Tracy Kostenbader, the exhibition features artifacts from early naturalization certificates to coverage of protests in support of Soviet Jewry, and from records of the Israel Emergency Fund to recent initiatives to fight discrimination, provide disaster relief, and combat antisemitism.
The exhibition is made possible in part by a generous contribution from the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation in honor and memory of John C. Colman; support from the Shure Charitable Trust; and support from the Jewish Federation of Chicago.
Spertus Institute is a partner with the Jewish United Fund in serving our community.
Visit spertus.edu/JewishStudies to learn more.
Rabbi Dr. Michael Friedland received his Doctor of Hebrew Letters from Spertus earlier this year.
In a conversation with Dr. David N. Gottlieb, Spertus Institute’s Director of Jewish Studies, Michael Friedland discussed his experience.
After Michael Friedland received his rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, he hoped to continue toward his Doctor of Hebrew Letters. But he also needed to earn a living, so he took a pulpit at a congregation in small community in Wisconsin.
Over the years, he never lost his desire to pursue advanced study. When he learned about Spertus Institute, after moving to Sinai Synagogue in South Bend, IN, he felt it was time. “I needed to feed my intellect,” he said.
“Classes were fantastic and fueled my work. Spertus opened doors to a whole range of Hebrew texts I’d never even heard of. The experience gave me the intellectual energy to teach. Whatever I learned at Spertus, became sessions at synagogue.”
Alumni Profile | Rabbi Dr. Michael FriedlandFor his final project before receiving his doctorate, Friedland developed an in-depth analysis of Shevet Yehudah, a 16th-century text by Spanish historian and physician Solomon ibn Verga. Friedland demonstrated that ibn Verga was motivated to make the case for political, religious, and social reform in the Jewish communities exiled from Spain.
“What drew me to this text is that it seems so contemporary,” Friedland said. “The author confronted the same kinds of accusations that Jewish communities face today: that Jews let success occlude their identity and this was related to the discrimination against them.”
Among Spertus Institute’s community of learners, Friedland noted a recurring theme: gratitude for the opportunity to delve deeply into Jewish texts, thought, and history.
“In rabbinical school, sure, we study midrash, Rashi, and Rambam,” he said, “but we short-circuit ourselves by not exploring beyond these key sources. That was a benefit of Spertus—it opened my eyes to other thinkers.”
“Spertus provides an opportunity you’re not going to find in too many other places. It is an investment in yourself as a Jewish learner.”
For nearly 100 years, Spertus Institute has celebrated Jewish heritage and advanced Jewish learning in ways that affirm its relevance today and for the future.
There are many ways to learn about Jewish life—and we offer many ways to embrace the Jewish experience. At our core are programs that empower Jewish community professionals to meet the challenges they face. In times that test us —as was true at our founding in 1924 and is true today—these programs are where Spertus steps up and shows our strength.
This year, Spertus served more than 2,600 Jewish leaders, educators, and front-line workers through subsidized graduate programs, workshops, and pivotal training opportunities. Your investment in Spertus is an investment in their important work. Your philanthropy, large or small, lays the groundwork. Our students continue to face financial uncertainties, so your support is critical.
Make your gift online at donate.spertus.edu/2022
