Appreciating Change

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.

Photo by Alison Hoover

Re|Generation

Over 120 years of Chicago’s Jewish Federation & its Impact

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.

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.

Alumni Profile | Rabbi Dr. Michael Friedland

Jewish Learning as an Investment in Yourself

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.”

For 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.”

A Different Spin on Making a Difference

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.

Jewish learning for a better world

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

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