Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership | spertus.edu
March—July 2021
News & Events
Creating Community Stories of Courage, Innovation, Service, and Connection | P16
Critical Conversations
Jews and Race
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Nothing can stop Spertus from celebrating our graduates! Yudi Rine, Robin Loeb, Genna Kahn, Tani Prell Epstein, and Joelle Swatez at their 2019 Spertus graduation.
Graduation is a time to celebrate Spertus Institute students as they mark the completion of their studies and become ambassadors, taking their newly acquired knowledge and skills to their own organizations and communities. Spertus students are adult learners, whose lives outside Spertus are filled with important professional and family obligations. Thus, graduation is also a time for us to recognize the colleagues, friends, and loved ones who supported them from the sidelines.
This coming year, graduation will take place on May 2, 2021, and it will be unlike any in our 97-year history. Because of COVID-19, the ceremony will be virtual, and we plan to take advantage of everything we’ve learned this year about online programming. One of our favorite lessons—indeed a bright spark amid 2020’s challenges —is that virtual programs allow us to dissolve geographic boundaries, to welcome participants from near and far. We look forward, therefore, to including graduates’ family members and friends from around the world. At this point, we can say with confidence that we will produce and present a ceremony as intimate and meaningful as it would be in person, something to which our many program participants and online learners can attest. We will be awarding degrees to students from all our degree programs: Jewish Studies (both our Doctoral and Master’s programs) and Jewish Professional Studies (including local, regional, and executive cohorts).
Honor a student or graduate with a tribute gift. Visit donate.spertus.edu/tribute
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Contents News
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Letter from Spertus President and CEO Dr. Dean P. Bell | P4 Strategic Plan for the Future | P5 Creating Impact Online | P7 Teaching Peoplehood | P10 Introducing Amie Barrish | P14 Spertus Students on the Front Lines | P16 Collections and Reflections | P27
Jewish Leadership
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MA in Jewish Professional Studies | P15 MentorWorks | P21 Certificate in Jewish Leadership | P23 Israeli Women & Leadership | P25
Jewish Studies Medieval Fragments, New Discoveries | P13
Programs and Events Critical Conversations | Jews & Race | P8 Bernardin Interfaith Lecture | P31
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Support and Membership Support Spertus Students | P20 Leave a Legacy of Learning | P28 Membership | P29
Calendar
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A partner with the Jewish United Fund in serving our community
On the cover: Spertus students, alumni, faculty, supporters, presenters, and partners.
Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled paper.
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Dr. Dean P. Bell
Vision for our Second Century We recently completed a comprehensive strategic planning process, resulting in an important plan for our future. We’ve undertaken this work as we look ahead to 2024, when Spertus Institute will reach a milestone: 100 years. In our planning, we evaluated our strengths and conducted a scan of the key academic areas in which we work: Jewish Studies, Jewish Education, and Jewish Communal Studies. We researched educational innovations and networked with industry leaders to understand the emerging needs of those we serve. We identified two areas where our expertise and potential are most significant. From these flow our two interconnected strategic goals: Deliver High-Impact Jewish Learning Spertus is positioning itself to be the leading center for applied Jewish learning, providing Jewish learning that is rich, relevant, and far-reaching, with real-world application and the power to address pressing issues within and beyond the Jewish community. Increase Access We will build on our longstanding service to the Chicago Jewish community and our increasingly global reach to expand programmatically and geographically, providing worldwide access to impactful, intellectually uncompromising Jewish learning. We are committed to creativity, innovation, and risk-tolerance, which will inform new, scalable programs and products developed for impact and reach. We are already successfully rolling out compelling components of this new plan. I hope you will take pride—and part—in our new programs, partnerships, and plans for the future. Best wishes,
Dr. Dean P. Bell, President and CEO Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership
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Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership
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Goals
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Strategic Plan for the Future Vision for our Second Century To strengthen Jewish life around the world through relevant, high-impact Jewish learning that addresses today’s needs and prepares Jewish communities for the future
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Programmatic and geographic expansion
Source for thought leadership, research, and innovation in Jewish education
Proudly based in Chicago— with students, programs, and participants worldwide
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Leading center for applied Jewish learning
Programs and products adapted, developed, and scaled for reach and impact
Real-world application to strengthen and invigorate the Jewish future
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Underpinning our work: a culture of creativity, community, innovation, risk-tolerance, and results.
SOUTH AMERICA
ARGENTINA BRAZIL CHILE COLOMBIA URUGUAY Teaching resilience in South America Spertus Institute has widened our reach to work with students from South America. The initiative began with a Global Jewish Leadership Seminar in 2019—presented at Spertus with the JDC and Jewish United Fund of Chicago. Building on this platform, Spertus teamed with the Leon Avayu Fundacion and the Círculo Israelita de Santiago to share our expertise online with Jewish educators from Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Uruguay. We introduced participants to new ways of thinking about crisis and resilience and provided innovative educational tools for them to use in their own work.
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Among recent programs, award-winning Israeli author Ayelet Gunder-Goshen spoke passionately with Spertus online attendees about her influences and the international impact of her work.
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Creating intimate and impactful experiences online In spite of 2020’s weighty challenges, we are fortunate to live in a time when we can deliver impactful education remotely and keep our community of Spertus learners close wherever they are. Since the COVID-19 crisis began, more than 2,500 participants have taken advantage of Spertus programs online.
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Jewish Community Networking Night
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For decades, Spertus Institute has been a respected leader in distance learning. During the pandemic, we have drawn on this experience to develop and provide a wide range of online offerings. We have offered programs to build community and connections, nurture new skills, and engage with Jewish innovators, writers, and thinkers. Thank you to everyone who has been able to participate. You awe us with your engagement, excellent questions, ideas, and ongoing pursuit of knowledge.
Spertus Institute has long hosted an annual event for community volunteers, consultants, and professionals. Jewish Community Networking Night has brought hundreds of participants together to enjoy each other’s company and enhance their professional tool kits. The evening has seeded partnerships, spurred program ideas, matched candidates to positions, and fostered lasting connections.
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This fall, Spertus took the event online, opening the virtual doors to participants worldwide. The evening was an overwhelming success, with registrants from 33 U.S. states and Canadian provinces, as well as France, Italy, Israel, and South Africa. Special guest Hillary Rea, a Moth StorySLAM winner and founder/host of Tell Me A Story, taught participants to craft five-word life stories. The 2020 Innovation Award was presented to KOVAL Distillery’s Dr. Sonat and Robert Birnecker, who retooled early in the pandemic to produce alcohol-based sanitizer for first responders, saving jobs and lives. Among the post-program comments: “I was skeptical about a virtual networking event, but ended up entirely impressed,” “Hillary’s portion was really fun—and valuable, too,” and “It was terrific to see so many people and to be able to participate.”
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Thank you to sponsors ACS, Associated Advisors, and Zelda’s Catering.
When most people think of Jewish, they think white and they think European. But Jews of color have been alive and well for thousands of years. YAVILAH MCCOY
Jews & Race This year, in two online events, our trio of presenters will focus on race and justice—and their juncture in Jewish life. Critical Conversations is an annual program inspired by Judaism’s embrace of civil discourse. It brings together high-profile experts and activists to debate critical issues.
Talking Frankly about Race and Racism Tuesday, April 27 | 7 pm to 8:30 pm central Moderated by Spertus President and CEO Dr. Dean P. Bell.
Workshop on Allyship and Inclusive Communities Monday, May 10 | 7 pm to 8:30 pm central Moderated by Spertus Dean and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Keren E. Fraiman.
Critical Conversations is generously funded by the late Eric Joss.
Photo by Ellen Dubin.
Dr. Marc Dollinger
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RABBI MIRA RIVERA
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DR. MARC DOLLINGER
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We need to upend our entire way of thinking.
Being a courageous and compassionate Jew matters. Black and brown lives matter. Standing up for what is right matters.
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Yavilah McCoy is a Black, Jewish anti-racism activist. She founded Ayecha, the first nonprofit for Jewish diversity and is CEO of Dimension Educational Consultancy. A renowned educator and spiritual practitioner, she was named a “Faith Leader to Watch” by the Center for American Progress. Dr. Marc Dollinger holds the Richard & Rhoda Goldman Endowed Chair in Jewish Studies and Social Responsibility at San Francisco State University. The author of Black Power, Jewish Politics, he served on the California advisory committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
Thank you to our sponsors
Purchase tickets online at spertus.edu/conversation 9
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Sessions sold separately. Advance tickets required. $18 | $10 for Spertus members $8 for students and Spertus alumni
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Rabbi Mira Rivera — the first Filipina-American ordained from the Jewish Theological Seminary — is a chaplain and Associate Rabbi at Romemu in New York and the Rabbi at Ammud: the Jews of Color Torah Academy. She co-chairs the rabbinical council of Jews for Racial and Economic Justice.
Peoplehood Spertus Institute has added a new course to our graduate curriculum: Jewish Peoplehood, taught by Dr. Shlomi Ravid and Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz. Spertus is a pioneer in bringing this subject to Jewish professionals working in the field. Here, Dr. Ravid shares his insights on the project.
Jewish Peoplehood Seminar The pilot Jewish Peoplehood seminar took place for students in Spertus Institute’s MA in Jewish Professional Studies program, via Zoom, in June 2020. The purpose of this first-of-its-kind forum was to introduce students to the concept and its relevance for their work as Jewish professionals. Guided by the principal that “Peoplehood constitutes the consciousness of the Jewish enterprise,” the course explored the ways in which students’ roles and organizations are part of a historical and global Jewish People.
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We focused on three core topics 1. How is peoplehood expressed through the work of Jewish professionals, and how does it shape the world of Jewish organizations?
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2. What are the current changes in contemporary Jewry’s perception of peoplehood and what are the ramifications for Jewish organizations? 3. What can Jewish professionals do to enhance the Jewish collective identity of their constituents?
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To answer these questions, we wove together conceptual and practical discussions. We explored students’ personal and professional stories, studied texts relating to relationships and commitments of Jews to one another, discussed the Jewish ethos of the organizations for which the students work, and analyzed ways that professionals can use ceremonies and events to nurture collective Jewish identification. The students developed personal projects over the course of the seminar, with daily feedback from their peers and instructors. The projects enabled students to move from abstract conversation to the nuts and bolts of engaging with their constituents through the lens of Jewish peoplehood.
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Based on feedback, evaluations, and final projects, we can heartily conclude that the content and approach resonated. There was consensus among the students that their personal and professional identities were enriched. They agreed on the importance of this topic for all Jewish professionals, or, as one of them expressed in their evaluation, “I think that this class will be a highlight of the program.”
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Dr. Shlomi Ravid, left, is the founding director of the Center for Jewish Peoplehood Education. His teaching partner, Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz, is a sociologist whose areas include Jewish education, community, and issues of collective identity.
Solomon Schechter with fragments from the Cairo Genizah, Cambridge University, 1898.
Congratulations to Spertus Jewish Studies faculty member Dr. Leonard Greenspoon on the publication of his new book, Jewish Bible Translations: Personalities, Passions, Politics, Progress, which covers translations from the third century BCE to the present.
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Jewish Studies We believe passionately that the wisdom of Jewish thought and the richness of Jewish history are critical to Judaism and Jewish society today
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Jewish Studies is an interdisciplinary academic discipline centered on the study of Jews and Judaism. Combining history, religious studies, sociology, and political science, it explores Jewish texts, cultures, languages, and experiences over three millennia. At Spertus, we have offered Jewish Studies programs for nine decades, with distinguished Spertus faculty and alumni influencing the field around the world.
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Our Jewish Studies courses take place at twice-yearly seminars and through a variety of online formats. Our students grapple with Jewish ideas in the service of their personal and professional advancement.
Degree Types Spertus Institute offers the following Jewish Studies degrees Master of Arts in Jewish Studies (MAJS) Doctor of Science in Jewish Studies (DSJS) Doctor of Hebrew Letters (DHL)
Find out more at spertus.edu/learn News Resources
Medieval Fragments, New Discoveries for Spertus Students Students in Spertus Institute’s Jewish Studies Master’s and Doctoral programs study with some of the leading scholars in the field, including those breaking new ground in their areas of expertise. An example this year is Dr. Ben Outhwaite, Head of the Genizah Research Unit at Cambridge University. Dr. Outhwaite, who holds a BA, MPhil, and PhD from Christ College, Cambridge, has been researching manuscripts in the Cambridge Genizah Collection for nearly two decades.
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Called “a window on the medieval world,” the Genizah Collection consists of 193,000 manuscript fragments from the Ben Ezra Synagogue in Fustat, Old Cairo, brought to Cambridge by Solomon Schechter and Charles Taylor. Research has led to important discoveries about Jewish religious, communal, and personal life; Hebrew and Arabic literary traditions; and relations between Muslims, Jews, and Christians from as early as the ninth and tenth centuries CE.
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With Dr. Outhwaite in a seminar course this year, Spertus students will explore some of the Genizah’s most remarkable texts and uncover what they tell us about Jewish history and the cultural dynamics of medieval Cairo.
Spertus welcomes Amie Barrish as Assistant Director for Recruitment Amie Barrish recently joined the Spertus Institute team and is already creatively matching future students with programs that will change their lives.
Amie Barrish does not let obstacles slow her down. With a degree from Northwestern University’s renowned Medill School of Journalism, Barrish began her career working for Edelman, a global communications firm, with tech start-ups among her clients. She credits this time as formative, contributing to her strengths as a communicator, rapport builder, and hard worker. After starting a family, Barrish switched directions and earned an MA in Teaching from National Louis University, displaying the quest for learning and commitment to community that we see among many Spertus students. She taught in a number of educational settings, most recently as a Lead Teacher for JCC Chicago. She has also been an active contributor to the Chicago Jewish community as a volunteer, serving on the board of the Jewish United Fund’s Young Leadership Division, on committees for Moriah Congregation in suburban Deerfield, and as a parent volunteer for Solomon Schechter Day School and Rochelle Zell Jewish High School. Her new role at Spertus combines her passions for Jewish education with her skills in outreach, communications, and community building. About her appointment, Spertus Associate Dean for Outreach Elana Kahn said, “Amie
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joined our team with power and commitment. She sees the big picture, questions old patterns, and thoughtfully guides prospective students to the Jewish learning opportunities most relevant to their own goals and growth.” Barrish undauntingly began her position during the pandemic and she’s found the transition easier than expected. “I’m inspired by Spertus applicants, students, and alumni. Even during this time, Jewish communal professionals are passionately dedicated to their roles and institutions, seeking to serve their communities with new expertise. I love hearing about their career paths and professional goals.” “I’m also amazed by Spertus Institute’s Jewish Studies students, some pursuing additional graduate work to deepen the knowledge they bring to their careers and others solely for the love of Jewish learning.” Embracing a key Spertus value—that leaders keep learning—Barrish will herself soon be a Spertus student in the Certificate in Jewish Leadership program that Spertus Institute presents in partnership with Northwestern University (see page 23).
Connect with Amie Barrish to discuss how you can continue learning at admissions@spertus.edu or 312.322.1707.
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Move forward
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in your career serving the community you love, even in challenging times.
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Take part in a unique, accredited Master’s program taught by creative, effective faculty who bridge theory and practice. Pursue your purpose. Grow professionally. Drive positive change in your career, organization, and community. Fellowships available to cover 60% of costs for qualified students.
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MA in Jewish Professional Studies spertus.edu/MAJPS
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For Jewish communal professionals with 5+ years of post-college work experience. 75% of graduates secure a promotion or higher-level job within one year.
Executive MA in Jewish Professional Studies spertus.edu/Executive
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Accelerated program for Jewish communal executives with 12+ years of professional experience.
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Supported in part by a generous grant from the Crown Family
Profiles from the Field
Read and watch at spertus.edu/profiles
We connected virtually with Spertus alumni and students, checking on their welfare amidst the pandemic. Visit spertus.edu/profiles for a deeper dive into these stories, including video clips.
Ensuring
Connection
Cathy Gardner | Spertus Alumna Executive MA in Jewish Professional Studies Cathy Gardner is the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton. She oversees Dayton’s Integrated Federation and its agencies, including its Jewish Community Center, Jewish Family Services, and Jewish Foundation. She has been working as a Jewish communal professional for 27 years. She is also a master calligrapher who talked to us from her home office and studio.
Gardner spoke of the challenges for Dayton’s tight-knit, 4,000-person Jewish community: “When COVID-19 became so dangerous and we all had to isolate at home, we very quickly adjusted our programming. Our Federation is responsible for connecting our community through our agencies, foundation, and newspaper. We had many activities planned—and we knew we had to maintain critical ties. Immediately, we developed a virtual platform and a concept built around the theme stay connected.” Coming up on the docket was Dayton’s Jewish Film Festival, which they ambitiously transformed to a view-at-home format with opening night at the drive-in. Leveraging skills gained at Spertus, Gardner forged initiatives to maintain communal cohesion. With her team, she added virtual daily drop-in experiences (Mental Health Monday, Trivia Tuesday) for community members to connect, akin to visiting a virtual coffee shop. Importantly, they also heightened their social services, ensuring that those in need could get help accessing vital services including food and health care. Gardner also implemented new ways to communicate with her staff. She said, “We are nothing without the people who work for us. They needed to be supported while doing things they’d never done before. I needed to pay attention to their needs.” Gardner reported that, as quickly as she and her team were able to open virtual doors, community members were able to come together and feel they were a part of something. She said, “That was the most incredible aspect of this very quick shift.”
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Spertus students & alumni serving and shaping their communities
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Our conversations confirmed the resourcefulness and resilience of these committed individuals, who work for a range of Jewish organizations across the country. These remarkable leaders utilized what they have learned at Spertus, applying Jewish learning and professional best practices to serve their organizations and communities in this challenging time.
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Saving jobs While Serving Needs
Michael Rawl | Spertus Student MA in Jewish Professional Studies Until November, Michael Rawl was Executive Director of the JCC of Youngstown, OH. He is now CEO of the JCC in Buffalo, NY.
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Recalling the early days of the pandemic, Rawl shared what many of us felt: “We didn’t know what was happening. There was great fear and uncertainty.” Marshalling his learning on leading through change, Rawl set his eyes on the long term and successfully positioned the JCC of Youngstown to thrive in the virus economy. The organization emerged having served urgent community needs— and, incredibly—having the most financially successful year in its history. Rawl’s COVID-19 response included a number of consequential steps. Key among them, he saved—then expanded—the community’s mobile meal program. In March, in an emergency meeting with Jewish agency executives, he learned that the nursing home, under lockdown, could not continue the meal program that served homebound seniors. “I was on the other side of the table, very concerned about the fate of the JCC and its employees. The JCC had two large kitchens, so I offered to take on the contract.”
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To Rawl, two things seemed clear. There might be increased need because of the pandemic, and if they ramped up the number of meals, it could save staff jobs.
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With energy, commitment, and a critical understanding of both finance and operations, he snapped into action. He engaged the JCC’s health, wellness, and membership teams to implement a phone bank and contact members to determine how they could assist. They ended up cooking, packaging, and delivering 4,000 meals a week, with the program run by lifeguards, personal trainers, front desk staff, and preschool teachers. Rather than furloughing staff, Rawl redeployed them, providing them “an opportunity to have meaningful impact on the community. You can imagine how powerful that is. They rose to the occasion.”
Profiles from the Field
Read and watch at spertus.edu/profiles
Crisis Forges
Innovation
Aaron Weil | Spertus Alumnus MA in Jewish Professional Studies
Aaron Weil is Executive Director and CEO of the Central Florida Hillel. In his reflections on 2020, Weil thinks back to other times of crisis, including when he lived in Israel during the Second Intifada. Today’s college students—in their late teens and early twenties—don’t have that kind of perspective. Weil said, “They are suffering. They have mental health needs. They need connection.” Under Weil’s leadership, Central Florida Hillel created an ambitious array of new offerings. Among them is a wellness program that provides one-on-one online counseling to students, regardless of their ability to pay. With frankness, Weil said, “we evolved our understanding of how to support students in the virtual world. This crisis has forced us to transform how we do business.”
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Engagement Laurence Bolotin | Spertus Alumnus Certificate in Jewish Leadership Laurence Bolotin is the Evelyn R. Greene Executive Director of AJC Chicag0. Between global and regional programs, AJC’s calendar is traditionally crammed with educational and advocacy opportunities. But Bolotin knew that he was responsible for one additional essential piece—ensuring that local AJC constituents remain connected and engaged. When COVID-19 hit, he and his staff began personal check-ins with board members and then implemented new, interactive, more intimate programs. “We needed to give constituents opportunities to connect on a deeper level, even if we’re not face-to-face.” In this time of challenge, Bolotin has managed to maintain his office’s offerings and even facilitate an important outside initiative. In October, he launched two local cohorts of Jewish Women International’s At the Table: Men as Allies in Workplace Equity. Drawing on lessons in collaboration and power sharing, he said, “I want to see what I can do with my voice, allyship, and influence to make a difference.”
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Responding with
Compassion Gabrielle Burger | Spertus Alumna Executive MA in Jewish Professional Studies
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Gabby Burger is Director of Jewish Educational Engagement at the Macks Center for Jewish Education in Baltimore, MD. Compassion is the value running through Burger’s response to the pandemic. Compassion for the families that the Macks Center for Jewish Education serves and compassion for the staff she leads. After listening to constituent families, Burger and her team began to offer their programs through multiple formats—in-person, live-streaming, and recorded for viewing later. They were astonished to discover that with the choice of formats, they were welcoming more people than ever before. With her trademark compassion, Burger said, “It was hurtful to realize that we had been missing a portion of our population…We don’t want to leave them behind anymore. We didn’t know we were missing them, until we knew. And now we’re never going to let them go.” She credits Spertus for teaching her the importance of providing staff and constituents the opportunity to “kvetch a little bit, to mourn what they’ve lost, to own that loss, and then to move on.”
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Building
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Ian Solow-Niederman Spertus Student MA in Jewish Professional Studies
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Ian Solow-Niederman is the Regional Director of BBYO’s Rocky Mountain Region. Last March, Solow-Niederman was visiting hotels to prepare for a regional convention when he learned that BBYO needed to shut down in-person activities. He had to share that news with teen leaders, even as he was still grappling with its implications. “One of the interesting things about working for BBYO,” he said, “is that a lot of your processing involves helping teens process.” He leveraged lessons of crisis leadership to “help them get to a place where they could be successful.” That approach—being honest and transparent, embracing vulnerability—typifies Solow-Niederman’s leadership style. He treats teens with respect, encouraging them to lead. “The reason we’ve been successful is that our teens are actively involved in the process.”
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Spertus Students Count on You! Did you know that charitable contributions from donors like you fund more than $200,000 in student scholarships each year? Equity and accessibility are core Spertus values, which means that tuition assistance is always available to every Spertus student. In fact, many of our academic programs are subsidized by more than half—ensuring that they are affordable for all learners. Your donations make this level of assistance possible. As our students navigate the financial uncertainties wrought by the COVID-19 crisis (see pages 16–19), your support has never been more important. Thanks to your generosity, our students (and the hundreds of Jewish communities they serve) continue to thrive, even in these challenging times.
Give today at donate.spertus.edu
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MentorWorks is a workshop series for mentors, coaches, managers, and supervisors to develop new professional skills, explore new ideas, and connect with a professional network of peers.
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Mentoring in Crisis
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Building Resilience Tuesday, March 16, 2021 | noon to 1:30 pm Clinical Psychologist and mental health advocate Dr. Anat Geva leads an online, interactive workshop.
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Build a framework for connecting in crisis, with skills you can apply right now and in the future.
Dr. Anat S. Geva is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at No Shame on U, a Chicagobased organization dedicated to destigmatizing mental health in the Jewish community and beyond.
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She holds a PhD in clinical and experimental psychology from the University of Michigan, and a JD from the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.
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$18 | $10 for Spertus members | $8 for students and Spertus alumni Purchase tickets online at spertus.edu
Now is the time to invest in the skills you need to lead in times of challenge and change
Certificate in Jewish Leadership Jennifer Hillel
Janos Cosma
Micky Baer
Chris Harrison
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Supported in part by a generous grant from the Crown Family
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The Certificate in Jewish Leadership is presented by Spertus Institute in partnership with Northwestern University, for Jewish communal professionals and lay leaders. Due to high demand, two cohorts will begin in 2021, with a choice of formats and start dates. Both options include a special workshop on Leading in Times of Crisis. With either format, you will:
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Complete your certificate in three months Receive a personalized leadership assessment and professional coaching
Participate with a cohort of like-minded leaders from Jewish organizations across North America Discover your own leadership style. Learn to manage challenge and change. Identify opportunities and galvanize your team, even in tough times.
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Visit spertus.edu/certificate to hear what recent participants have to say. To find out if this program is right for you, contact Assistant Director for Recruitment Amie Barrish at admissions@spertus.edu or 312.322.1707.
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In 2021, we will also offer the Certificate in Jewish Leadership for Educators, specifically for senior-level Jewish educators, with tuition underwritten in part by The Harriette and Ted Perlman Family Foundation. Visit spertus.edu/educators to learn more.
Congratulations to 2020 Certificate Recipients
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The most recent graduates received their certificates at a ceremony in February 2020, just before COVID-19 restrictions took hold. As a group, they learned to strengthen their leadership styles, manage change, and inspire excellence, even in difficult times. They bring new expertise to organizations across the spectrum of Jewish life, at a time when such skills are decidedly in demand.
Also pictured, 2016 recipient Micky Baer, Executive Director, JRC-Evanston, IL.
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Congratulations to Chris Harrison, Union of Reform Judaism, New York, NY; Polly Edelstein, Tribe 12, Philadelphia, PA; Jennifer Lande, Hillels of Illinois/Jewish United Fund of Chicago; Rebecca Garrett, Spertus Institute, Chicago, IL; Sheri Rosenberg Jivens, The Temple (Congregation Ohabai Shalom), Nashville, TN; Emily Resnik, Northwestern University Hillel, Evanston, IL; Shira Heideman, JCC of Greater Baltimore, Baltimore, MD; Jennifer Hillel, Israel Action Network, JNFA, New York, NY; Brooke Herszage, Spertus Institute, Chicago, IL; Rabbi Noah Kitty, Congregation Etz Chaim, Wilton Manors, FL; Amy Claver, Rotary International, Evanston, IL; Francine Ephraim, Ephraim Nonprofit Solutions LLC, Highland Park, IL; Janos Cosma, IT Analyst and Consultant, Chicago, IL.
Supported in part by a generous grant from the Crown Family
What can we learn from Israel about women in leadership?
Paths to Power How Israeli Women Are Breaking Barriers Monday, May 24 | noon to 1:30 pm central Dr. Mazal Shaul knows a few things about breaking barriers. After earning her PhD in Supramolecular Chemistry, she served as an executive at major Israeli companies. Propelled to increase women’s roles in the public and political spheres, she became an advisor/facilitator to organizations and institutions on issues of leadership for women. Today she is Executive Director of WePower—the organization for the Advancement of Women’s Leadership, and head of the new National Israeli Women’s Party, Voice of Women. Join her for an online conversation and workshop. Tickets $18 | $10 for Spertus members | $8 for students and Spertus alumni. Purchase tickets online at spertus.edu
Sponsored by Chicago Loves Israel, an initiative of the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago
Presented in partnership with
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Spertus Institute Collection, photo by Roman März.
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As we go to press, we are still unable to safely welcome visitors to our Chicago facility due to the pandemic.
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Collections and Reflections Although our Ground Level Arts Lab remains quiet, this hasn’t stopped us from our exploring the ways that the art and objects in Spertus Institute’s collections convey the Jewish experience. We’ve been weaving research into course curricula, engaging with constituents online, and planning for future projects.
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Spertus Hanukkiah on view in Berlin
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Spertus Institute is proud to have an important Hanukkah lamp (or hanukkiah) from our collection on loan to the Jüdisches Museum Berlin (Jewish Museum Berlin) for their new core exhibition on the history and culture of Jews in Germany. The piece was made in Germany by artist Benno Elkan sometime between 1903 and 1920. It depicts Judah Maccabee, shown holding a hammer, flanked by his brothers, Jonathan (as philosopher) and Simeon (as a king). The two lowest figures are Eliezer and Jochanan, two other brothers killed in battle.
Andy Warhol’s Ten Portraits of Jews of the 20th Century In November, we invited Stanford art historian Dr. Richard Meyer for an online behind-the-portraits look at Andy Warhol’s Ten Portraits of Jews of the 20th Century.
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With our highly engaged online audience, we explored how and why Andy Warhol memorialized Sarah Bernhardt, Louis Brandeis, Martin Buber, Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, George Gershwin, Franz Kafka, the Marx Brothers, Golda Meir, and Gertrude Stein. We considered these choices through a twentieth-century lens and discussed who might best represent Jews today.
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We hope to be able to share this series and other highlights from our collection with you in the months ahead. Sign up at spertus.edu for information on openings and program opportunities as confirmed.
Exhibitions at Spertus Institute are made possible in part by the Harry and Sadie Lasky Foundation.
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At left: Andy Warhol’s Ten Portraits of Jews of the 20th Century, Spertus Institute Collection. ©The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / Courtesy Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, New York.
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In 2024, Spertus Institute will reach a key milestone: 100 years. The start of our second century. Our Second Century Circle ensures that Spertus will continue to strengthen Jewish communities, organizations, and leaders for generations to come. L’dor v’dor.
Second Century Circle
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Remember Spertus in your will or estate plan
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Leave a Legacy of Jewish Learning
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Thank You to Our Treasured Second Century Circle! Anonymous (3) Donna E. Barrows Dr. Dean & Juli Bell Peter B. Bensinger, Jr. & Heidi Wagman Roger O. Brown Reaha Corwin Sherman Corwin Bruce Crane & Laura Cooper Deanna Drucker Dr. Keren Fraiman & Eitan Stieber Rebecca & Zach Garrett Ethel & William Gofen Norma & Phillip Gordon Joyce & Avrum Gray and Family Ellen & Jon Hattenbach Family Ambassador Bruce Heyman & Vicki Heyman Gene & Adele Hoffman Harold & Holly Israel Jessica & Mats Lederhausen
Anne & Elliot Lefkovitz Sheryl & Michael Markman Mark & Barbara Mehlman Dr. Victor & Rose-Miriam Mirelman Odette G. Olson Tal M. Rosen & Anna Levin Rosen In Memory of Howard S. Shapiro Dr. Sharon Silverman Priscilla Shirk & Andreas Sosnowski Michael Spertus Sylvia & Philip Spertus In loving memory of David J. Spira Luis & Fortuna Spitz Caryn & Laurence Straus Sara Vegh & Ken Ziejewski Ettie & Melvin Weinberg Bruce D. Werner Family Brenda & Marc Wilkow Stephen Wolff & Dr. Marla Mendelson
Join the Circle
Spertus Institute is proud to be a part of the Jewish Federation’s Create a Jewish Legacy program, designed to train and support Chicago’s Jewish schools, agencies, and synagogues in the area of legacy giving.
Join the Second Century Circle and ignite our future by including Spertus Institute in your estate plan. To get started, visit donate.spertus.edu/second-century-circle or contact Director of Development Rebecca Garrett at rgarrett@spertus.edu or 312.322.1759.
We look forward to welcoming you! 28
News
Win a Spertus member prize pack!
Arts & Culture
Support Spertus and enjoy great member benefits—including discounted registration for virtual Spertus programs and exclusive access to our online learning resources. Even while you’re safe at home, you’ll have a world of Jewish discovery at your fingertips!
Leadership
Spertus Institute’s 2021 programming season is here, and we have plenty in store that you won’t want to miss.
Learning
Become a Spertus Member Today!
Resources Events
Join or renew today! For information about Spertus membership, visit donate.spertus.edu/membership or call 312.322.1777.
Support Spertus
Join at the Advocate, Household, Senior, or Individual level before April 3o, 2021 and be entered to win free registration to an upcoming virtual program of your choice, plus a Spertus member prize pack!
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WE’RE READY TO HOST YOUR NEXT CELEBRATION!
LARGE OR SMALL, WITH GUESTS IN THE ROOM OR JOINING YOU VIRTUALLY FROM AROUND THE WORLD. WE ARE RESERVING DATES FOR 2021 THROUGH 2024. Events at Spertus are managed by VenueSIX10, named one of Chicago’s best by Crain’s Chicago Business. Have your event in an architectural gem! Choose from select caterers, including kosher options.
Visit VenueSIX10.com to find out more!
VENUESIX10.COM 312.322.1725 610 S MICHIGAN AVE CHICAGO
March 2021 16 | Wednesday 12 pm
28– 29 |
Sunday–Monday Spertus closed for first days of Passover
April 2021 4 | Sunday
2 7 | Tuesday 7 pm Critical Conversations Talking Frankly about Race and Racism P9
Commencement P2 10 | Monday at 7 pm Critical Conversations Workshop on Allyship and Inclusive Communities P9
13 | 17– 18 | 31 |
Thursday 10 am Bernardin Lecture P31 Sunday–Monday Spertus closed for Shavuot Monday Spertus closed for Memorial Day
24 | Monday 12 pm
News
Paths to Power: How Israeli Women Are Breaking Barriers Dr. Mazal Shaul P25
Arts & Culture
Spertus closed for final day of Passover
May 2021 2 | Sunday Leadership
MentorWorks Building Resilience P21
Learning
Calendar
Accessibility | Spertus welcomes all visitors and is committed to making its facilities and programs accessible. Elevator access is available to all areas of the building. Please let us know of any special needs or requests when you purchase program tickets, or call 312.322.1773.
This year, Spertus proudly hosts the lecture, for the first time to be presented online. The featured speaker is His Beatitude, Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, who was appointed Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem in November 2020. Visit spertus.edu to learn more.
Support Spertus
Each year, Spertus Institute proudly partners with the Archdiocese of Chicago and Jewish organizations across our region to present the Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Jerusalem Lecture. This annual program commemorates Cardinal Bernardin’s 1995 visit to Israel and continues the dialogue he advocated between Jews and Catholics.
Events
Thursday, May 13, 2021 at 10 am central
Resources
Bernardin Jerusalem Lecture
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In two online events, a panel of high-profile experts and activists focus on race and justice—and their juncture in Jewish life | P8
Jews & Race
Critical Conversations
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