What’s the difference between being a leader and a Jewish leader?
Thirteen Jewish public school teens from North Shore JSU found out last month at “Aspire,” a first-of-its kind Jewish leadership training program for teens who don’t yet hold leadership positions.
The one-day summit, sponsored by JUF’s Springboard, aimed to teach local teens leadership skills through a Jewish lens, while creating a pipeline of Jewish leaders in the long term.
Participant Sarah Kaufman, a junior at Glenbrook South, says she appreciated the opportunity to learn about Jewish leadership with her Jewish peers.
“It helped me connect and be confident with who I am [as a Jew] and really engage with people who are similar to me,” she says.
The program opened with an interactive session led by NCSY/JSU North Shore Director Rabbi Jeremy Schaechter on “What is a Jewish leader?”
The program also featured a panel on “Being Jewish in a Non-Jewish World.” Marc Halpert, CEO, Monarch Healthcare Management; Daniel Rosenthal, President, The Rosenthal Group; and Dr. Jonathan Erlich, a gastroenterologist, shared their experiences – both positive and negative – as representatives of Judaism in the business world.
The day ended with a lecture and training from an IDF soldier, who served in an elite unit and shared what leadership means as a Jew, particularly in the IDF.
Soleil Persits, a sophomore at Deerfield High School, says she felt the “Jewish” aspect of the leadership training most from the presenters.
“We got to hear from Jewish people about their stories being Jewish in their workplace or in the war [in Israel,]” she says.
In terms of skills, Soleil says she learned to “only lead at the right time.”
“I learned to speak calmly and [not to] push people.”
As for her next steps toward leadership, Soleil says she will likely start slow. “I don’t know about a full leadership position yet. Maybe some small roles like a leader on my softball team or during a group project,” she says.
For her part, Sarah Kaufman adds that the experience not only made her more confident with who she is, but it also inspired her to “be better.”
“Each day I find a little moment where I can feel inspired to do better for myself. I feel like that will later on shape the person I become and help me become a leader,” she says.