The Professional Leaders Project (PLP) will phase out its operations effective August 31, 2009. Created in 2004, PLP’s mission is “turning leadership over to the next generation.” PLP is the first high-end Talent pool of outstanding volunteer and professional leaders, in their mid-20’s – early 30’s for the American Jewish community. PLP’s impact has been highly acclaimed by key foundations, organizations and top community leaders across the country.
Rhoda M. Weisman, Founding Executive Director, stated, “The Jewish community’s greatest resource is its human capital and in the case of PLP, we have identified, trained and placed Gen Y Talent in top leadership roles across the country. The investment in PLP and its Talent will be a lasting one. We are saddened to phase out the Professional Leaders Project due to today’s economic climate. And, we hope to resume it in the future with the support of the community and our active group of philanthropists.”
PLP has been made possible by the extraordinary vision and support of its co-founders: William M. Davidson (z”l), Michael Steinhardt/The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life, Eugene & Marcia Applebaum, Charles & Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, Robert P. Aronson and Rhoda M. Weisman, Founding Executive Director.
PLP’s cornerstone leadership initiatives have put Gen Y Talent on the national agenda, and include the biennial national ThinkTank conferences, LiveNetworks, an intensive series of seminars with individual coaching and mentoring, and the prestigious Academic Fellowship, full-tuition scholarships for graduate students and placement in executive-level careers in the Jewish community.
“PLP will continue to live on through its professional and volunteer Talent in new and established organizations. Examples range from Hillel to Jews United for Justice, the Jewish Federation to Hazon, Birthright Israel Next to Moishe House and much more. PLP expanded its initial vision by developing not 500, but 1,000 Talent in 5 years, and becoming a recognized expert on Gen Y Jewish leadership,” said Rhoda M. Weisman.
I am always saddened to see a Jewish organization close, especially one developing young talent and leadership. However, in this economic climate, I would expect even more consolidation of organizations and resources. Fortunately, for young Jewish professionals, the Jewish Communal Service Association of North America (JCSA), which has been in existence for 110 years, has recently expanded its programs, training, membership, and focus.
On both a North American scale and through its nearly twenty local groups, JCSA is the largest network of Jewish communal professionals across all fields providing affordable and accessible professional development and a sense of community among the tens of thousands of Jewish professionals serving our communities. JCSA offers intellectual capital, membership benefits, and mentoring along with a monthly e-newsletter and the Journal of Jewish Communal Service (the longest continuously published Jewish journal in the country). It sponsors the annual Young Pro Award at the GA and is part of the World Conference of Jewish Commmunal Service connecting North American professionals with those in Israel, Europe, FSU, and South America.
I invite all Jewish professionals involved with PLP to take advantage of what JCSA has to offer. Visit the website at http://www.jcsana.org. I also invite funders to consider supporting the established, existing institutions in our community to help them continue to evolve and serve rather than (re)invent new organizations which often have a short shelf-life.