The Leadership Commons of The William Davidson School of JTS has announced the inaugural southeast cohort – 19 fellows and five mentors – of its Jewish Experiential Leadership Institute (JELI). The purpose of this initiative is to train Jewish professionals and communal leaders according to the JELI model, which focuses on leadership principles, Jewish learning, building community, and personal growth.

JELI-Southeast is an outgrowth of the initial JELI program which was conducted in partnership with JCC Association to train middle and senior managers in JCCs throughout North America to lead through an educational Jewish lens. The success of the first two JELI cohorts led the Leadership Commons to explore ways to reach even more Jewish professionals and communal leaders. As a result of this exploration, two new programs were created. The first, launched last year, is the JCC Leadership Training Institute (JCCLTI), continuing our partnership with the JCC Association, which trains middle managers to reach executive levels in JCCs in the next five years (you can learn more about JCCLTI here).

The second new program is the inaugural JELI-Southeast cohort, which expands the JELI experience beyond JCCs and helps it reach communities which have opportunities and challenges in common. Ideally this JELI cohort will strengthen Jewish life throughout an entire geographic region.

The inaugural cohort will convene for its first intensive four-day retreat in Charlotte, NC this month. Under the program direction of Debbie Joseph, the cohort will continue learning through monthly online sessions, two additional four-day retreats, one-on-one mentoring, and project work over the next 18 months.

JELI-Southeast cohort fellows come from 12 different communities and seven states across the southeast region, and represent 11 different types of Jewish organizations, including Federations, JCCs, Hillels, Jewish family services, BBYO, JNF, day schools, synagogues, Moishe House, and more. In addition to building on the original JELI curriculum, this cohort will study and experience the history and culture of the southeast in order to more effectively lead their communities and collaborate to strengthen Jewish life in this region as a whole.

The Fellows and Mentors are listed here (scroll down).

JELI-Southeast is generously supported by the Jim Joseph Foundation, The Leon Levine Foundation, the William Davidson Foundation, the Amy Mandel / Katina Rodis Fund, and Birmingham Jewish Foundation.