Shortly after hearing that Idit Klein was stepping down from her role at Keshet, I found myself reflecting on similar announcements from other remarkable leaders in the Jewish communal world. Jodi Bromberg had recently left 18Doors; soon after, Aliza Klein announced her departure from OneTable, followed by Dori Frumin Kirshner stepping down from Matan. These four trailblazers, each having led their organizations to significant growth and impact, chose to leave their roles without a clear next step in their careers. 

Their decisions piqued my curiosity. What drives such accomplished leaders to move on when they’re at the pinnacle of their success?

Former or outgoing heads of their organizations (from top left, clockwise): Dori Frumin Kirshner (Matan), Aliza Kline (OneTable), Idit Klein (Keshet) and Jodi Bromberg (18Doors). Courtesy/It's Who You Know!

To explore this question, I brought them together for a candid conversation on my podcast, “It’s Who You Know!” Their insights, reflections and wisdom offer valuable lessons, not just for leaders within the Jewish community but for anyone navigating professional transitions.

Knowing when to move on

Each leader spoke of reaching a moment when she felt her vision had been realized. They recognized that their organizations were strong enough to thrive beyond their leadership, ready to be reshaped by the next CEO’s unique skills and vision. 

For Kirshner, “one piece of the journey that led me to the point where I felt like it was time to leave is that I really felt and feel a huge sense of accomplishment, both personally and professionally,” she shared. “I felt that what I had envisioned, thank goodness, had come to life.”

Unlike traditional career trajectories, where leadership roles are often seen as end-of-career capstones lasting decades, these women made conscious decisions to step aside, for both their own health and that of their organizations. One recurring theme in our discussion was the lack of role models for such transitions. In the Jewish communal world, long tenures are common, making these leaders’ decisions both courageous and groundbreaking. They demonstrated that leadership isn’t just about building an organization — it’s also about knowing when to let go.

Defining success: Beyond metrics

“When you’re doing Jewish engagement and community building, it’s often very difficult to find your measures of success,” noted Klein. For her, success was not just about the scale of what was achieved during her tenure in terms of numbers, but also seeing her staff (especially young rising newcomers) come up with creative solutions to achieve their goals.

“When I found out that one staff member from a completely different department was traveling to New York to present to another person and doing a design thinking workshop that was going to help this new client reach their goals, and it was so creative and integrated and I felt that they had adopted so much of what my goal was to bring to the organization in terms of really generative and creative and innovative culture — that was one of my clear dayenu moments,” said Klein.

The group’s reflections revealed that success isn’t solely measured by growth metrics or fundraising achievements. It’s also about cultivating a thriving internal culture, fostering a sense of “we” within their organizations and witnessing the ripple effects of their leadership in unexpected places. True success lies in creating environments where voices are amplified, where communities are built, internally and externally, and where the organization’s mission continues to flourish beyond the founder’s influence.

The broader Jewish communal landscape

As our conversation deepened, we discussed the evolving Jewish communal landscape. 

“I’m just thinking about how much work there is to do… how we fight the world around us, which is all about segmentation,” Bromberg reflected. “Whether it’s social media feeds or streaming television channels, so much of the capitalism that exists today is built on segmentation at a time when we desperately need to not be segmented. How do we resist that pull so that we continue to talk to people, particularly in this really challenging environment?”

This tension between fragmentation and the need for unity resonates deeply in today’s Jewish community. The leaders highlighted the importance of collaboration between legacy institutions and innovative organizations, emphasizing that diversity is our strength. Fear often underpins our communal culture — fear of change, of loss, of the unknown. Approaching this fear with kindness and intentionality is essential for fostering resilience and growth.

Lessons for future leaders

As the conversation neared its conclusion, Klein shared a powerful piece of advice.

“If you are a young leader who is starting to build an organization, do not assume that you do not deserve a reasonable salary. That was a mistake I made,” she said. “Particularly in the social justice world, often there are these messages that because our missions are so vital or so holy, we should just be grateful to get to do this work. Of course, we’re not going to be paid reasonably or be given benefits.”

“It is exactly the opposite,” she continued. “Because this work is so vital and holy, we need to be sustained in that work. That means our organizations need to adopt sustainable commitments to staff.”

Their advice for emerging leaders was clear: Believe in your worth, seek mentorship and prioritize sustainability — both personal and organizational. They emphasized the importance of having coaches or mentors to navigate the complexities of leadership, which can often feel isolating.

Moving forward with hope

“Believe in your worth and believe in yourself and believe in your ability to effect change. It is really critical to all of this,” said Bromberg. “Whether you’re just starting out in your career or whether you’re reflecting on the last decade of a job well done, take the time to reflect and think about all that you’ve accomplished, wherever you are.”

Our conversation was filled with wisdom, vulnerability and hope. These leaders not only leave behind strong organizations but also a blueprint for thoughtful, courageous transitions. They have influenced how the Jewish community thinks, behaves and prioritizes its values. While they may no longer be at the helm of their respective organizations, their impact continues to ripple through the communities they have shaped.

I wish Idit, Jodi, Aliza and Dori success in their next endeavors and express my deepest gratitude for the transformative work they’ve done. To hear more from these inspiring leaders, listen to the full interview or watch it on our YouTube channel.

Michelle W. Malkin lives in New Jersey and is the creator and host of “It’s Who You Know! The Podcast,” where she interviews Jewish community executives and professionals about their career journeys and the impact of their work. She serves on the board of Yesh Tikva and is passionate about excellence in Jewish leadership, cultivating thriving organizational cultures and driving impactful change.