Since its founding in 2014, Leading Edge’s work has been primarily focused on employee retention in the Jewish communal world, but its latest study zeroes in on tapping into the new talent flooding the market, particularly Gen Zers and former government and nonprofit workers who have lost their jobs due to recent cuts.

“The Jewish world already has great talent, and there’s lots more phenomenal talent that we’re not reaching, and we wanted to understand why,” Gali Cooks, president and CEO of Leading Edge, told eJewishPhilanthropy.

The study, “Talent Unlocked: Recruitment Solutions for the Jewish Nonprofit Sector,” surveyed over 3,300 potential Jewish nonprofit employees and conducted six focus groups, looking at how both Jewish and non-Jewish potential workers viewed working in the Jewish nonprofit world. The survey, which was released in late October, was conducted in partnership with the research-analytics firm PBS Insights and was sponsored by Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, Maimonides Fund and the Jim Joseph Foundation.

One lesson that the study revealed was that both Jewish and non-Jewish potential employees didn’t know enough about Jewish nonprofits or the work that they do. When potential employees realized the impact they could have working at a Jewish organization, both groups showed increased interest. Non-Jews also showed more interest when they realized that Jewish organizations often serve diverse clients, not only Jews, and that many organizations already had many non-Jewish leaders working there — another Leading Edge study recently found that 38% of employees at Jewish nonprofits are not Jewish.

“The first step to the recruitment funnel [is] you have to be aware of something, then you can consider it, then you can actually put your hat in the ring for something, and then you’re hired,” Cooks said.

For most potential employees, salary is the biggest motivator. “If we want amazing talent, we have to pay for it,” Cooks said. “Even if you have a wonderful mission, even if your manager is going to be awesome, and even if there’s career opportunities,” if the compensation isn’t there at “the point of purchase,” when employees are considering jobs, they will choose one with the most pay and benefits.

The positive is that what matters isn’t simply salary, but “whole pay,” which includes benefits such as health-care plans, parental and family leave and professional development.

Many Jewish nonprofits are getting more creative with “whole pay,” subsidizing Jewish day schools, camps and synagogue memberships, and some federations match retirement benefits for employees at Jewish nonprofits.

Employers should realize there are major differences between hiring Gen Zers compared to previous generations. Gen Z places a high value on work-life balance and growth opportunities. Members of that generation are also more likely to switch jobs and industries within the next two years, the study showed, opening a huge opportunity for Jewish nonprofits.

The younger cohort is also more likely to be critical of Israel, which is why it’s essential that employers are clear about their position on Israel. If an employer isn’t transparent, employees will leave if their values don’t align down the line.

“Clarity is kindness,” Cooks said. Being open with employees from the start allows them to self-select. “There are some Gen Zers who are fiercely pro-Israel… and there’s some that have a lot more complicated relationship with Israel.”

Mirroring the larger “Surge” into Jewish communal life post-Oct. 7, there is a surge of interest from Jews wanting to work in the Jewish world, with 30% of Jewish study participants saying they are more interested in working for a Jewish organization since the Israel-Hamas war began and 30% saying they are more interested in working for an organization that supports Israel. At the same time, new talent fears dealing with antisemitism by working at a Jewish organization, the study found.

A recent M² study found that current Jewish professionals lacked hope, and bringing in new talent thirsty to help can support those already working in the field who are dealing with burnout, Cooks said.

“You can’t sprint a marathon for two years without there being some fallout,” Cooks said, which is why it’s important to have “fresh pitching arms that could come in, and frankly, ways that we can give some opportunities for people to rest, to just exhale before they go back into the game.”

The M² study showed that even though many Jewish community workers are overloaded, they believed their work had a positive impact on others.

“People are tired,” Cooks said. “It’s not just because they work at Jewish nonprofits. Living in the world right now is pretty complicated and overloaded. If anything, work is a touchstone. It’s an exhale. It’s a place where you can say, ‘Oh, my God, I can do something to make the world half of a percent better every week.”

Recently, tens of thousands of federal workers have been laid off. Secular nonprofits have suffered massive cuts. Incredible talent has flooded the market, Cooks said, and Jewish nonprofits should “double down on” the messaging around the great work their employees are doing.

“They’re taking care of the community,” she said. “They’re teaching a child. They’re feeding the hungry. They’re helping Holocaust survivors. They’re making camp available to folks, which is magic.”