OK, We’ve Made the List. Now What?

I challenge my fellow list members of 2013, as well as, the 108 people who appeared on previous New York Jewish Week 36 Under 36 lists, or anyone appearing on similar lists, in other cities, throughout the greater Jewish community, to reach out and connect with each other.

by Jason Lieberman

It is a great honor to be named one of The New York Jewish Week’s 2013 36 Under 36, but being put on the list means little, other than extra newspapers sold or clicks from family and friends, if nothing comes of it. While I’m still not one hundred percent sure how I made the cut, I do know that those who join me on this year’s list comprise a strong and diverse group of people committed to contributing to the world in their own, special way. I also know, from my experience as an advocate, that the impact of one can be exponentially greater if it is leveraged through collaboration. Therefore, I challenge my fellow list members of 2013, as well as, the 108 people who appeared on previous New York Jewish Week 36 Under 36 lists, or anyone appearing on similar lists, in other cities, throughout the greater Jewish community, to reach out and connect with each other. Some of us are already working together. Others know each other, but have never sat down to see if there are synergies in what we do, which would in turn make collaborating mutually beneficial. Still others, never crossed paths, but through creative thinking, ingenuity and a willingness to collaborate have the potential to exponentially increase our impact. By reaching out to one another, we can discover new opportunities to better the world in which we all live.

Appearing on one of these lists is great. It means that people acknowledge that what we do matters, but if we want it to be more than something to put in a scrapbook (do people make those any more?) or generate “likes” or “mazal tovs” on our Facebook pages, than we need to take the next step, and turn recognition into action. I am looking to collaborate; are you up to the challenge?

Jason Lieberman who serves on the board of Matan: For every child. For every community. The Gift of Jewish Learning, and Bronx Independent Living Services, Lives with His wife and son Ruby in New York City.