Leadership Circles and Communities of Practice
Professional Communities of Practice
Through circles, cohorts, and communities of practice, professionals have the unique opportunity to connect, innovate, and share challenges and learning with like-minded colleagues to grow their skills and knowledge. Whether a synagogue executive or mid-career woman, a supervisor or young professional, there’s a place for you to elevate your work and career.
Some of our Professional Leadership Circles include:
– Synagogue Executive Directors’ Circle
– KOLOT: Mid-career professional women
– Professionals’ Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Community of Practice
– Leadership Engagement and Development Community of Practice
– Engagement Professionals Community of Practice
Operations Professionals:
This CoP is for professionals in an operational role at their organization. Professionals focus on best practices around systems, database and other operational issues.
Engagement Professionals:
This CoP focuses on engagement and programing strategies. It is ideal for professionals involved in extensive programming, membership and engagement activities within their organizations.
Synagogue Executive Directors:
Synagogue Executive Directors come together once a month to discuss issues pertaining to synagogue life and share ideas, resources and processes.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice:
This CoP focuses on issues relating to DEIJ at organizations. It aims to help professionals expand their minds as well as systems that foster inclusivity and belonging in their workplaces. Any professional passionate about DEIJ and making the Baltimore community more inclusive is invited to attend.
ACHARAI Presidents’ Circles
Being the President or Chair(person) of a Jewish not-for-profit entity can bring opportunities and challenges that you never planned or could have ever imagined.
The ACHARAI Presidents’ Circles bring Presidents together to support each other and build deep connections within the greater Baltimore Jewish community. They enable the top leadership of communal organizations and synagogues to share challenges and opportunities, examine possible approaches and responses to them, and learn leadership and management skills together.
Presidents’ Circles are open to those currently serving as President (or Chairperson) of a Jewish organization/agency, day school/yeshiva, or synagogue/congregation, including those that have not yet gone through the ACHARAI Fellowship Program. Facilitated by leadership development professionals, all Presidents’ Circle sessions are fully confidential.
The Presidents’ Circle is limited to eight people, availability based on space.
There is a $400 participation fee.
The Na’aleh Presidents Circle has been truly invaluable to me over the past year. Working through various challenges during the pandemic with like-minded community leaders, shaped the trajectory of my leadership journey. Beth is a thoughtful and wise facilitator that keeps the group on track while enabling us to be vulnerable when necessary. I cannot say enough great things about this program and highly recommend it to lay leaders assuming their agency president role.
– Harel Turkel, President, Jewish Community Services
I have truly enjoyed the opportunity to meet and talk with other local synagogue presidents during our Na’Aleh Presidents Circle meetings, and to study a bit with a different rabbi at each of our meetings. Additionally, I felt enveloped in an atmosphere of warmth and support from Beth, Fran and my fellow presidents. The Presidents Circle was a highlight of my first year as president of my synagogue.
– Leslie Margolis, President, Bolton Street Synagogue
