16 August 22 • 2019
jn

Be the Change!

Federation’
s Jaime Bean represents 
a new generation of Jewish leader in Detroit.

W

ho should be filling profes-
sional leadership positions 
in the Jewish communal 
space?
Jaime Bean answers that question 
with two others: If not me, who? And 
if not now, when?
“Jewish young adults often want 
to see change in our community, and 
the best way to effect change is from 
inside the community itself,
” says Bean, 
the Israel and Overseas associate at 
the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan 
Detroit. 
She adds, “If the younger generation 
doesn’
t start pursuing Jewish world 
careers in greater numbers, in the long 
run the Jewish community will experi-
ence not only a severe age gap in lead-
ership, but a shortage of leaders.
”
Masa Israel Journey — which counts 
Bean among its more than 150,000 
alums — believes it has found the 
missing piece in the Jewish profession-
al leadership puzzle. A survey released 
by Rosov Consulting last year revealed 
that more than two-thirds of Masa 
alumni who see themselves as “Jewish 
leaders” also view themselves as “lead-
ers” in the workplace.
 At the same time, female leaders like 
Bean remain rare in the Jewish space. 
According to the same Rosov survey, 
53 percent of men and only 42 per-
cent of women consider themselves a 
“Jewish leader.
”
Bean, a graduate of the Jewish 
Communal Leadership Program 
within the University of Michigan’
s 
School of Social Work, worked as a 
philanthropic advancement intern with 
Detroit’
s Jewish Federation. She gained 
experience like helping coordinate 
the Federation’
s Super Sunday phone-
a-thon fundraiser. “I was learning so 
much at the internship I decided to 
keep working with the Federation 
during my last semester in grad 
school,
” she said.
But before she officially started her 
career, she knew she needed to spend 
some time in Israel. “My mentor at 
the Federation recommended Masa 

as a worthwhile, growth-promoting 
experience. The timing was perfect, 
as the Federation was running a pilot 
program for English-language teaching 
that year through its Central Galilee 
Michigan partnership,
” she said.
Bean is now a graduate of the Masa 
Israel Teaching Fellows (MITF) pro-
gram. While she was in Poland as 
part of the program, she learned the 
Federation’
s Birthright coordinator was 
leaving and returned to the U.S. to take 
that job. 
“I worked on different young adult 
programming for about a year. Six 
months ago, I moved to the Israel and 
Overseas Department to work on its 
scholarships program,
” she said. “It 
has been rewarding to provide young 
adults in the Detroit area the opportu-
nity of fulfilling their dreams of living, 
studying and working in Israel.
” 
Bean said she sees opportunities for 
woman at Jewish nonprofits increasing, 
although only 30 percent of organiza-
tions currently have female CEOs. 
“It’
s incredible to see that Jewish 
groups are increasingly empowering 
women to reach these leadership roles. 
I think it’
s the result of the mentorship 
female leaders in the Jewish world are 
providing to the younger generation. 
I know that I benefited from that kind 
of mentorship, and I hope to pay it for-
ward one day.
” ■

 This story first appeared at myjewishdetroit.org.

jews d
in 
the

LIRAN AVISAR BEN-HORIN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

Jamie Bean at the Super Sunday 

phone-a-thon 

COURTESY OF JEWISH FEDERATION OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT

The Coalition for Black and Jewish Unity and Jewish 
Community Relations Council/AJC (JCRC/AJC) presents

A dessert reception will follow the program | FREE OF CHARGE

Advance registration is encouraged at: 
barrierstoreentry.eventbrite.com

For more information, contact Lauren Herrin 
at 248-642-2641 or herrin@jfmd.org

Thursday, September 5, 2019

7-9 p.m.

NOAH’s of Southfi
 eld
26100 Northwestern Highway, Southfi
 eld 48076

Following their time in prison, returning citizens must navigate a 
complex set of barriers which make going back to a “normal” life 
after nearly impossible. Nearly half will end up back in custody. 
Come and hear from experts about the challenges returning 
citizens face and the opportunities that exist for change.

Sentence Served

Exploring Barriers to Reentry

Featured 
Panelists

Margrit Allen
Center for Employment 
Opportunities

Aaron Kinzel
University of 
Michigan-Dearborn 

Michelle Smart
Bags to Butterfl
 ies

Jacob Smith
Moderator

This event is generously sponsored by the Ravitz Foundation.

