MARCH 11 • 2021 | 19

J

ewish professional women 
have the chance to learn 
from C-Suite executives 
from Metro Detroit Jewish 
agencies in “Wisdom from the 
C-Suite: Women Leadership in 
Jewish Agencies,
” a new Jewish 
Federation professional develop-
ment series organized by Jewish 
Working Women’s Network. The 
term “C-Suite” refers to the var-
ious chief executives within an 
organization.
The first program in the 
series was held on Feb. 24 and 
featured Amy Berlin, a JARC 
board member and the Women’s 
Philanthropy vice president, and 
Shaindle Braunstein, CEO of 
JARC, who discussed their pro-
fessional journeys and strategies 
for leadership success.
Berlin discussed how she 

became involved in JARC and 
outlined some of the upcom-
ing engagement programs for 
Women’s Philanthropy. 
Braunstein has worked for 
nearly 20 years in leadership 
roles at local social service agen-
cies before taking the helm at 
JARC, which serves people with 
developmental disabilities. 
Braunstein began her talk by 
saying, “The most important 
thing I’ve learned is you’re going 
to fail, so get up, brush yourself 
off and try again. Ask yourself 
what did you learn from it? Try 
something new.
”
She shared her professional 
journey, which began in pub-
lishing at Crain’s Detroit Business 
and at Automobile magazine and 
transitioned into Jewish commu-
nal leadership at organizations 

such as ORT, Jewish Family 
Service and JARC. Braunstein 
shared her missteps and hard-
won knowledge and discussed 
the challenges of being a profes-
sional woman who had to go up 
against stereotypes and prove 
herself over and over again. 
“
As women, we tend to find 
all the reasons we shouldn’t do 
something or all the reasons 
why we’re not qualified to do 
something,
” Braunstein said, 
adding she has also felt that way 
in her career, reflecting for weeks 
before she applied as CEO at 
JARC. 
“Yet, women bring humble-
ness to positions of leadership 
because we walk in not sure in 
the fact that we know it all and 
are prepared to listen to other 
people to help us learn things.
”

To be a leader, she said, “You 
have to learn that you have to 
delegate, trust people to do it 
their way and help and guide 
them to get to the right results. 
When you look at any role, no 
one role is most important. We 
are all important, and we all 
need to jump in for each other.
”
Braunstein also spoke about 
learning from failure. “It’s OK 
to fail. It’s OK to tell people you 
were wrong.
”
Throughout her career, 
Braunstein said she was blessed 
with strong mentors, “people 
who gave me a chance, who 
helped provide me a voice.
” 
She encouraged the women 
on the call to seek out mentors 
as well. “The right people know 
that if you find success, they’ll be 
successful, too,
” she said.
The Jewish Working Women’s 
Network, an affinity group spon-
sored by Women’s Philanthropy 
of the Jewish Federation of 
Metropolitan Detroit, is a great 
place for working women to find 
those mentors. 
Learn more about the group at 
jewishdetroit.org or follow them 
on Facebook. 

Jewish Working Women’s Network 
shares journeys of local woman leaders.

Wisdom from 
the ‘C-Suite’

JACKIE HEADAPOHL DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL

Shaindle 
Braunstein

FIDF Purim Party at 
Base Bordering Gaza

Friends of the Israel Defense 
Forces (FIDF) Michigan 
Chapter Treasurer Rick Bloom 
hosted a party for 350 Israel 
Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers 
at the Reim base on the Gaza 
Border to celebrate Purim. 
 “I am deeply thankful for 
all that the IDF soldiers do to 
protect Israel and the Jewish 
people throughout the world,” 
Bloom said. “Because of them, 
our homeland will continue 
to be strong and proud, and a 
light unto the nations. 

 “We salute these brave heroes 
for their dedicated service.”
Meanwhile, FIDF delivered 
mishloach manot treats to 
thousands of IDF soldiers from 
various brigades and battalions 
adopted by the organization. 

ERETZ

IDF soldiers celebrating Purim 
with mishloach manot from FIDF.

BOAZ ESHTAI

In a decision issued March 1, 
the Israeli Supreme Court ruled 
to recognize conversions per-
formed in Israel by the Reform 
and Conservative Movements 
within the Law of Return. 
 These converts will receive 
oleh (immigrant) status and 
Israeli citizenship. The decision 
was made by an overwhelming 
majority with eight judges rul-
ing in favor and one opposing.
Judge Esther Hayut, chief jus-
tice of the Supreme Court stat-
ed, “The purpose of the Law of 

Return is to encourage any Jew, 
whether they were born as Jews, 
or chose to become part of the 
Jewish people through conver-
sion, to make aliyah (immigrate) 
to Israel.
“What this means: Israel’s 
Supreme Court recognizes con-
versions officiated and certified 
by the Reform and Conservative 
movements in Israel within 
the Law of Return. This means 
these converts will receive Israeli 
citizenship when until now they 
were unable to.
” 

Israeli Top Court Recognizes Reform and 
Conservative Conversions Done in Israel

