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