Friends, this week we had a wonderfully informative and inspirational Board of Directors meeting with Nanette Fridman of Fridman Strategies. I've asked my colleagues Rachel Berezin and Heather Fiedler to share our learnings with you. Shabbat Shalom. - Howard

On Wednesday of this week, our Federation's Board of Directors and senior staff had the incredible opportunity to work with Nanette Fridman, a high-energy speaker, trainer and coach, on what it means to be ambassadors of our community.

As leaders, we are bombarded with books and articles on best practices. We lose sleep wondering: How can we be "radical engagers" who make everyone feel welcome? How can we create meaningful impact? and How can we raise enough money to support the needs of our community?

We left the training with many valuable insights - and one of the most important was the concept of Stop, Start, Continue. We need to take time to stop and consider what is and isn't working, start exploring new opportunities, and continue doing the things we're doing well. This lesson can be applied to our personal, professional and communal relationships.

In this week's Torah portion, Shemini, we read about the instructions for bringing sacrifices. It's interesting to reflect on how Judaism has evolved. Though we no longer practice traditional sacrifices, we still learn a great deal by reflecting and offering of ourselves. In modern times, we can fulfill the same objectives of sacrifice through prayer, meditation, education and social justice. It's a modern Jewish version of stop, start, continue.

The evening of April 11 was also the beginning of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. One of the lessons we've learned from Jewish history is the importance of ensuring a strong communal future. In Greater Hartford we are lucky to be a part of a forward-thinking, vibrant Jewish community. As we move forward to create a strong future, we know it's important to take a step back and think about what things we need to stop, what things we need to start, and what we should continue doing to ensure that our community is here many years from now.

Our Federation leaders are committed to continuing this cycle of reflection, planning, and action - and we need your input. What would you like us to stop, start, and continue? We'd love to hear from you.

Shabbat Shalom.

Rachel and Heather

Rachel Berezin
Vice President, Development
rberezin@jewishartford.org
860.727.6123

Heather Fiedler
Vice President, Jewish Education and Leadership
Director, Jewish Leadership Academy
hfiedler@jewishhartford.org
860.727.6121