To help develop young Jewish leaders, the Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay is trying something bold: hiring a young, developing Jewish leader.
Tova Grunes is 22 and just out of Vassar College. But the Minneapolis native wasted no time entering the work world. She is the new director of the federation’s Young Leadership Division. She may have her work cut out for her, but so far Grunes sees the glass as more than half full.
“The potential in the East Bay is unbelievable,” she says. “There hadn’t been a full-time director in a while, so federation decided we needed to make a commitment to young leadership.”
On the job since last November, Grunes says her mission is to seek out and rope in young East Bay Jews, ages 21 to 40, through various outreach programs. They include everything from sending out e-mail fliers to hosting a monthly bar night for young Jewish singles; the last one drew a crowd of 80.
“There are so many unaffiliated Jews in the East Bay,” says Grunes. “We’re looking to engage them for lifelong Jewish living.”
Beyond that, she also hopes to lay the groundwork for the next generation of Jewish community leaders, both lay and professional. To that end, Grunes will institute a series of training workshops in the fall.
Considering that a central purpose of federations is to raise funds, Grunes says a key training objective of the workshops will be teaching the fine art of the soft sell.
Howard Brown, a founder of Planet Jewish and a Young Leadership cabinet member, recently gave a solicitation-training seminar for the Young Leadership board members.
“Most of us know that you should give to federation,” says Grunes, “but it was great to rethink why. When you solicit, it’s less about asking for money than it is about having a Jewish conversation.”
The East Bay federation’s efforts typify those of other federations in the Bay Area and around the country. The S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation has a Young Adult Division, which has made strides in leadership development in its own way.
“We have an extensive board of 45, which is the prototype of leadership development,” says Miriam Boxerman, 26, who oversees the division. “On the board, we give people exposure to leadership issues. Our motto is ‘lead by example.'”
The federation also sponsors the popular Club Fed, which holds a leadership training series and mini-missions throughout the year.
Back in the East Bay, Steve Goldman, a past lay chair of his federation’s leadership development committee, is pleased with Grunes’ efforts so far.
“I feel very positive about where we are in terms of developing new young leaders,” he says. “[Federation president] Eileen Ruby made that one of her top priorities, and we’ve put a lot of resources into it. Now we’re attracting a nice group of young people.”
Grunes is certainly one of them. In Minneapolis, she grew up attending Jewish summer camps and visiting Israel. An urban studies major at Vassar, she lived and studied in East Africa for a while, and she still speaks passable Swahili.
Yet her Jewish community roots proved strong, and she’s glad to be on the inside track.
“The community realizes the importance of investing in [leadership training],” she says. “Connecting with federation now will mean amazing things for the future of the federation.”
Adds Boxerman: “People recognize that it is upon us, and I have faith there will be a next generation to lead. It’s not about our parents’ generation anymore. We need to take the initiative if we want to have a vibrant Jewish community.”
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