Educational Leadership for Turbulent Times

Online Skill-Building Series on Resilient Leadership
Continuing Education for Right Now

For Jewish Supplementary and Day School Directors
from across the Greater Chicago region

Four consecutive Wednesday mornings
July 8, 15, 22, and 29 from 9 am to 12 pm 

The summer of 2020 has unleashed more turbulence than any in recent memory. Addressing the need to confront, respond, and move forward in the months ahead, Spertus Institute has been presenting an acclaimed series of online offerings for those in leadership positions across our community.

This series is for you, to provide skills and resources you need right now.
Counts for 12 hours of professional continuing education.

Taught by Spertus faculty from its Center for Jewish Leadership, the series will provide the expertise you need to face new challenges in your work, for your team, and across the areas that impact your life. Emphasis will be on leadership strategies and applied content to assist you now and as we emerge into a world of new educational realities.

The sessions will be interactive, live streamed through Zoom.

Participation is free.
Pre-registration is required.

Register below 

Additional series are in the works for those outside Chicago. Sign up for information as confirmed >  

Each three-hour session will include presentation of content and discussion as well as opportunities to workshop ideas for your team. Participants are expected to attend all four sessions.

Should you wish to continue into the Certificate in Jewish Leadership or Executive Master of Arts in Jewish Professional Studies, you will receive a 10% discount for having participated in this professional education series.

Login information will be provided to registrants by email 24 hours in advance of the first session.

What You'll Learn

In our current reality, we face a sea of challenging decisions, often with little context or information. It can be confusing, even paralyzing. This series is designed to help us to make better decisions and to lead more effectively, more relationally, and more compassionately, finding opportunities even in times of crisis for strength and transformation.

Session 1
Leading Through Crisis
Wednesday, July 8, 2020 from 9 am-12 pm CDT

Spertus Chancellor Dr. Hal M. Lewis, a renowned Jewish leadership expert and executive coach, shares strategies and best practices for effective leadership during times of crisis. How does leading in crisis differ? How do we take care of ourselves? How do we lead and communicate strategically amid so much uncertainty?

Session 2
Complex Resilience
Wednesday, July 15, 2020 from 9 am -12 pm CDT

Dr. Dean P. Bell, Spertus President and CEO, shares insights from work on vulnerability, resilience, and religion. How do we become more resilient, adaptive, and agile? Crises can reveal things that are ordinarily invisible or overlooked. What can we do to ensure they bring out our best?

Session 3
Communications and Team Building in Challenging Times
Wednesday, July 22, 2020 from 9 am -12 pm CDT

Dr. Gail Berger Darlow, Spertus Certificate in Jewish Leadership faculty member and an assistant professor at Northwestern University's School of Education and Social Policy and the Kellogg School of Management, shares insights and best practices related to effective communications and team building, especially in times of crisis.

Session 4
Changes in Jewish Education: Responding to COVID-19
Wednesday, July 29, 2020 from 9 am -12 pm CDT

Dr. Keren E. Fraiman, Spertus Dean and Chief Academic Officer, leads the final session, which will focus on the impact of COVID-19 and other crises on Jewish education, across settings and from diverse perspectives. The session will feature a panel discussion and workshop with an all-star group of educators, Paul Bernstein (CEO of Prizmah), Rabbi Jennifer Goldsmith (Managing Director of Leadership Initiatives, Jewish Education Project), and Joy Wasserman (Director of Jewish Learning and Leadership, Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago).

We are able provide this important offering at no cost to participants because it is underwritten by generous programmatic donors. See how you can support Spertus programming >

Spertus Institute is a partner with the Jewish United Fund in serving our community. Spertus Institute’s Center for Jewish Leadership is supported by a generous grant from the Crown Family. We are grateful for their support.