Keith's Message

The Test of Leadership – or What Real Leadership Looks Like

By Keith Krivitzky, Managing Director

Jewish Federation of Ocean County keith@ocjf.org www.jewishoceancounty.org www.jewishoceancounty.org/donate 732.363.0530

There are two key issues and events playing out right now as I write this, at least from my subjective perspective.

One is…this is a day since we learned about the execution of six hostages by Hamas gunmen in a tunnel under Gaza, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose parents have been engaged in a desperate, lonely, and heroic struggle to save his life.

The other is the Presidential election in the United States, though I would frame the issue more broadly as wtf is wrong with many of those currently seeking

leadership roles…in the United States, Israel, and elsewhere.

You may be wondering what’s the connection here? Why am I tying these two very different issues together, other than their temporal proximity?

Here goes…

I have been bemoaning the lack of leadership among many of those who are in positions of leadership for quite a while. I think this is one of the single biggest challenges we face as a society, in the United States or Israel, and as a Jewish people. Many current and recent past occupants of these positions of power have not only been examples of poor leadership, they have been outright destructive to the fabric and solidarity that should unite and bind us together.

I could list example after example…but I don’t need to; you can do it yourself. And by that, I mean anyone who is able or decides to take off their partisan or ideological blinders can identify numerous failings all around. We seem to have forgotten that leadership doesn’t have anything to do with a wrestling match or being a sports fan – it’s not about just cheering for a team or focusing on making the wildest play or getting the loudest applause. Or at least it shouldn’t be.

When I think about what makes for good leadership, I think about:

• Bringing people together, building esprit de corps and community, uplifting people and empowering them – not dividing and conquering, sowing discord, or playing one group off against another.

• Facing difficult situations and making tough choices – based on smart considerations, listening to advice and feedback, relying on sound judgment and a values framework.

• Putting your own individual or parochial interests second, behind what those values dictate or what may be best for plurality of the people.

I am sure there is more – but for highlights, that’s what I want to see in a leader.

And on those merits so many of our leaders today are sorely lacking.

Except, at this point in time, I think there is a compelling example of leadership that stands out: Hersh’s parents, Jon and Rachel.

They stepped up to take a public role because they had to, as perhaps the only way to save their son. They have been singularly focused on empowering people, not dividing or demonizing them – even among those in Gaza who have enabled Hamas. They recognize that everyone has intrinsic value and their own story, and the way to reach people is to uplift and find the common ground that can unite us. Deep Jewish and universal values infused all that they did, and they never lost sight of what was most important among humanity throughout their ordeal.

They are truly special. And while their leadership emerged through deep trauma, what Jon and Rachel represented should be a lesson to all of us, especially those chasing after those leadership roles.

May Hersh’s memory be for a blessing.