Spertus News & Events Fall-Winter 2021

Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership | spertus.edu

Fall–Winter 2021

News & Events

Communities of Learning | P27 Imagination in Education | P21 Fundraisers Forum | P19 Jewish Book Month | P23 A Spertus Graduation Like None Before | P7 Announcing the Spertus Chicago Scholarship | P5

reimagining

Image above: R Mural Project, Union Square Market, Washington, DC.

Teaching Resilience Why does an institution of higher Jewish learning need to teach about resilience?

In a recent article, Spertus President and CEO Dr. Dean P. Bell wrote about a subject you might be surprised to find on the Spertus curriculum: resilience, a concept that has become ever more important through the challenges of the past year.

Dr. Bell wrote, “At Spertus Institute, we have integrated long-standing work on vulnerability and resilience into our leadership training, professional programs, and graduate courses. Grounded in findings from the Religion, Vulnerability, and Resilience Project, on which I am a co-investigator, we have differentiated between simple resilience—a return to the status quo—and complex resilience, which allows us to learn, grow, and adapt. Complex resilience teaches us to apply new-found skills and perspectives to yet unknown challenges ahead.”

He continued, “Our work at Spertus is centered in the idea of high-impact Jewish learning, learning that provides the tools for important and positive change in the world. Our explorations of complex resilience teach adaptation, problem solving, responsibility, and resistance to doing things the same way, merely because that is the way we have done them before. This work will advance and improve our programs, our institution, and the many people we impact along the way.”

Read Dr. Bell’s full article at spertus.edu/news

Learning

Contents News Teaching Resilience | P2 Letter from Spertus President and CEO Dr. Dean P. Bell | P4 The Spertus Chicago Scholarship | P5

Leadership

Celebrating Spertus Graduation | P7 Spertus Welcomes Marcia R. Lehman and Dr. David Gottlieb | P9 Spertus Students and Alumni Reimagine Community | P10 Spertus Builds Ties to Austin, TX | P15 Our Alumni Community | P27 Think Tanks Address Pressing Issues | P27 | P17

Certificate Programs

Arts & Culture

Degree Offerings

| P17

Workshops, Programs, and Events Fundraisers Forum | P19 Launch of Educational Leadership Network | P21 Authors OutLoud with Ayelet Tsabari | P23 Exhibition | Andy Warhol’s Ten Portraits of Jews of the 20th Century | P25

News

Jewish Community Reconnects | P25

Sponsorship, Support, and Membership Making Educational Opportunities Possible | P15 Leave a Legacy of Learning | P28 Membership | P29

Resources

Calendar

| P31

As we go to press, masks are required in public areas at Spertus Institute and much of our fall programming is online. All is subject to change.

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A partner with the Jewish United Fund in serving our community

Events

Please check our website at spertus.edu for current details and sign up to receive our e-newsletters. Or follow Spertus on social media for regular updates.

Dr. Dean P. Bell

reimagining Every year Spertus identifies a core programmatic theme.

Last year, in the midst of the pandemic, we focused on resilience. We introduced the notion of complex resilience: the ability to grow through challenge and uncertainty, rather than returning to the status quo.

Our work reinforced our belief that learning is a key component of resilience.

In times of change, Spertus Institute’s signature high-impact Jewish learning is more important than ever, particularly as we apply it to the challenges of today and tomorrow.

But what will tomorrow look like? COVID-19 revealed vulnerabilities, both individual and societal. It challenged assumptions about our cultural, political, and societal structures. It compelled us to consider new ways of thinking and being.

As we return to some aspects of pre-pandemic life, at least in some ways and some places, we must seek ways to reimagine the future.

This year reimagining is our theme.

Over the past year, we asked students to share what they’ve learned during the pandemic. What aspects of their lives were reinforced? What fostered transformation? What changes will they take with them into the future? This set of questions is precisely the focus of our program year ahead. How can we leverage what we’ve learned to reimagine what is possible—from scientific discoveries to deepened social connections to a more equitable world?

The past year forced us to stretch our imaginations, reassess, and rebuild.

Please join me in this process of reimagining, to make our world better in ways we never imagined before.

With that, I wish you a healthy and reflective New Year.

Best wishes,

Dr. Dean P. Bell, President and CEO Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership

Learning

Spertus Institute is thrilled to announce

Leadership

The Spertus Chicago Scholarship

Arts & Culture

Investing in Chicago’s Jewish Communal Professionals

News

Funded by an anonymous donor, the Spertus Chicago Scholarship aims to invigorate Chicago’s Jewish community by investing in the education, training, and development of Jewish communal professionals.

Resources

Incoming students from the Chicago area are eligible for funds of up to $2,000 toward Spertus Institute’s MA in Jewish Professional Studies (MAJPS) or Executive MA in Jewish Professional Studies (EMAJPS) 2022 cohorts.

Funds are limited.

Events

About this exciting initiative, Spertus President and CEO Dr. Dean P. Bell said: “Spertus Institute is proudly based in Chicago, our home for nearly 100 years. Although the learning we provide no longer has geographic boundaries —and increasingly has impact worldwide—we have a special commitment to our Chicago community, which this scholarship fund will strengthen and enrich.”

Next EMAJPS cohort begins fall 2022.

See spertus.edu/majps or spertus.edu/executive for details.

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Next MAJPS cohort begins January 2022; application deadline is September 23, 2021.

Spertus Celebrates Our 2021 Graduates Brittany Rachel Begun Todd Brecher Caleb Milian Shahan Bromberg Alyse Hillary Eisenberg Tara L. Feiner Michael Furey Randall Jergensen Matthew Kramer-Morning Sarah Kranz-Ciment Layah Kranz Lipsker

Keren Makno Jessica Avril Mehlman Moshe Gedaliah Meirovich Brett Musick Michael Rawl Lauren Silverman Janese R. Sweeny Tori Weinstein Sharon Wittenberg

Graduate Tori Weinstein celebrating in Seattle.

Learning

This year’s graduation was unlike any in our 97-year history

Leadership

Because of COVID-19, the ceremony was virtual, but although the format differed, the pride was just as warm as we marked our graduates’ transformation from students to ambassadors, taking their newly acquired knowledge and skills to their own organizations and communities.

Arts & Culture

Because of the virtual format, we were able to welcome graduates’ family members, friends, and colleagues from their homes around the world.

We awarded degrees to students from all Spertus Institute degree programs: Doctor of Hebrew Letters Doctor of Science in Jewish Studies Master of Arts in Jewish Studies

News

Master of Arts in Jewish Professional Studies Local, Regional, and Executive cohorts

Graduation Address and Honorary Degrees

Resources

The graduation address was delivered by Israeli scholar, author, and activist Dr. Ruth Calderon, a former member of the Israeli Knesset and founder of Elul Beit Midrash in Jerusalem and Alma–Home for Hebrew Culture in Tel Aviv. She was awarded an honorary Doctor of Hebrew Letters.

An honorary Doctor of Hebrew Letters was also awarded to Gene Hoffman, lifelong learner and committed supporter of Jewish education.

Student Speakers Events

This year’s student speakers were Jessica Mehlman and Rabbi Moshe Meirovich.

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Mehlman, a graduate of our Executive MA in Jewish Professional Studies, is the Associate Vice President for Impact and Planning at the Jewish Federations of North America. Rabbi Meirovich, who received his Doctor of Hebrew Letters, serves Congregation B’nai Israel in St. Catharines, Ontario. It was wonderful to have his congregants join us to watch the ceremony!

Spertus Welcomes Marcia R. Lehman and Dr. David Gottlieb

Learning

Spertus Institute is proud to welcome two accomplished local leaders to its team

Leadership

Marcia R. Lehman joins the Spertus Institute staff as Vice President for Advancement. She will lead the growth of the Institute’s fundraising across all philanthropic revenue streams, a role that is increasingly important as Spertus grows its programmatic and geographic footprint and approaches its centennial, coming up in 2024.

Arts & Culture

Lehman’s career has included game-changing business development and revenue generation in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors, including a successful track record of fundraising for higher education. She served most recently as the Associate Executive Director for American Friends of Hebrew University.

News

Among her responsibilities at Spertus, she will serve as a member of the senior staff cabinet, oversee Development Department staff and initiatives, work closely with Trustees on board development and fundraising, build and strengthen donor relations, and manage Spertus Institute’s major gift portfolio, including expansion of the Institute’s annual fund and endowment.

In announcing her appointment, Spertus President and CEO Dr. Dean P. Bell said: “Marcia brings impressive skills and boundless energy.

We are excited for her to help us advance our strategic goals and develop a comprehensive, institutional culture of philanthropy.”

Resources

Dr. David Gottlieb, who has served on the Spertus faculty since 2019, steps into a new role as Director of Jewish Studies.

Events

Dr. Gottlieb, who received his PhD in the History of Judaism from The University of Chicago Divinity School, has taught at The University of Chicago and Claremont Lincoln University, where he helped develop the curriculum for the Master’s in Interfaith Action concentration. He has written extensively for both academic and general-interest publications. In 2019 he published Second Slayings: The Binding of Isaac and the Formation of Jewish Memory.

Gottlieb served as founding executive director of Full Circle Communities, Inc., a nonprofit developer of affordable housing, and he teaches mindfulness at Orot, the Center for New Jewish Learning.

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“We are honored to have David join our senior academic team,” said Spertus Dean and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Keren E. Fraiman. “In his new role, he will advise our master’s and doctoral Jewish Studies students, work with me to develop curricula, and help expand the reach of our Jewish Studies programs.”

Spertus Students and Alumni Reimagine Community

Logic will get you from A to Z. Imagination will get you everywhere. — Albert Einstein We asked students and alumni these questions:

Reimagining Community

Spertus Impact

What excites you about the future?

What can—or should—be different as we build Jewish communities for the future?

What did you learn at Spertus that helps to guide your work?

Find more at spertus.edu/reimagine

Learning

Certificate in Jewish Leadership for Educators

Kelly Cohen North American Director of Education, Diller Teen Fellows

Leadership News

Through Spertus, I gained deeper understanding of myself as a leader and the tools to be an agent of change in these precarious times. The program had a profound effect on me. Even with half of it being virtual I was able to build deep relationships with my cohort colleagues. This showed me what is possible in virtual learning and engagement.

Spertus Impact

Arts & Culture

We are just beginning Reimagining to explore social Community media as a platform to amplify teen voices. As I bring this idea into my new role at Diller Teen Fellows, it is exciting to see the potential to connect Diller’s international teen network and facilitate impact in the world around them. If it wasn’t for the pandemic, I don’t think we would be exploring this tool in the same way.

Executive Master of Arts in Jewish Professional Studies

Reimagining Community

Executive Director, StandWithUs Canada Spertus Institute launched me on a journey. I rekindled my zest for learning, met colleagues who shared a thirst for learning, and joined a community that continues to this day. I am a better professional, a more confident contributor, and a more polished advocate for Israel thanks to the material I studied.

Spertus Impact

Events

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My grandmother, well into her 80s, was determined to learn to use a computer and be able to email. We need to bring that drive to today’s frontiers of learning.

We need to be hungry to create impact, make improvements, and find new ways. I’d like inclusivity to be the norm, for us not to be held back by physical boundaries or distance, for it to become common to build connections and strengthen relationships, regardless of distance.

Resources

Steve Greenwood

Certificate in Jewish Leadership for Educators

Laurence Fhima Executive Director and Principal at Ecole Maïmonide Schools will have to reimagine online Reimagining learning and integrate Community it into their structures and processes. Online education will be recognized as a source of academic continuity and revenue.

Teachers have learned that they can reach students in school and at home. We can also share our learning with other schools, as we do with our sister school in Beer Sheva.

Spertus taught me many skills, among them resilience and patience as we navigated the strain of the pandemic and an increased workload. I learned to listen to my staff and be ready to help them—and to have crucial conversations when changes are needed. I adapted to having teachers teach with kids or dogs in the background. Spertus taught me how to lead with empathy and heart.

Spertus Impact

Master of Arts in Jewish Professional Studies

Sarah Cohn Reimagining Community

I’ve appreciated spaces where the focus has been on coming together intentionally, with depth and ruach [spirit]. Gone are the days of banalities and surface-level connections; we’re now willing to dig deeper and bring more of ourselves into our communities.

This beautiful path will be most successful when we challenge our biases and build inclusive, warm, and welcoming communities.

Associate Director for Engagement and Wellness, Hillel International Spertus has given me Spertus the confidence to see Impact myself as a leader.

Rather than waiting on the sidelines for others to bring important topics to the table, I’m able to show up with ideas, issues, and solutions. I do so knowing that my ideas are grounded in theory, tradition, and understanding—and that I can innovate and push the boundaries.

Learning

Master of Arts in Jewish Studies

Yoel Dror Rabbi As an educator in the field of history and other social sciences, the experience of being a student again has helped me become a better teacher. As a rabbi, Spertus helped me increase my repertoire and be a stronger advocate, through a deeper understanding of Jewish history, culture, and experiences.

Reimagining Community

Arts & Culture News

I look forward to seeing community members in person!

It must be said, however, that Zoom and other platforms have expanded our ideas of what is possible in terms of online Jewish content, communication, and connection. This is particularly true of Jewish education—and I’m curious to see how we can build upon our COVID-era experiences to expand what we can do.

Leadership

Spertus Impact

Master of Arts in Jewish Studies

Professor Emerita, University of California, Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing

An important consequence of my studying at Spertus is that I applied and have been accepted to ALEPH: The Alliance for Jewish Renewal, as a participant in their Rabbinic Ordination Program. These next steps that I am taking are a direct result of my education at Spertus.

Being a graduate student at Spertus opened a whole new world for me, one in which I am learning, seeking, developing my spiritual self, and wrestling with new ideas— the very essence of Judaism.

Spertus Impact

Support Spertus

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Events

I think it is the strong community that Reimagining connections have me excited Community about the future.

We can develop collaborations in a way that we could not imagine before. We must explore ways to develop global communities that can work together effectively and inclusively. We can include interfaith organizations as well, building real human connections through technology.

Resources

Ellen Olshansky

When funding is available, students seize the opportunity.

Angie Harrison

Jessica Ochs

Rachel Wimberly

In Memoriam

Jennifer Rubin

| Sylvia Spertus | 1936–2021

Sylvia Spertus, wife of longtime trustee Phil Spertus (with whom she is pictured here), died on July 31, 2021, following her third bout with cancer. In a statement, Spertus Institute President and CEO Dr. Dean P. Bell said, “Sylvia Spertus worked tirelessly in partnership with Phil to advance the work of the Spertus Institute, as well as the larger Jewish communities of Chicago and Austin. She was a force for community building, a catalyst who led by example, and a champion of our work.”

The faculty, staff, and Trustees offer our deep condolences to the Spertus family.

Donations in Sylvia’s memory can be made to Spertus at donate.spertus.edu

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Casey Cole

Learning

A Platform of Support for Professional Education

Leadership

Judaism celebrates lifelong learning. But for Jewish professionals— the staff serving the Jewish community—cost is often an obstacle to continuing their professional education. For many, their salaries are lower than their counterparts in the corporate sector. Finding funds for professional development can feel impossible. But this doesn’t indicate a lack of desire.

Spertus programs are designed for students with work and personal obligations. Our programs cost less than many similarly high-quality programs, but cost is still a factor for many communal professionals.

Arts & Culture

This year, generous donors stepped up to close the gap.

The results speak for themselves.

Austin, Texas residents Sylvia and Phil Spertus (from the family for which Spertus is named) offered generous subsidies for any Austin Jewish professional accepted into a Spertus Institute leadership program. In an article for Austin’s Jewish Outlook, they explained, “We believe it will help enrollees and our Jewish community.”

News

With their support, five Austin professionals (pictured) began Spertus Institute graduate and certificate programs (with more exploring options for next year). We proudly welcome: Casey Cole of Congregation Agudas Achim, Angie Harrison of Texas Hillel, Jessica Ochs of Shalom Austin, Jennifer Rubin of Congregation Agudas Achim, and Rachel Wimberly of Shalom Austin.

Resources

Close the Gap! You can make professional education more accessible for students from your community or favorite organization!

Events

Charitable contributions from donors like you fund more than $200,000 in student scholarships at Spertus each year. This incredible level of support ensures that our programs are accessible to all learners—especially those who serve on the Jewish community frontlines.

Support Spertus Students today at donate.spertus.edu

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If you are interested in setting up a scholarship fund for your community or organization, please contact Marcia Lehman, VP for Advancement, at mlehman@spertus.edu or 312.322.1735

At our core—learning with lasting impact For nearly 100 years, Spertus Institute has been dedicated to learning that is rich, rigorous, and deeply relevant to the issues that shape Jewish life.

While we proudly present programs in an array of formats—for participants in Chicago and around the world—at our core are the degree and certificate programs that offer students the opportunity to passionately engage with Jewish ideas in the service of their personal and professional advancement.

Kendall McCaugherty © Hedrich Blessing

Learn about these opportunities at spertus.edu or contact Assistant Director for Recruitment Amie Barrish at abarrish@spertus.edu.

Learning

Degree Programs Master of Arts in Jewish Professional Studies

Presented by Spertus Institute’s Center for Jewish Leadership

Leadership

For employees of Jewish organizations.

Cohort based, offered in Local, North American, and Accelerated Executive formats.

Master of Arts in Jewish Studies Doctor of Science in Jewish Studies Doctor of Hebrew Letters

Arts & Culture

Sequenced format with opportunities for students to pursue individual areas of interest.

Certificate Programs Presented by Spertus Institute’s Center for Jewish Leadership in partnership with Northwestern University

Certificate in Jewish Leadership News

For Jewish communal professionals and lay leaders.

Certificate in Jewish Leadership for Educators For senior-level Jewish educators.

Resources Events Support Spertus

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Fundraisers Forum Online, open to all involved with fundraising for Jewish organizations.

Fundraisers Forum is a professional development and network-building series for everyone involved in securing contributions for Jewish organizations.

Learning

Creating a Culture of Philanthropy Two sessions will be facilitated by veteran fundraising consultant Amy Eisenstein

Leadership

Each session: $18 | $10 for Spertus members $8 for Spertus students & alumni Reserve online at spertus.edu Session 1

Arts & Culture

Four Simple Steps to Major Gifts Thursday, October 14 from 12 to 1:30 pm CT

News

Interested in raising significantly more money for your organization— but need additional expertise before making the leap into major gift fundraising? If you want to start or grow your individual giving/major gifts program, this session is for you. Whether a major gift for your organization is $1,000 or $100,000, learn to make the ask and get results. Breakout rooms will discuss cultivation and stewardship.

Session 2

Resources

Measuring Fundraising Results Thursday, October 28 from 12 to 1:30 pm CT Benchmarking and tracking are key aspects to a successful fundraising program. Building on the advice from nonprofit guru Peter Drucker— what gets measured gets results—learn to identify and track the metrics that truly matter for your fundraising and your organization.

Events

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Amy Eisenstein, ACFRE, is CEO and Co-Founder of Capital Campaign Toolkit and the author of Major Gift Fundraising for Small Shops. With more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, she brings both passion and expertise to her workshops.

Spertus launches workshop series for senior-level Jewish educators

Educational Leadership Network

Learning

Cultivating Imaginative Leadership

Monday, December 6 from 12 to 1:30 pm CT

Leadership

Online interactive workshop $18 | $10 for Spertus members | $8 for Spertus students and alumni Reserve at spertus.edu From Spertus Institute’s founding in 1924 (when classes for Hebrew teachers, Sunday school teachers, and youth group leaders were among our very first offerings), educating educators has been a key component of our mission.

Arts & Culture

We are proud to carry on the tradition in ways that stretch, innovate, and reimagine, addressing the current and future needs of today’s Jewish educators.

For the launch of this new series, Spertus is proud to present educational consultant, researcher, and author Dr. Gillian Judson, a decisive voice for imagination-focused education.

In Dr. Judson’s interactive workshop, explore imagination in the context of leadership practice, leadership education, and leadership research.

News

An educational theory called Imaginative Education (IE) will be introduced to provide theoretical understanding of imagination and practical tools for its development. You’ll leave the workshop with specific cognitive tools that can be used to cultivate growth in your own work.

Resources Events

Dr. Gillian Judson is an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. She is the former Executive Director of CIRCE, the Centre for Imagination in Research, Culture, & Education. Her research looks at the role of imagination in leadership, imagination’s role in learning, imaginative and ecological teaching, and imaginative assessment.

Support Spertus

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Stunning… Tsabari creates complex, conflicted, prickly people you’ll want to get to know better.

—KIRKUS, starred review

It’s impossible not to be awestruck by the depth and power rendered in Tsabari’s stories.

—ELLE

Tsabari has created a new type of Jewish immigrant storytelling.

—HAARETZ

Learning Leadership

Authors OutLoud Arts & Culture

For Jewish Book Month, a conversation with author Ayelet Tsabari Sunday, December 12 at 10 am CT Online, open to all $18 | $10 for Spertus members | $8 for Spertus students and alumni Reserve online at spertus.edu

News

Ayelet Tsabari writes fiction that is global in scope yet intimate in feel.

Reminiscent of Jhumpa Lahiri, she creates characters who grapple with love, identity, and the challenges of balancing old traditions with modern times.

Her first book, The Best Place on Earth, won the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature, the Edward Lewis Wallant Award for Jewish Fiction, and was a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice.

Resources

Her most recent book, The Art of Leaving, is a memoir in essays that won the Canadian Jewish Literary Awards and was named a Kirkus Review best book of the year.

A world traveler, Tsabari was born in Tel Aviv to a family of Yemeni descent. She teaches creative writing at University of King’s College in Halifax and University of Guelph, Ontario.

Ayelet Tsabari will be interviewed by Spertus Dean and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Keren E. Fraiman.

Events

This program is part of the Solomon Goldman Lecture Series, generously endowed by the late Rose and Sidney Shure.

The Art of Leaving is available for purchase at the Spertus Bookshop affiliate page at bookshop.org/shop/spertus

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Support Spertus

Thank you to media sponsor Jewish Chicago.

Learning

Bringing our community back together again

Leadership

With a vivid, pop-art welcome!

Students, visitors, and guests will be greeted by modern art highlights from Spertus Institute’s collection, on display in the Ground Level Arts Lab, beginning October 17, 2021

Arts & Culture

The centerpiece will be Andy Warhol’s Ten Portraits of Jews of the 20th Century, a series in which Warhol memorialized luminaries of modern Jewish culture: Sarah Bernhardt, Louis Brandeis, Martin Buber, Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, George Gershwin, Franz Kafka, the Marx Brothers, Golda Meir, and Gertrude Stein.

Pending health guidelines, the Ground Level Arts Lab will be open to visitors. Check the Spertus website for details in advance.

Exhibitions at Spertus Institute are made possible in part by the Harry and Sadie Lasky Foundation.

News Resources

ReConnect, ReCommit, & ReCreate Save the Date November 10, 2021 at 10:30 am CT

Events

A special event for greater Chicago’s Jewish Nonprofit Community Hosted by Spertus Institute and presented with the Jewish United Fund of Chicago

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At left: Andy Warhol’s Ten Portraits of Jews of the 20th Century, Spertus Institute Collection. ©The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / Courtesy Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, New York.

Communities of Learning

Learning

Our Alumni Community For Spertus graduates, the completion of their formal studies begins a new chapter in their Spertus journey. They become part of an impressive and impactful community: Spertus alumni.

Spertus alumni are our ambassadors, paving the way for new students and programs through introductions and philanthropic support.

Leadership

They also access ongoing opportunities to learn, network, and gain new skills. Online in their Facebook group, they share questions, connections, and successes, maintaining the relationships forged in their cohorts and classes. They also receive discounted admission to Spertus public and professional programs, plus exclusive events.

Arts & Culture

This coming year, in partnership with JPRO Chicago, Spertus will present Connect & Learn, a series of online workshops for Spertus students and alumni, professionals at Chicago Jewish organizations, and their guests. Each will be taught by a member of the Spertus faculty and will feature a deep dive into a topic—from Strategic Visioning to Leadership Agility—that can be directly applied to participants’ life and work.

Alumni: Watch your inbox for details! And don’t hesitate to be in touch—because we love to hear from you. Contact Elana Kahn, Associate Dean for Outreach, at ekahn@spertus.edu with your current contact info, new jobs, and alumni community ideas.

News

Communities of New Knowledge Spertus Think Tanks Address Pressing Issues

Resources

Spertus Institute is known for our educational offerings—our acclaimed graduate degrees, certificates, and professional and public programs.

But we also create opportunities for new thinking on areas that address pressing issues in the Jewish world and society more broadly.

We do this through the research of our faculty, alumni, and students and by fostering opportunities for scholars and practitioners to come together to examine issues and identify ways to address them.

Spertus Think Tanks are one such initiative.

Events

Last year, we launched the Religion and the Environment Think Tank.

Spertus gathered scholars and activists from across faith traditions and academic disciplines to explore how religious institutions and religious leaders can catalyze change, motivating constituents toward sustainability. A two-day virtual conference kicked off the process. Since then, four working groups have met regularly to explore specific topic areas—from water resources to political policy.

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The work of these groups will lead to a series of publications, recommendations, and resources for religious leaders, communal professionals, and the broader public to advance current thinking and make real, tangible difference.

re rF utu

titute for Je Ins wi s u

Spe rt

In 2024, Spertus Institute will reach a key milestone: 100 years. The start of our second century.

Our Second Century Circle ensures that Spertus will continue to strengthen Jewish communities, organizations, and leaders for generations to come. L’dor v’dor.

Second Century Circle

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Remember Spertus in your will or estate plan

rning and Lea Le h s

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Leave a Legacy of Jewish Learning

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Thank You to Our Treasured Second Century Circle!

Anonymous (3) Donna E. Barrows Dr. Dean & Juli Bell Peter B. Bensinger, Jr. & Heidi Wagman Roger O. Brown Reaha Corwin Sherman Corwin Bruce Crane & Laura Cooper Deanna Drucker Dr. Keren Fraiman & Eitan Stieber Rebecca & Zach Garrett Ethel & William Gofen Norma & Phillip Gordon Joyce & Avrum Gray and Family Ellen & Jon Hattenbach Family Ambassador Bruce Heyman & Vicki Heyman Gene & Adele Hoffman Harold & Holly Israel Jessica & Mats Lederhausen

Anne & Elliot Lefkovitz Sheryl & Michael Markman Mark & Barbara Mehlman Dr. Victor & Rose-Miriam Mirelman Odette G. Olson Tal M. Rosen & Anna Levin Rosen In Memory of Howard S. Shapiro Dr. Sharon Silverman Priscilla Shirk & Andreas Sosnowski Michael Spertus Sylvia & Philip Spertus In loving memory of David J. Spira Luis & Fortuna Spitz Caryn & Laurence Straus Sara Vegh & Ken Ziejewski Ettie & Melvin Weinberg Bruce D. Werner Family Brenda & Marc Wilkow Stephen Wolff & Dr. Marla Mendelson

Join the Circle

Spertus Institute is proud to be a part of the Jewish Federation’s Create a Jewish Legacy program, designed to train and support Chicago’s Jewish schools, agencies, and synagogues in the area of legacy giving.

Join the Second Century Circle and ignite our future by including Spertus Institute in your estate plan. To get started, visit donate.spertus.edu/second-century-circle or contact Vice President for Advancement Marcia R. Lehman at mlehman@spertus.edu or 312.322.1735.

We look forward to welcoming you!

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Leadership

Support Spertus and discover a world of Jewish learning

News

Adv oca te $ 1o0 Hou seh old Sen $75 ior 6 5+ $50 Ind ivid ual $60 Spe r tus Net $50

Arts & Culture

Support Spertus and enjoy great member benefits including discounted registration for Spertus programs and exclusive access to our world-class online resources. Join and discover a world of Jewish learning at your fingertips!

Member Benefits

Learning

Become a Spertus Member Today!

Library borrowing privileges, with online access to the Feinberg eCollection and Kanopy film streaming

Discounts from select Spertus partners

Resources

Discounts on tickets to Spertus programs, workshops, and more, in person and online!

Second membership card Thank you gift (*U.S. members only)

Events

Recognition on Spertus Institute’s online Donor Wall

Join or renew today!

Support Spertus

For information about Spertus membership, visit donate.spertus.edu/membership or call 312.322.1777.

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WE’RE READY TO HOST YOUR NEXT CELEBRATION!

LARGE OR SMALL, WITH GUESTS IN THE ROOM OR JOINING YOU VIRTUALLY FROM AROUND THE WORLD. WE ARE RESERVING DATES FOR 2021 THROUGH 2024.

Events at Spertus are managed by VenueSIX10, named one of Chicago’s best by Crain’s Chicago Business.

Have your event in an architectural gem!

Choose from select caterers, including kosher options.

Visit VenueSIX10.com to find out more!

VENUESIX10.COM 312.322.1725 610 S MICHIGAN AVE CHICAGO

Calendar

Learning

September 2021

6 | Monday Spertus closed for Labor Day

8 | Tuesday–Wednesday 7–

15– 16 | Wednesday–Thursday Spertus closed for Yom Kippur

21– 22 | Tuesday–Wednesday Spertus closed for Sukkot Spertus closed for Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah

October 2021 5 | Tuesday Cohort Begins Certificate in Jewish Leadership P17 Fundraisers Forum Major Gifts P19

17 | Sunday

Exhibition Opens Who Represents Us? Andy Warhol’s Ten Portraits of Jews of the 20th Century P25

Cohort Begins Executive MA in Jewish Professional Studies P17

28 | Thursday Fundraisers Forum Measuring Results P19

28 | Sunday Hanukkah begins at sundown

December 2021 6 | Monday Educational Leadership Network P21

12 | Sunday

Jewish Book Month A Conversation with Author Ayelet Tsabari P2

January 2022 9 | Sunday Cohort Begins MA in Jewish Professional Studies P17

12 | Wednesday

Ideas Forum Save the Date for Writer, Translator, MacArthur Fellow Peter Cole

Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled paper.

Support Spertus

Accessibility | Spertus welcomes all visitors and is committed to making its facilities and programs accessible. Elevator access is available to all areas of the building.

Please let us know of any special needs or requests when you purchase program tickets, or call 312.322.1773.

Events

Discount Parking | Discount parking is available for $9 at Grant Park South Garage, 325 S. Michigan Avenue. The discount is good for 12 hours with Spertus validation.

(Note: Rate will increase to $10 on January 1, 2022.)

Resources

17 | Sunday

Spertus closed for Thanksgiving

News

14 | Thursday

25– 26 | Thursday–Friday

Arts & Culture

28– 29 | Tuesday–Wednesday

Chicago Jewish Nonprofit Community Reconnects P25

Leadership

Spertus closed for Rosh Hashanah

November 2021 10 | Wednesday

31

The Jewish year 5783 begins at sundown on Monday, September 6, 2020. Our best wishes to you and yours for a happy and healthy year ahead!

TOVA

Shana

Permit No. 7320 Chicago, Illinois

PAID

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