PROFESSIONALS & LEADERSHIP

The Jewish community is only as strong as its professionals and leaders, and we believe in investing in their growth. We welcome those who work at Jewish nonprofits, including UJA’s partners and grantees, and other Jewish nonprofits, synagogues, and day schools. Check out our current workshops.

Several of our workshops count for Continuing Education (CE) Contact Hours.

United Jewish Appeal-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York, Inc., SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #0289. We’re pleased that many of our workshops qualify for Continuing Education (CE) Contact Hours.

Nonprofits need vision, transparency, and effective leadership more than ever. We encourage volunteer leaders at Jewish nonprofits to connect with other engaged philanthropists and become part of the Wiener Center community. Check out our current workshops.

Interested? Contact Yelena Kutikova at .

The Ruskay Institute for Jewish Professional Leadership
Do you imagine a vibrant Jewish future? Are you ready to take the next step to make it a reality? The Ruskay Institute will help you continue on that path. We’ll help you deepen your understanding, sharpen your vision, and equip you with the strategies and tools you’ll need to succeed.

We welcome rising leaders with a four- to nine-year accomplished record and desire to grow in New York’s Jewish nonprofit space.

Learn more about our leadership curriculum.

Meet our 2017 Fellows.

The Ruskay Institute for Jewish Professional Leadership has a three-stage selection process that includes nomination, application, and interviewing.

Questions? Contact Penina Grossberg, Program Manager, at or call 212.836.1864.

The Ruskay Institute is funded by an endowment created by friends and colleagues of John Ruskay upon his retirement in 2014 after 15 years as executive vice president and CEO of UJA-Federation of New York, and honors John’s visionary leadership and commitment to professional development.

High-Impact Strategies for the Experienced Manager
Are you an experienced manager who wants to learn more? Hone your managerial skills and knowledge so you can better encourage and monitor staff performance, plan for the long- and short-term, direct daily departmental operations, and report on programs and services. We welcome department and program directors, and other experienced managers, and extend priority to managers working within UJA’s network.

Learn more about our curriculum and our program.

Institute for Jewish Executive Leadership
We collaborate with Columbia School of Business to offer a 10-day program for CEOs and executive directors in the Jewish nonprofit sphere that draws on participant and faculty expertise and experience, and includes lectures, simulations, and peer discussions. The program covers strategic intuition, values-based leadership, shepherding change, mission-driven communication, financial management, and governance excellence.

Information will be available in Fall, 2017.

Fellowships
Through UJA’s Graduate Fellowship programs, graduate students and employees of UJA-Federation and our partner agencies can earn scholarships for their graduate degrees, attend educational and professional-development seminars, and develop strong relationships with people who share their commitment to a vibrant Jewish future. Fellowships are available to students enrolled in schools of social work, public administration, rabbinics, nonprofit management, Jewish education, or business, and who want to work in the Jewish community. Scholarship availability may vary based on merit and need.

Learn more and complete an application.

Questions? Contact Rina Kattan at .

Scholarships
In addition to the scholarships offered through the fellowship program, we recommend that you explore the following scholarships:

Hebrew Free Loan Society offers three different scholarship programs for undergraduate, graduate, and professional-education students, funded by UJA.
Interested? Contact the Hebrew Free Loan Society.

Selim and Rachel Benin scholarship enables economically disadvantaged, academically gifted Israeli high school graduates to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in scientific fields in Israel. Interested? Contact your financial aid office for an application.

Internships
A diverse range of year-round internship opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students are available to those interested in exploring Jewish nonprofit career opportunities. Questions? Contact Rina Kattan at .

BoardSource
BoardSource is widely recognized as the leading organization promoting exceptional nonprofit governance and board service. As a professional or a lay leader in UJA’s network, you’re eligible for a complimentary BoardSource membership, giving you access to the latest news, resources, and best practices in nonprofit board leadership, as well as practical experience and suggestions from other members of BoardSource’s membership community. Questions? Contact Fern Maraminsky at maraminskyf@ujafedy.org.

We believe it’s important to explore Jewish tradition, wisdom, and values. Donors, lay leaders, and staff can learn with our scholar-in-residence, Rabbi Michael Paley.

We also host a community-wide Beit Midrash — house of learning — throughout the year, and we model these sessions after the traditional beit midrash — a rabbinical house of study with thought-provoking conversations.