Tag: network

When Jen Kulkin stood up to speak, she had just 45 seconds. No slides, no long bio—just one image and a powerful prompt: Describe a time you felt a part of a community.

Her answer? A deeply personal story, told through a single photo. It was part of a rapid-fire activity called Pecha Kucha (Japanese for “chit chat”) that marked the opening night of Federation’s second Northern Virginia Leadership Cohort, held earlier this month at the Pozez JCC. One by one, each of the 17 new cohort members took their turn—revealing, in just under a minute, a glimpse into what “community” means to them.

Everyone’s story about community was different, yet the idea was the same: a place to belong, feel safe, and bond over shared experiences. That’s exactly what we’re aiming to create, and support, in Northern Virginia.

And that’s exactly the point.

Not Your Average Leadership Program

Over the next few months, these leaders—representing Pozez JCC, JSSA, Temple Rodef Shalom, Rodef 2100, George Mason Hillel, Beth El Hebrew Congregation, Federation’s Network NoVA Alliance, Gesher, Agudas Achim, Olam Tikvah, AIPAC, Congregation Beth Emeth, and Capital Camps—will gather for four sessions led by master facilitator Rae Ringel. They’ll explore the real drivers of leadership: how to listen, build trust, inspire action, and approach communal challenges with creativity and collaboration.

But before any of that, they’ll get to know each other. Not through titles or résumés, but through lived experience and through moments like PechaKucha, where vulnerability becomes the starting point for connection.

Championing Northern Virginia

Federation launched the Northern Virginia Leadership Cohort as part of our bold vision to ensure NoVA continues to grow as a vibrant hub of Jewish life—where leaders, donors, and community members feel connected, supported, and seen.

This cohort is a key investment in that future. By convening diverse leaders across institutions, we’re strengthening the web of relationships in Northern Virginia that makes Jewish community resilient and helping build the kind of trust and collaboration that can only be nurtured.

Because leadership isn’t just about strategy. It’s about showing up, listening deeply, and building something bigger together.

What began as a bold idea—to bring together leaders from across Northern Virginia’s vast Jewish landscape for a morning of connection and shared purpose—came to life on Sunday, September 7.

Hosted by The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington at Gesher Jewish Day School in Fairfax, the Northern Virginia Leadership Breakfast welcomed nearly 40 lay and professional leaders from synagogues and partner agencies across the region. Over coffee and conversation, participants built new relationships, deepened existing ones, and explored what it takes to lead effectively in a rapidly evolving and increasingly interconnected Jewish community.

At the center of the morning was a dynamic workshop led by Miriam Stein, Founder and Chief Strategist at Saddlerock Strategies, designed to strengthen relationships and build greater cohesion among our boards. With thanks to longtime leaders from across Northern Virginia who facilitated at each table, the sessions sparked candid, peer-led conversations about how to apply these insights to strengthen boards, build trust, and lead with intention.

“We’re spread out across the region, and it’s easy to feel like we’re working in silos,” said Ilana Rothberg, a member of the Board of Trustees at Gesher Jewish Day School. “Coming together helps us get to know one another, share ideas, support each other, and remember that we’re all working toward the same goal: a vibrant Northern Virginia Jewish community.”

Northern Virginia is the fastest-growing Jewish community in the Greater Washington area—and Federation is committed to helping it thrive. Through targeted investments, leadership development, and community-building initiatives like this one, Federation is working alongside partners to ensure the region’s Jewish institutions and leaders are prepared to meet current needs and shape a strong Jewish future.

“This is a growing and flourishing region,” said Ari Brickman, Federation’s Senior Director of Community Change Initiatives. “We want to ensure that Northern Virginia has the strongest leaders and the strongest institutions—and that we’re true partners in that work.”

Federation CEO Gil Preuss echoed that commitment: “We see this as a beginning. The strength of a Jewish community is really dependent on the strength of its leadership. What began as an idea is now a foundation we can grow from—together.”

More than a leadership breakfast, this was a clear step toward something bigger: a more connected, empowered, and vibrant Jewish community in Northern Virginia.