Center for Jewish Leadership

Rooted in the belief that great Jewish communities need great leaders, the mission of the Center for Jewish Leadership (CJL) is to transform Jewish life by cultivating innovative approaches to leadership and enhancing the abilities of Jewish professionals and lay leaders. The CJL is housed in Chicago’s Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership, an accredited academic institution that was founded as one of the five historic Hebrew teachers’ colleges in 1924. The CJL, founded in 2014, builds on this history and offers masters and certification programs for Jewish leaders. Now, the CJL is a premier Jewish leadership-training center for Jewish professionals and lay leaders of Jewish organizations, with more than 275 alumni of its programs.

The CJL is guided by two truths: Vibrant Jewish communities are learning Jewish communities, and great Jewish communities need great leaders. CJL offers local, regional, national, and international programs, and includes degrees and certificates, thought leadership symposia, networking and collaboration programs, a lay leadership academy, capacity-building workshops, development of professional networks, and mentoring opportunities. To ensure great Jewish communities have great leaders, CJL is preparing for the predicted turnover at the most senior levels by launching an MA program focused on new and aspiring executives. CJL concentrates its work on its hometown Jewish community. It’s trained more than 100 Chicago-based Jewish professionals through its MA in Jewish professional studies and even more professionals and lay leaders through its certificate in Jewish leadership program. This past year CJL launched the Fundraisers Forum, a three-part series providing new professional development opportunities, and the Midwest Cohort of the MA in Jewish professional studies. It also draws in the community through its annual Jewish Community Networking Night and an annual symposium. (The most recent topic: “Ending the Gender Gap: Achieving the Power of Workplace Equity.”) CJL faculty are leading thinkers and scholars in the areas of Jewish leadership, education, and studies, and its alumni will be the next generation of leading thinkers who transform Jewish life professionally.