We Commit: Coming Together to Ensure Safety and Respect in Jewish Communal Organizations
What are the steps needed to create safe, equitable, and respectful workplaces in the Bay Area Jewish community? This 4-day series of workshops help address that question with each session dedicated to specific topics and audiences.
All workshops are presented by Fran Sepler, President of Sepler and Associates.
All food provided will be strictly kosher.
Registration is now closed.
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MONDAY, MAY 13
We Commit: Community Leadership Covenant
(Download materials)
9:30 am – 12:15 pm
JCCSF, Fisher Hall, San Francisco
Who should attend: CEOs, EDs, board chairs, senior staff and volunteers/professional leadership of Jewish communal organizations
Panel discussion with award-winning journalist Hannah Dreyfus and Debbie Findling, EdD, moderated by Dana Sheanin, followed by a conversation among community leaders with Fran Sepler.
As leaders, we lead from the head, the heart, and with our hands. This morning, we will immerse ourselves in the difficult and important questions we must answer to truly lead. We will hear the voices reminding us that our community is not always safe, fair or respectful, and we will find common ground to provide leadership going forward. Hear a presentation on the values of safety, fairness, and respect, the role of leadership in creating and reinforcing these cultural values and review the challenges the Jewish community faces.
Central questions to be answered are: Can we comfortably provide credible leadership in establishing, sustaining and supporting a safe, respectful and fair environment in every Jewish institution? Are we now, or can we be consistent in our insistence upon accountability for those who threaten or violate our community standards? Do we have a shared commitment to fair process, transparency and protection of individual privacy? Are we prepared to make a joint statement in accordance with our answers to these questions?
Lunch break, 12:15 – 1:30 pm. Kosher lunch will be provided.
Infrastructure: Good, Better, Best: Creating Policies, Procedures, and Training for Respect
(Download materials)
1:30 – 4:30 pm
JCCSF, Fisher Hall, San Francisco
Who should attend: CEOs, EDs, board chairs, senior staff, and volunteers/professional leadership of Jewish communal organizations
Receive guidance on developing an action plan to create a culture of respect, safety and fairness. Please review your own policies, practices, procedures and internal communications around work environment, harassment, bullying and other interpersonal behavior and be prepared to discuss.
Community-wide Session: “We Too,” Building a Strong, Respectful, and Safe Jewish Community
7:00 – 8:30 pm
JCCSF, Fisher Hall, San Francisco
Who should attend: Open to the entire Jewish community
We know it happens here. This is an opportunity to come together as a community to hear the voices of experts, our own leadership and those affected by harassment, abuse, or bullying in our workplaces. Join us to learn, share our ideas and brainstorm commitments for change.
Panel discussion with award-winning journalist Hannah Dreyfus, Debbie Findling, EdD, and Fran Sepler, moderated by Dana Sheanin.
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TUESDAY, MAY 14
All Employee Training: Respect in the Workplace*
10:30 am – 12:30 pm
Menorah Park, Solarium, San Francisco
Who should attend: All Jewish communal professionals and supervisors
Learn to understand and promote respect. Identify workplace misconduct including rude, abusive and unlawful conduct and understand your organization's policy. Learn active bystander techniques and strategies along with giving and getting feedback about interpersonal behavior.
Lunch break, 12:13 – 1:30 pm. Light kosher lunch will be provided.
Management Supplement: Leading for Respect*
1:30 – 3:00 pm
Menorah Park, Solarium, San Francisco
Who should attend: Jewish communal organization supervisors
Supervisors and managers will focus on understanding and promoting respect, identifying workplace misconduct including rude, abusive and unlawful conduct and hangling employee complaints. Learn to coach employees about behavior and create a culture of respect, safety and fairness.
* Managers must register for both sessions in order to fulfill the CA requirement for sexual harassment training.
Governance Training
4:00 – 5:30 pm
Menorah Park, Solarium, San Francisco
Who should attend: Board members of Jewish communal organizations
Review the organizational traits of respect, safety, and fairness and how they show up in organizational structure, leadership and messaging. The training will also cover workplace misconduct including rude, abusive and unlawful conduct and the specific role of a Board of Trustees in setting the ton e, enforcing the policy and responding to concerns about organizational leadership.
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WEDNESDAY, MAY 15
Breakfast with Female Clergy
9:30 – 11:00 am
JCCSF, Fisher Hall, San Francisco
Who should attend: Women-identified clergy
A safe space to discuss the challenges that are specific to women-identified clergy members on and off the Bimah. All food provided will be strictly kosher.
All Clergy Roundtable Lunch
11:30 am – 1:00 pm
JCCSF, Fisher Hall, San Francisco
Who should attend: All clergy
Submit your questions beforehand and Fran will address them over lunch. All food provided will be strictly kosher.
Collision Course: Fundraising/Development Professionals Roundtable on Safety
2:00 – 3:30 pm
JCCSF, Fisher Hall, San Francisco
Who should attend: Jewish communal development and fundraising professionals
Fundraisers face special issues in managing relationships that do not have traditional boundaries or conventions. Often, there are confusing or mixed messages about how to set boundaries, or what boundaries may be set in anticipation of a significant donation. We’ll have an opportunity to talk about problems, solutions, strategies and tactics.
Address the complexities of setting boundaries in fundraising. Bring your questions and learn strategies and techniques to ensure a safe, respectful and equitable workplace.
In the Era of #MeToo, What’s a Donor to do?
7:00 – 8:30 pm
JCCSF, Fisher Hall, San Francisco
Who should attend: Open to the entire Jewish community
Doing good and being generous, what are the appropriate ways of interacting when you give. Do I shake a hand or give a hug? Navigating the network.
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THURSDAY, MAY 16
8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Who should attend: Invitation only
Our training specialist, Fran Sepler, will provide 45-minute consultation appointments for organizations feeling stuck. Have a question or current challenge and need some help? Did you leave the room with the greatest of intents and already have questions and facing barriers? Send us your request and we will provide consultation time with Fran and other local professionals to coach you through.
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COMMITTEES
Steering Committee: Debbie Findling, Marci Glazer, Abby Porth, Stephanie Rapp, Dana Sheanin, Joy Sisisky, Amy Tobin, Naomi Tucker
Host Committee: Rabbi Adina Allen, Rabbi Melanie Aron, Amy Asin, Julie Batz, Rachel Brodie, Cantor Jennie Chabon, Ellen Bob, Roxanne Cohen, Dr. Beth Cousens, Sandy Edwards, Rabbi Amy Eilberg, Rabbi Serena Eisenberg, Aliza Elias, Adina Danzig Epelman, Sue Fishkoff, Sally Flinchbaugh, Danielle Foreman, Becca Freedman, Rabbi Stacy Friedman, Linda Gerard, Julie Golde, Rabbi Jessica Zimmerman Graf, Rabbi Nicki Greninger, Mara Kassoff, Rabbi Stephanie Kramer, Terry Kraus, Mimi Kravetz, Debbie Kirsch, Lilly Krenn, Rabbi Noa Kushner, Lexi Leban, Stephanie Levin, Joan Levison, Rabbi Chai Levy, Susan Lubeck, Danielle Meshorer, Rabbi Alissa Miller, Deborah Newbrun, Shana Penn, Sue Reinhold, Rabbi Dorothy Richman, Wendy Rosov, Cindy Rogoway, Toby Rubin, Dr. Peg Sandel, Rabbi Julie Saxe-Taller, Tania Schweig, Elaine Sigal, Jamie Simon, Abby Snay, Jennifer Spitzer, Lori Starr, Maharat Victoria Sutton, Lisa Tabak, Katherine Tick, Diane Tobin, Wendy Verba, Sarah Waxman, Judy Wolff-Bolton, Rabbi Bridget Wynne