Early career professionals understandably question how they can build a career path in the Jewish community. What are the opportunities? How can they grow and advance? What is the message when it appears so many top executives come from outside the field?
These are fundamentally important questions for a sector that requires exemplary talent, continuity and commitment to thrive. We are thrilled that private philanthropies are recognizing this need and providing the needed resources to strengthen the Jewish community workforce.
In one of the most promising recent developments, The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation convened and supported three of their grantees to develop a Talent Alliance to create a sustained career path across the organizations. These organizations serve young Jews in a progression from the high school years through the early post college period. The organizations have almost 800 staff members collectively and hire approximately 200 new employees each year. Through their mutual agreement, they will be able to work across organizational boundaries to recruit, train and advance their professionals. Each of the organizations will recognize and credit employees for their years of service in a Talent Alliance partner through benefits and advancement. A map of career paths and more information on the Talent Alliance is on its website.
The program is being rolled out as a pilot project with the opportunity for more organizations to join this coming spring. In effect, the Schusterman Family Foundation, along with Hillel, BBYO and Moishe House, are laying the groundwork for one of the most important, broad field-building opportunities we have seen. What has been an informal practice within certain sectors and communities—carrying one’s benefits and status across agencies—has been recognized and formalized in a constructive and openly accessible format. Rather than an individual negotiation, this is a systemic approach that is constructive for each professional and the sector as a whole.
Not only do these staff members share similar skills, values and knowledge, they and their organizations benefit from collective information about their participants, opportunities to work collaboratively and a significant reward from investing in professional development. It is a win-win-win for the professionals, their organizations and for the Jewish community sector.
We congratulate the Schusterman Family Foundation and the Talent Alliance partners—wishing them much success and looking forward to seeing an even larger coalition in the years ahead.