Participant criteria

• High leadership potential
  • Proven leadership experience — either professional or communal
  • Vision for future possibilities; ability to articulate the vision; and the drive to make the vision a reality
  • Attract particiants
• Commitment to the Jewish community and/or Israel
• Commitment to the JCFI program
• Attend each one of the first five JCFI sessions and miss no more than one session from 12 total
• Engage in a one-year community project.

Participant costs and expectations

The JCFI program is fully subsidized by the Jewish Community Federation. The only material requirement from participants is the purchase of the book Jewish Literacy, by Joseph Telushkin.

Each participant is expected to:

• Attend each of the 12 program sessions — regardless of professional or social obligations.
• Prepare for each session by reading the supporting materials (assigned at least one week prior to the session). The monthly materials are not expected to exceed one hour of reading time.
• Commit to active leadership in the form of the year-long community project. JCF and agencies will work with each participant to ensure a fit between the project and participant interests and availability.

Upon completion of the program, JCFI graduates are expected to serve as exemplary leaders in the Jewish community, fulfilling one or more of the following roles:

• Russian-Jewish community organizer, encouraging Russian-speaking Jews to become involved in the overall Jewish community.
• Jewish community lay leader, serving on JCF, synagogue, agency committees or boards.
• Facilitator of Jewish learning opportunities.