Voices of WRJ: Parshat Yitro

by Sharon Zydney This week’s Torah portion, Yitro (Exodus 18:1-20:23) is by many considered the classic leadership parashah, outlining just how important it was (and still is) to share the burden and, as a leader, to not act alone. Yitro, after observing his son-in-law Moses being overwhelmed by the number of people coming to him for advice, proclaims that the “task is too heavy for you, you cannot do it alone (18:18).” To ease his burden, Yitro proposes a hierarchy with groupings in “thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens” and instructs Moses to find “capable men who fear God, trustworthy men who spurn ill-gotten gain (18:21).” This structure also benefits the Israelites as they have local leaders to engage with —leaders who could more effectively support their needs and manage local issues. Yitro stresses to Moses the need to ensure that those selected have “enjoined on them the laws and the teachings, and (to) make known to them the way they are to go and the practices they are to follow (18:20).” So clearly it was (and still is) not enough to just identify leaders —we need to ensure our leaders have training and are provided opportunities to learn and grow. Leadership training needs to encompass both the technical aspects of leadership (delegation, communication, financial management) as well as the history, values and customs of the organization. In our local sisterhoods & women’s groups, we often struggle with identifying new leaders —women who have both the technical capability to lead as well as an appreciation for what is unique about WRJ and the world of sisterhood. We compete for these leaders with jobs, family, running a household, caring for children and/or aging parents, as well as volunteer opportunities within our own communities and congregations. So how do we make engaging with, and becoming a leader of, our local sisterhood, District, or WRJ an activity a woman will choose? I came to my local sisterhood looking not for an opportunity to become a leader but rather to make connections and become more engaged in my community. I had no idea what WRJ was, no clue what the YES Fund did, and was struggling to figure out how to pronounce NFTY. I started my leadership path as many others have, I accepted the opportunity to become Recording Secretary (how hard can that be?) and felt very comfortable that my “real job” as Product/Project Manager (with lots of meetings to take minutes for) had prepared me well for this role. When I was asked to be Sisterhood President I said “no” as I didn’t feel I was prepared for the responsibility. But I did agree to take a year to learn and observe, as I knew that I needed that time to grow into an effective leader in my sisterhood and community. While my sisterhood was, and still is, struggling to fill leadership positions my sisterhood did, and continues to, support rising and experienced leaders in taking advantage of all that our area, our district, and WRJ offers for leadership development. So before I knew it, I was on my way to Tysons Corner, VA for the 2007 WRJ Sisterhood Leadership Conference (now the Fried Leadership Conference). Through the workshops and seminars I participated in, and the WRJ leaders I met, I began to develop an understanding of all that WRJ is, appreciate the unique role that Sisterhood continues to play in our community, and see how my leadership skills and talents could help my Sisterhood. So, as in the days of Yitro and Moses, it is still critically important not only to identify but also to develop future leaders. The WRJ Fried Leadership Conference provides an opportunity for rising leaders to come together for a weekend of learning and sharing and provides a unique and invaluable forum for engaging future leaders in the work of WRJ.  The Fried Leadership Conference is designed to help women fill their toolbox with tools and techniques new leaders need to be successful as well as providing opportunities to interact with a both seasoned and rising WRJ leaders. The next Fried Leadership Conference is a just over a year away, January 30- February 1, 2015, but it is never too early to start thinking about the women in your community who would benefit from attending as they begin, or expand on, their own leadership journey. Sharon Zydney is the Immediate Past-President of her local Sisterhood. As a member of the WRJ Board, she was the Membership Co-Chair and is currently planning for the 2015 Fried Leadership Conference as Program Co-Chair.