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Blog #9: Final Blog
May, 2009
Me and my hood
Looking back on the past two years of graduate school, it is really hard to summarize all the things I feel that I have learned and the ways in which I have grown and changed as a result of this experience. Each class that I took left me with new information, new ideas about the way in which the world works and planted concepts in my head for how I might grow to become the professional I want to be and to make a meaningful impact on the world. Each professor opened my eyes to new topics, and new areas of study and research that I never would have even considered previously. In graduate school I found others who shared an enthusiasm for learning and I found an environment where people were eager to engage in conversation and explore new ideas and pursue the discovery of innovation in areas of mutual interest that will, I am sure, effect the nonprofit sector in years to come. I feel fortunate to have met and interacted with so many brilliant thinkers, and the individuals who will undoubtedly contribute to shaping and reinventing our field. In my field placements I came in contact with professionals who taught we an incredible amount about the kind of professional I want to become and the professional context I need in order to succeed. I have met some unbelievable, awe inspiring professionals whose personal commitment and motivation to serve the Jewish people provided me with a constant reminder, about why we are doing this work in the Jewish world and why it continues to be relevant and important. These individuals have become mentors and friends who I know will be a source of support and encouragement throughout my career.
The most amazing, surprising and significant ingredient, however, that really made my graduate experience at Hebrew Union College one that was absolutely incredible and truly unique was the wonderful cohort of colleagues and friends that I found in my classmates.
Everyone say Communal Service!
Our group became fast friends. They are all so smart, so fun, and really made my graduate school experience one that I will remember forever. These individuals pushed me academically, challenging me to think beyond my preconceived notions, stereotypes, and ideas and otherwise accepted perceptions of the way in which the world works. We encouraged each other to explore new things, go to new places, dream new dreams, push the envelope, challenge the status quo and work hard, all the while providing loving and caring support for each other in our respective journeys. The bond we found is truly unique and I am certain will prove lasting. I am going to miss our happy hour dates, bi-weekly video conference calls, grabbing dinner and running into each other in the parking lot or on our way to and from class, though I am sure that we will continue to be in touch and see each other regularly.
I appreciate so much the opportunity to have attended Hebrew Union College and the University of Southern California these past two years. I really feel that I found an incredibly nurturing educational environment that really gave me the freedom and encouragement I needed to explore my own ideas and perceptions, allowed me a forum to test my conventional thinking, build confidence and open my eyes to new insights in areas I had only been minimally exposed to. This graduate school experience has given me the necessary tools and a strong foundation from which to build my professional career.
As I prepare to move forward and into a new and different chapter in my life I take with me the experiences I have had at Hebrew Union College with staff and professors, the education gained from coursework and field placements, and the unmatched friendship and collegiality of my classmates. I intend to spend time in the next year traveling and working in nongovernmental organizations abroad. I am eager to see the world and come in contact with a variety of cultures, people and organizations. Ultimately I hope to build a multi-faceted career that involves continuing to do research on various aspects of the nonprofit sector, nonprofit consulting and facilitating mutually beneficial partnerships between the corporate and nonprofit sectors.
The Class of 2009
Posted by Shira at 11:20 AM
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Blog #7: March Blog
March, 2009
So, a lot of what we talk about in the Communication Management program at Annenberg is the idea that communication is a critical component of effective organizational management. Communication can involve a number of different things in the context of an organization but one of my favorites is: Branding. I took an awesome class in branding with a professor named Sasha Strauss (he also has his own brand consulting company called Innovation Protocol... look it up!) where he talked about how important it is for a brands core identity to be communicated to those who consume its products and how good brand strategy can help in doing that. A couple of days ago I went to a special talk Sasha was giving for Annenberg students that are preparing to enter the workforce about the importance of creating a personal brand.
I walked into the Annenberg graduate student lounge mainly out of curiosity and wondering why in the world I would need a personal brand. I mean, celebrities, obviously do, but me? Sasha launched a fascinating hour and a half lecture and made the argument for why it is important for all of us, in out entire professional experience to have a conceptualization of our personal brand. A personal brand, he said, is about determining how you as an individual create distinct value in the world, defining the kind of connection you have with people and laying a foundation for yourself of consistency that you can live up to. He went on to talk about how every single thing we say or do, the way we dress, the quality of the products we produce, our preferences, are a reflection of our personal brand and what we stand for. He talked about how a good understanding of ones personal brand will help us in figuring out what kind of value we might bring to a certain job and said that it must always be grounded firmly in who we are so that we can deliver on our brand promise consistently. Towards the end of the lecture Sasha gave 5 steps to use in starting to build your personal brand. I can't wait to try it.
Its funny, the economy right now is really bad and the job search is likely to be a slow and challenging one. But, for the past few months, my professors at USC and at HUC have gone out of their way to tell me that if I needed any help in anything related to finding a job that they would love to be helpful. As students in this program we really have a unique support system of incredible people with creative ideas to help ensure that our future is exactly what we want it to be.
Posted by Shira at 11:23 AM
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Blog #6: February Blog
February, 2009
My Classmates
What a whirlwind! This month has been so intense I feel like I have been running a marathon. Seriously, it has been totally crazy trying to keep afloat and get everything done. But, on a more positive note, my thesis is finally taking shape. I am well into analyzing all the data I spent the last five months collecting and have written a big chunk of the rough draft. Turns out that analyzing survey data is extremely time consuming. I foolishly assumed that it would be easier and faster than working with the data I acquired doing the multiple interviews throughout the Jewish community with professionals. Though both sets of data have taken quite a bit of time to sift through (like days for each), the survey data has been what has been taking up more of the time. Using a computer system I plugged in variables and generated comparison tables that, though very informative, have basically resulted in a book of charts and graphs that I now have to translate and explain. It's a lot, and I am overwhelmed. I am still hoping, however, that I will get a finished rough draft done soon and, ultimately make a meaningful contribution to the current Jewish nonprofit sector. My research on the way in which Millennials can be effectively integrated into the Jewish nonprofit workforce could be helpful for supervisors who are struggling to work with this younger generation of employees. Hopefully I can figure out a way to put my findings together in a way that is accessible and palatable for my target audience.
Aside from working on my thesis, this semester's coursework has been significantly different than anything I have experience previously. In an effort to gain some business and financial skills I chose to take a course at Annenberg taught by a professor who specializes in financial planning and asset management. We have spent a lot of time talking about money and organizations and the way in which one might leverage opportunity and risk in the context of an organization, while taking into consideration all the people working within the system. This course has illuminated a tremendous amount of valuable information and insight for me. It has stretched my mind to consider a lot that I had never previously questioned. Juxtaposed with the conversations I have been privy to in the context of my internship experience, this semester has truly provided a ton of really interesting, real world financial lessons that has seriously influenced my perspective in a number of areas. I am being incredibly challenged at this point in the semester with a lot of new things to consider, many projects to balance and the challenge of figuring out how it might all apply. Though I do feel quite winded, I am also feeling lucky to have the opportunity to wrestle with these things and look forward to exploring resolutions.
We all need some recreation!
Posted by Shira at 3:18 PM
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Blog #5: January Blog
January, 2009
My European Vacation
No matter how much anyone enjoys graduate school (and, believe me, I totally LOVE both programs that I am enrolled in), it is always hard to come back after a long break. I was lucky enough to have an entire month between fall and spring semesters and even more fortunate to have the opportunity to spend practically the entire vacation traveling. I spent three weeks in Israel, which was amazing. We had our Hebrew Union College, Jewish Communal Service, Israel seminar in December, which my entire class attended together. We had a really amazing time visiting a ton of people throughout the country who are doing really amazing things for Israel. The trip was not at all a trip highlighting tourist sights. Rather it was designed to emphasize the diversity within Israeli society and the different approaches individuals and institutions within Israel are taking to begin addressing some of the challenges that arise as a result of this diversity. We met with politicians, community organizers, rabbis, nonprofit professionals, scientists, researchers, brand strategists and more, all of whom are engaged in the process of building a successful Israeli society. The whole trip was fascinating and really encouraged all of us to stretch our minds and our understandings of what Israel is all about.
After Israel, I took the week that I had in between the end of our program and starting up the Spring semester to travel a little around Europe. I am completely addicted to traveling and couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend another week abroad. So, I went to London for three days and Paris for a couple of days. I don't think I could have chosen cities that would have been much colder than either of those locations. But, it didn't matter. I had a fabulous time wandering through the streets of Paris, seeing Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Catacombes and the Louvre. In London I went to Notting Hill, visited Buckingham Palace and Covent Garden and saw an old friend who I haven't seen since camp the summer after high school. Also in London, I got a little bit lost on the subway, but, in trying to find my way home stumbled upon an incredible Annie Leibovitz exhibit at the National Gallery. All in all, I had a wonderful vacation and a fabulous trip and really can't wait to get on the road again, travel and see more of the world. I am happy to be back in school though. My classes this semester seem like they will be really interesting and introduce me to a lot of new and exciting things. Between a course on Synagogue Management at HUC and classes on Information Management and on Team Leadership at USC it is sure to be a semester full of new experiences and growth.
In Paris
Posted by Shira at 3:18 PM
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Blog #4: December Blog
December, 2008
I have to say that this semester has definitely been both the most rewarding and the most challenging so far. I am well into my research for my theses on Jewish Millennials in the nonprofit sector. I sent out my survey last week and so far have 180+ responses, which is great considering I was hoping to get at least 100. Really the highlight of this semester though was a consulting project that I did in one of my USC classes. I took a class in Organizational consulting, which is a field I anticipate pursuing professionally. The final, and actually semester-long project, was a consultation with a real nonprofit organization in the South Bay. We worked with them, starting in September to try and help them navigate an expansion effort in partnership with another chapter of their organization into Orange County. The project ended up taking each of our individual group members well over 50 hours to complete, consisted of over 30 internal interviews with stakeholders (lay-people, staff, etc.), and the ultimate creation of a guideline for facilitation, a full marketing plan, competitive analysis in Orange County, competitive analysis of competitors, and more. It was a gigantic undertaking. However, the reason I think of it as a highlight is because I got the opportunity to apply a lot of what I am learning in both of my masters programs. I got to be the resident, 'nonprofit' expert on this team at USC and we had the opportunity to test a lot of what we have been learning in a real life setting. Though at times it was hard, and, honestly, a lot of it was overwhelming, I think that this real-world application of the education I am getting is really helping me to get comfortable with the skill-set I am developing. Because of the hard work I did this semester, I am now confident that I might be able to do a similar project in any other setting with other nonprofit organizations and it is encouraging for me to know that I have really learned so much! We are off to Israel for our three week seminar in just a few short days and I look forward to many more opportunities to grow and learn with my colleagues and peers at Hebrew Union College. See you next year :)
Posted by Shira at 3:01 PM
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Blog #3: November Blog
November, 2008
California in November!
Can you believe it is almost Thanksgiving? I think Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It is just the perfect combination of all my favorite things in life: family, friends, good food, a nice bottle of wine, and good, meaningful conversation. I mean really? Just couldn't be better! Thanksgiving in my family is always a time when we just spend the entire day sitting around, cooking and enjoying each others company. More so than any holiday, for me, Thanksgiving is just a time to be together.
This year as Thanksgiving approaches there is a lot on my mind. I have been working really hard trying to interview representatives from as many Jewish nonprofit organizations as I can find in the greater Los Angeles area for my thesis and I have actually been surprisingly successful. Much to my personal surprise I have found myself really enjoying the process of cold calling people I have never met before and asking them to tell me more about the organizations they work for. Not to mention it has forced me to call on a network of people that I haven't talked to in a really long time for resources and assistance. Its been a strangely liberating and eye opening experience for me, and has uncovered many nuances of Jewish communal life that have been somewhat surprising (read my thesis when I am done to find out the details).
Another thing on my mind lately is something that I think I share with much of the second year Jewish Communal Service class: What am I going to do when I graduate? There just seem to be so many options and so many different possible directions to go in and I am uncertain as to which one I should choose. I did have a conversation with a friend the other day, and he highlighted an important point, and helped to alleviate some of the stress around this decision. He said that it is important to remember that nothing I choose to do next year will be the last thing I ever do and that whatever direction I choose will be an educational one that will teach me something and challenge me to grow. His advice helped me to keep the looming pressure of figuring out what to do next in some perspective. Happy Thanksgiving!
Posted by Shira at 1:00 PM
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Blog #2: October Blog
October, 2008
At the concert
It's the holiday season and things have been pretty busy! Between trying to get my hours done at my internship, beginning all the interviews I have to complete for my thesis at HUC and writing midterm papers for USC, September and October so far have been really crazy. The good news is that I am definitely enjoying it all. My internship at Temple Judea has opened my eyes to a whole new organizational structure and community in the valley. I have had little experience working in the context of a synagogue. Both the staff and the volunteers at Temple Judea have been so generous and welcoming and I have really learned a great deal about how to cope with stressful times (High Holidays are crazy at synagogues) while still keeping a smile on your face and an upbeat attitude; invaluable skills in life for sure! I am looking forward to working closely with them throughout the upcoming year.
My thesis is coming along well. I have a team of advisors at USC and HUC that I am learning a lot from. I meet with at least one of them, pretty much on a weekly basis. They have been making the research process so much easier and their feedback on my writing and analysis so far has been extremely helpful. I am writing my thesis for HUC about the way in which Jewish nonprofit organizations are incorporating the Millennial generation (anyone born between 1982 and 2000) into the current workforce. My research is primarily interviews of current professionals in the sector who have directly supervised members of the Millennial generation. For USC I am doing a follow up survey of Jewish Millennials, asking them questions about the kinds of things they look for in a work environment so as to be able to make recommendations to nonprofit organizations about how to recruit and market to this new generation.
One of the highlights of the past month was our informal HUC girls night out in Orange County. A bunch of us got together and traveled down to the OC to see the Counting Crows/Maroon Five concert. It was such a fun show and a great group of friends to spend the weekend with!
I hope everyone is having a Happy New Year and enjoying the holidays.
Posted by Shira at 2:39 PM
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Blog #1: First Blog
September, 2008
INSERT IMAGE CAPTION HERE
So this past May, prior to beginning my summer courses at HUC I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Germany on a trip called Germany Close Up. The trip is sponsored by the German government and offered to HUC students every couple of years. We started our journey in Berlin where we visited a number of important German Jewish sites. We started at what used to be the large, central synagogue, which happened to be across the street from our hotel. The building was absolutely beautiful with incredibly mosaics, impressive architecture and a big gold dome on top. Much of the original synagogue was still standing, which is unusual as many Jewish buildings were destroyed during WWII. Throughout our trip we visited parts of the Berlin wall, walked through a number of different parts of Berlin, each with their own unique story, visited museums and got a good overall sense of what it is like to live in Germany today. The second leg of our journey was in Dresden, a smaller city that was about a 2-hour train ride from Berlin. Dresden today is an artist community. Before WWII it was also a center of Jewish life in Germany. Unfortunately many of the Dresden Jews perished in the Holocaust. However, the central synagogue has been restored and the city is littered with monuments to populations that suffered under the hands of the Nazis. Our final day in Germany we spent at the Jewish museum in Berlin. It was probably one of the most unbelievable museums I have every visited. When walking through the exhibits one is able to actually feel the physical discomfort of those who lived in Germany before and during WWII must have felt.
This trip with HUC to Germany really encouraged me to question a lot of my own Jewish identity and how I might define my relationship to Jewish history and the Jewish people. This theme continued through my coursework over the summer at HUC in Leadership Development, and Biblical and Rabbinic Sources where I was asked to look at my own relationship with our scripture and identify the kind of leader I see myself becoming. My trip to Germany helped inform much of this personal exploration. I am looking forward to making the most of my final year in graduate school and hope to have the opportunity, through the incredible opportunities HUC provides, to further engage in these issues and examine these questions.
Posted by Shira at 3:29 PM
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