December 5, 2011

(CHICAGO) Northwestern University School of Continuing Studies and Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies are partnering to launch a new professional development program, the Certificate in Jewish Leadership. This new program combines Jewish scholarship with leading ideas from the contemporary business world to enhance the effectiveness of Jewish leaders.

Traditionally, programs for Jewish leadership have focused either on management skills or Jewish literacy. In this program, leadership training is taught within a distinctively Jewish context. Participants will learn to assess and improve their own leadership, to articulate vision and inspire and motivate stakeholders, to improve collaboration, to achieve organizational goals, to hone their communication skills, and to plan and execute for the future.

Students can apply to the program now. Classes begin in March 2012 and run through October 2012.

“I’m very proud to support the new Certificate in Jewish Leadership program offered by Northwestern's School of Continuing Studies in cooperation with Spertus,” said Northwestern University President Morton Schapiro. “This innovative program will provide Jewish leaders the opportunity to enhance their professional careers in the context of their personal faith. It will be a wonderful addition to our leadership programs in the School of Continuing Studies.”

The Certificate in Jewish Leadership was developed for emerging leaders of nonprofit organizations, including those focused on social service, fundraising, education, culture, and public policy advocacy. Experienced leaders of Jewish organizations and professionals working outside the Jewish community may also find the program offers benefits to their work through its focus on best practices in a Jewish context.

“As a CEO, I draw inspiration from classical Jewish sources on humility, power sharing, and ethics, and at the same time, I am guided by today’s preeminent thinkers on leadership,” said Spertus President and CEO Dr. Hal M. Lewis. “This is the overarching vision of the certificate — to provide participants with contemporary and ancient teachings that will enhance their skill sets and provide unparalleled opportunity to grow professionally while transforming their organizations.”

This program is the only one of its kind and is jointly offered by Northwestern University and Spertus, drawing faculty and expertise from both institutions. Case studies will be drawn from contemporary business best practices and from Jewish texts that offer timeless insights on leadership and imbue the program with an authentic Jewish character, empowering leaders to draw insights from Jewish traditions.

The program’s format is designed with the needs of working adults in mind. Classes meet one evening per week on the Chicago campuses of Spertus and Northwestern. A unique and essential aspect of the program will be its focus on the mentoring of students by seasoned Jewish professional and lay leaders. These mentors will lend their expertise to the students' real-world challenges.

Faculty for the Certificate in Jewish Leadership includes Spertus President and CEO Dr. Hal M. Lewis, along with Aleen Bayard, Dr. Gail Berger, Dorie Ellzey Blesoff, and Dr. Steven Resnicoff.

Aleen Bayard serves on Northwestern University’s School of Continuing Studies faculty, where she teaches organizational change, leadership, and public relations. She also teaches at University of Chicago’s Graham School and the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. She consults in leadership development, change management, and communications. She holds a BA from Stanford University, an MA from Columbia University, and an MS from Northwestern.

Dr. Gail Berger is a lecturer at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and School of Education and Social Policy. She brings academic and professional experience in conflict resolution, leadership development, succession planning, and team building. Dr. Berger has won several teaching awards, including Instructor of the Year at the School of Education and Social Policy. She received her PhD from the Kellogg School of Management.

Dorie Ellzey Blesoff is an adjunct faculty member of the MS in Learning and Organizational Change program at Northwestern’s School of Education and Social Policy, where she received the Outstanding Adjunct Professor Award. She runs a consulting practice that specializes in leadership development and sustainable strategic organizational change.

Dr. Hal M. Lewis is the President and CEO of Spertus. Before assuming the presidency in 2009, he held positions as Spertus' Chief Operating Officer and Dean of Continuing Education. In addition, he holds a faculty appointment as Professor of Contemporary Jewish Studies at Spertus, where he earned his Doctor of Jewish Studies. Dr. Lewis is a recognized authority on leadership and publishes widely on the subject. He is the author of Models and Meanings in the History of Jewish Leadership and From Sanctuary to Boardroom: A Jewish Approach to Leadership.

Dr. Steven Resnicoff is professor of law and co-director of the Center for Jewish Law and Judaic Studies at DePaul University. He is an internationally known scholar who writes and lectures extensively on alternative dispute resolution, legal ethics, and medical ethics. Drawing on his formal Talmudic training as well as law firm experience, Dr. Resnicoff analyzes these issues from both secular and religious perspectives, often exploring how these disparate systems interact.

For more information, visit spertus.edu/MAJPS/certificate-jewish-leadership, call 312.503.0714, or email pdp@northwestern.edu.

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF CONTINUING STUDIES
The mission of Northwestern University School of Continuing Studies (SCS) is to extend the resources of Northwestern University to undergraduate and graduate students whose lives include significant professional and personal commitments that place limitations on their schedules and affect the pace at which they may achieve their educational goals. Consistent with Northwestern's dedication to excellence, SCS makes distinguished teaching available to non-traditional students and, to the greatest extent possible, provides access to the University’s other resources, such as libraries, laboratories, recreational facilities, and events.

ABOUT SPERTUS
Spertus is a center for Jewish learning and culture that invites people of all backgrounds to explore the multifaceted Jewish experience. Spertus offers accredited graduate-level degree programs in areas that are critical to the Jewish and wider communities—including Jewish studies, leadership training, and nonprofit management. Recognizing that learning is sparked by many points of entry, programming at Spertus also includes cultural and continuing education offerings, such as lectures, seminars, exhibitions, concerts, and films. #