“Memorable and meaningful.”
“Life-changing.”
“A magical trip.”
“I’ll be forever grateful.”
“I left with 23 women who I now consider lifelong friends.”
These are just some of the statements made by participants of last month’s Inspired Women’s Project trip to Israel. The trip was a part of a larger yearlong program within The Associated focused on emerging women leaders in our community.
Through monthly meetings, participants are provided with resources and support to help grow in their potential and explore where they see themselves succeeding in the future. I was honored to be given the opportunity to chair this program, along with my co-chair Mindy Silverman, and our amazing staff leaders from The Associated, Jennifer Millman and Daniela Levine.
From the moment we started recruiting for this program, I knew it was going to be something special. As applications came in, I was blown away by the truly amazing people in our community.
I quickly knew this was not just going to be an opportunity for me to guide these women through their leadership journey, but I was going to be taken on my own growth journey as well.
Among the participants, there were obvious similarities. We were all women with children under the age of 18 living at home. Each of us had some connection to Judaism, either through our own upbringing or through our children. And we all had a passion for our community and a desire to grow as leaders.
But it was not these similarities but the differences that made this group special.
From our first meeting, we started to see some of these disparities emerge. Some women showed up in facemasks, while others were thrilled to finally have an outlet outside the home “post” COVID. There were those who have been involved in The Associated for years, and those who had not heard about the organization until someone recruited them for this program.
Some struggled to identify themselves as Jewish, while others hosted Shabbat dinner every week. But despite differences of practices and opinions, there was an overall feeling of respect. We were here to learn and grow as individuals, and doing so with those who are not exactly like you is not only a part of that process but I would say vital to doing so successfully.
And there was so much we could learn from each other. In the group we had doctors, lawyers and entrepreneurs. We also had stay-at-home moms and those still exploring what they would like to do professionally! And while this might sound like the start of a bad joke, it was in fact the start of one of the most wonderful experiences I have had in my life to date.
While in Israel, we hit the expected hot spots. We stayed in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and the Golan. The group took a trip down to our partner city, Ashkelon, and visited with a community living on the Gaza border. We experienced a powerful tour of Yad Vashem and welcomed in Shabbat at the Kotel.
Throughout the week, we not only participated in a Krav Maga class but also learned how to bake challah, stay on beat in a drum circle, and hone our negotiating skills at the Shuk.
But the highlights for me were not the places we visited or the things we saw, but the shared experiences we had together.
We were challenged and pushed to explore things we didn’t know even needed exploration. We learned with each other and from each other. We laughed, we cried and we supported each other in a way that only other women can.
The conversations that took place on the bus rides in between stops made this journey what it was. We learned about Israel in its current political state, as well as its historical state. Our tour guide touched on all the various perspectives, whether it be Jewish, Arab, Christian, etc., and shed light on these complicated and entrenched viewpoints. All of this the while igniting a passion for a country that some had struggled finding on a map just one week before.
As a cohort, it was enlightening to learn, grow, discuss and support each other.
And even in my role as co-chair of this group, where I was tasked with “leading” these women, I personally took away far more than I could have ever expected. This group of women taught me how to challenge myself, humble myself and when to just have fun. I pushed boundaries I did not know I had, and I reignited strengths that I thought were lost.
Having been to Israel many times in the past, I didn’t know how this time would compare to the others. Of course, the country is amazing and is home away from home in many ways. But this opportunity to travel with 23 of my newfound family members made it feel like home in a way I never experienced before.
Had you asked me a few weeks ago what I thought about this program, I would have told you it is a great growth opportunity. If you ask me today, I will tell you that it was nothing short of life-changing in the best way possible.
And I know I am not alone in this view. In reflecting with the women on this trip, everyone was able to share a remarkable takeaway. On our last night together, several individuals disclosed their initial reluctance about coming on the trip. They were understandably unsure of how they would handle a week away from their families, with a group of relative strangers.
But as the trip was coming to an end, there was no longer any air of this hesitation. It was clear the impact this journey had on all of us. The laughs, the memories and the bond created will follow us for life.
To look back now at what was accomplished in one week in Israel, I stand in awe. There is something special about this program, this community and this place that is hard to put into words. But to quote a fellow participant, “If this was a Yelp review, 11 out of 10 stars. Highly recommend.”
And the best part is that this is just the beginning. As we returned from an amazing week away, we know that there is so much more coming our way. A renewed love for the State of Israel, being reconnected to Jewish traditions and a desire to give back to a community that has given us so much, is just the foundation of what this program has ignited.
For those who say I am not Jewish enough, or involved enough, or don’t have enough money to donate, I respectfully disagree! There is a spot for everyone on this journey and we need you. This is the future of women’s leadership!
If interested in applying for the next cohort of Inspired Women’s Project, please reach out to Daniela Levine at dlevine@associated.org.
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