Selah's First National Alumni Gathering

by: Amanda Silver

Wed Jun 16, 2010 at 13:47:20 PM EDT

For three days last week, Selah, Jewish Funds for Justice's leadership program, hosted the largest gathering in its history for alumni of our training program. Eighty Jewish social justice leaders  from around the country, ranging in age from 25 to 65, came together to deepen leadership skills, build relationships, and share best practices and ideas related to their social justice work and leadership in the world.  As the Director of the program and a member of the first cohort which met six years ago, I was moved and inspired.

The buzz was palpable.  Regardless of how busy we were before arriving, people came into shared space together with a generosity of spirit, open curiosity, and willingness to meet others.  Humor was a constant thread throughout the gathering.  I recall one participant sharing how the playfulness throughout the gathering really opened her up to the possibility of being present and learning from others.

I was also impressed with the turnout.  Many of the attendees participated in their initial Selah cohort training five or six years ago.  That so many people chose to spend 2 days at the gathering tells me that there is something very compelling about ongoing opportunities to reflect, learn, and build relationships that help further one’s social change work in the world.  In the words of one alumnus (or Selahnik), “connectedness to a powerful and loving community working in so many ways for change—this inspires and is a reminder that these kinds of spaces CAN be created and can promote better work locally.” 

What most moved me, however,  was the way participants at the gathering created a collective ability to track and mark transformation over time.  At Selah trainings we often talk about the idea of leadership as a practice.  Embodying a new behavior or way of leading, doesn’t just happen because we want it to. It takes practice. And it’s hard work, sometimes overwhelming.  Transformation does not happen overnight.   To be engaged in social change for the long haul, we need communities, allies, and colleagues that will help us mark our own transformation and growth over time.   We need support – people who will help us hold ourselves accountable for living out our hopes, aspirations, and dreams.  And we need patience – the recognition that transformation, whether it be in ourselves, our organizations, or in the world --  takes time.  The collective presence of so many social change leaders at the gathering, engaged in different stages and levels of change – provided a beautiful example of this.