In 2021, “Torah Fridays” become “Leadership Torah Thursdays” with a new day, time and format. Join us for "Leading with Hope," where we’ll explore six Leadership areas as sources of optimism and hope in these difficult times:

  • Community: קהילה
  • Charitable giving: צדקה
  • Communication: דיבור
  • Pluralism: פלורליזם
  • Justice & Equality: צדק ושיוויון
  • Redemption: גאולה

This is an opportunity to learn beautiful Leadership Torah from leading scholars and practitioners in these fields. Each session will start at 12:00 pm EST, 9:00 AM PST and 19:00 IT with a 30-minute frontal presentation and then attendees will have the opportunity to informally speak with our scholars for an additional 15 minutes.

Theme I - Community as a Source of Hope
Calls will be facilitated by Rabbi Elka Abrahamson, President of The Wexner Foundation

Thursday, January 14th with Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism. Register here.

Theme II - Charitable Giving as a Source of Hope
Calls will be facilitated by Angie Atkins, Director of the Wexner Heritage Alumni

Thursday, January 21 with Rabbi Isaiah Rothstein, Rabbinic Scholar and Public Affairs Advisor, Jewish Federations of North America. Register here.

Thursday, January 28 with Lisa Eisen, Co-President of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation. Register here.

Theme III - Communication as a Source of Hope
Calls will be facilitated by Or Mars, Vice President of The Wexner Foundation

Thursday, February 4 with Rabbi Dr. Daniel Roth, Director of Mosaica, the Religious Peace Initiative. Register here.

Thursday, February 11 with WGF Class 28 and Pilot WFF Alum Aaron Henne, Artistic Director of Theatre Dybbuk. Register here.

Theme IV - Pluralism as a Source of Hope
Calls will be facilitated by Rabbi Jay Henry Moses, Vice President of The Wexner Foundation

Thursday, February 18 co-taught by Rabbi Yosie Levine, Rabbi of The Jewish Center and Rabbi Shira Stutman, Senior Rabbi of 6th and I Synagogue. Register here.

Thursday, February 25 co-taught by WHP Alumni Jeff Bartos, real estate developer and co-founder of Pennsylvania 30 Day Fund and Shira Goodman, Regional Director of the ADL Philadelphia. Both are Alumni of the Philadelphia 16 cohort. Register here.

Theme V - Justice & Equality as a Source of Hope
Calls will be facilitated by Elisha Gechter, Senior Program Manager of the Wexner Israel Programs 

Thursday, March 4 with WFF Alum Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg (Class 2), award-winning author and writer and currently serving as Scholar in Residence at the National Council of Jewish Women. Register here.

Thursday, March 11 with Ilana Kaufman, Executive Director of the Jews of Color Initiative. Register here.

Theme VI - Redemption as a Source of Hope
Call will be facilitated by Rabba Yaffa Epstein, Director of the Wexner Heritage Program

Thursday, March 18 with Rabbi Noa Kushner, Founding Rabbi of The Kitchen. Register here.

Previous Sessions

Thursday, January 7th with Dr. Erica Brown, director of the Mayberg Center for Jewish Education and Leadership and an associate professor of curriculum and pedagogy at The George Washington University. View the recording here.