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January 2011/Shevat 5771
A JOURNAL OF JEWISH RESPONSIBILITY
Leadership Succession
Rachel Cowan
Letting Go of Power. . . . 1
Menachem Creditor
& Stuart Kelman
I Am Not You:
An Exchange of Letters . 2
Naomi Levy
Three Prayers for
Synagogue Transition. . . 4
Nehemia Polen
Hasidic Dynasties . . . . . 6
Bruce Ellman
Leadership in
Transition: The
Business of Families . . . 8
Bruce Dobb
When Employees
Become Owners . . . . . . 9
Joshua Elkin
Who Owns Our
Institutions? . . . . . . . . 10
Rachel Nussbaum
GenXers and Boomers:
Humility and
Tzimtzum .......... 11
Frances Kunreuther
Distributive Leadership:
Across Generations . . . 13
Cathy Wasserman
The Power of the
‘Charisma Arrow’ . . . . 14
Mem Dryan Bernstein
Sunsetting a
Foundation . . . . . . . . . 15
Sid Schwarz
The Art of Stepping
Aside ............. 15
Discussion Guide. . . . . 17
Jeremy Gordon,
Joanna Samuels,
Paula Gottesman,
& Beth Cousens
NiSh’ma . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Gideon Aronoff
Sh’maEthics . . . . . . . 20
egacy, transmission, inheritance, succession — these are emotionally charged words connected
to the complex process of making the transition from one leader to another. Sometimes retirement
is imposed, but rarely do term limits exist for leaders in Jewish life. How, then, does the mantle
pass from one generation to another — especially today, when elders live longer, healthier lives? Who
actually owns our organizations? How do governing boards track tenure and retirement? What factors
influence a personal decision to step down from an executive position? The loss of a seasoned leader
can be unsettling for the individual and the organization: It may result in a weakening of institutional
history, or the loss of an essential aspect of one’s identity. But need it be so?
This month, Sh’ma offers a fascinating glimpse at what succession has meant, and still means, in
Hasidic life. We also share the personal stories and inner ruminations of contemporary leaders who
have let go of power. We consider how experiments in intergenerational or co-leadership work, both to
transmit values and wisdom and to ensure that the “outgoing” and “incoming” leaders hear each other
without judgment or defensiveness. Perhaps now, with so many Jewish institutions and individuals approaching leadership transitions, we might finally put aside that grab bag of bad retirement jokes. —S.B.
L
Letting Go of Power
RACHEL COWAN
On four occasions over the course of my lifetime, I have stepped down from a job. I am about to do so again. Each
time, I realized that I was ready to move on to
something new. Each time, I hesitated — out of
fear — for quite awhile: Would I disappoint my
employer? How would it feel to turn over something precious that I had helped create? And,
what would it be like to face
the uncertainty of what
would come next? I also
feared giving up the power,
influence, and visibility that I had managed to
accumulate with great effort. And, of course, I
worried about financial security.
That was certainly true when I left my position as director of Jewish Life and Values at the
Nathan Cummings Foundation in 2003. The position holds a certain leverage and influence.
And leaving such a job, one’s IQ drops 20 points,
or at least that’s how it feels; for suddenly you
receive fewer compliments, or requests to “pick
your brain,” or invitations to meetings.
I was leaving to start a nonprofit. And, al-
though the foundation had funded dozens of
start-ups and grass-roots organizations, I had no
idea how hard it would be to raise funds for an
organization — even one whose mission clearly
and, it turns out, successfully, filled a communal
gap. Had I known, would I have abandoned my
gorgeous office, great colleagues, reliable IT
support, and steady source of income?
I must remain mindful to see fear for what it is, a
construction of my mind, not a prediction of the future.
out into the field, to expose myself to the harsh
realities of those we serve. I also wanted to help
build an organization whose work and mission
were completely in sync with my professional
and spiritual passions.
No work has been more rewarding and satisfying than directing the Institute for Jewish
Spirituality, an organization that I have led for
the past seven years. Why, then, is it now clear
to me that I must step down? I am turning 70
this year, and the institute needs a next-genera-tion voice to lead it into the future. As well, my
energy for the constant fundraising and administration is flagging. I want other things in my
life to take precedence: teaching, writing, exploring new dimensions of work — particularly,
learning and thinking about developing spiritual
