May 7-8, 2025
Join Jewish professional and volunteer leadership from across North America for an immersive summit designed to strengthen our efforts to cultivate a culture of belonging for all Jews and our loved ones through skill-building, learning, and networking.
Co-hosted by SRE Network and Jewish Federations’ Center for Jewish Belonging, this summit will bring participants together after JPro25 to:
- Explore identities including, but not limited to: age, ability, gender and sexuality, ethnicity, economic status, faith, Jewish religious affiliation, mental and physical health and wellbeing, and race within the Jewish communal landscape.
- Discover how to create spaces that affirm and celebrate the social and cultural diversity of Jewish life across ideological lines.
- Learn practical skills to advance safety, respect, equity, and belonging for all Jews and our loved ones.
- Build lasting relationships with peers at affinity-based gatherings and larger group receptions.
Plus, during the Evening Plenary, join us in honoring the recipients of the inaugural Jewish Belonging Builders Award. Together we will celebrate Idit Klein and Paula B. Pretlow, two exceptional leaders who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to strengthening belonging in Jewish life.
Note: This summit is in lieu of SRE Network's Annual Convening this year.
Photos from: (first two) SRE's 2024 Annual Convening, by Shulamit Photo + Video | @shulamitphotovideo; (second two) JFNA's 2024 General Assembly.
Details
Dates & Times
See full schedule below
- Wednesday, May 7: 1:30 pm to 7:15 pm ET, followed by dinner
- Thursday, May 8: 8:30 am to 1:30 pm ET
Location
- Baltimore, MD
- Looking to explore Baltimore while you are in town? Check out this list of local sites and experiences from JPro25.
Audience
- Practitioners, leaders, organizations, and funders working toward cultivating belonging for American Jewish life for all Jews and our loved ones.
Cost
- $180 per person*
Registration closes on May 2.
*The registration fee is heavily subsidized by SRE and JFNA. The cost includes kosher meals, snacks, and materials. If the registration fee poses a financial challenge, please contact us to receive a reduced rate at belonging@jewishfederations.
Registrants must agree to our Code of Conduct.
Schedule
Day 1 - Wednesday, May 7
For those coming from JPro25, note that JPro25 concludes at 11:45 am so you should have time to eat and rest before our Summit begins.
- 1:30 - 2:30 pm: Check-In & Registration
- 2:30 - 3:30 pm: Opening Plenary, The Power & Possibility of Jewish Belonging in Today's Landscape
- Speakers include: Lisa Eisen, Eric Fingerhut, Rachel Gildiner, Rabbi Isaiah Rothstein, and Kohenet Dr. Harriette Wimms
- 3:30 - 4:00 pm: Break
- 4:00 - 5:15 pm: Workshop Block #1, Deep Dives into Belonging
- Torah of Safety, Respect, and Equity with Dr. Guila Benchimol and Rabbi Yaffa Epstein
- The Surge: Understanding Jewish Belonging through Data and Demographic Trends with Stacey-Aviva Clark, Dr. David Manchester, Jessica Mehlman
- The Building Blocks to Creating Safe & Respectful Workplaces with Dr. Shira Berkovits, Dr. Deitra Reiser, and Rabbi Mary Zamore
- Belonging and Jewish Philanthropy with Andrew Cushnir, Jon Hornstein, and Aviva Jacobs
- 5:30 - 6:20 pm: Small Reflection Groups
- 6:45 - 7:15 pm: Opening Reception
- 7:15 - 8:45 pm: Dinner and Evening Plenary, Celebrating Our Belonging Heroes with the Jewish Belonging Builders Award
- Speakers include: Robert Bank, Paul Bernstein, Rabbi Jessy Dressin, Nancy Kaufman, Idit Klein, and Paula B. Pretlow (by video)
Idit Klein
President and CEO
Keshet
Paula B. Pretlow
Chair and Trustee
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation
Day 2 - Thursday, May 8
- 8:00 - 9:00 am: Breakfast
- 8:30 - 9:25 am: Optional Morning Wellness Blocks
- Song Circle
- Walkshop with Josh Feldman
- Somatic Healing with Yoshi Silverstein
- 9:45 - 11:00 am: Morning Plenary, Belonging Across Differences
- Speakers include: Dr. Mijal Bitton, Rabbi Ayelet Cohen, Rachel Gildiner, Rabbi Sandra Lawson, and Rabbi Isaiah Rothstein
- 11:00 - 11:20 am: Break and Snack
- 11:20 am - 12:35 pm: Workshop Block #2, Action Labs
- Coalition Building Across Identity Groups with Arielle Levy, Dr. Deitra Reiser, and Rabbi Isaiah Rothstein
- Cultivating an Inclusive Leadership Pipeline with Rachel Faulkner, Liz Fisher, Arya Marvazy, and Meredith Polsky
- Leading in Times of Uncertainty & Chaos with Dr. Guila Benchimol, Nate Looney, and Shaina Wasserman
- 12:35 - 12:50 am: Break
- 12:50 - 1:30 pm: Closing Plenary
- Speakers include: Stacey-Aviva Clark, Rabba Sara Hurwitz, and Matthew Nouriel
- 1:30 - 2:00 pm: Grab and Go Lunch, Summit Concludes
*A Wellness Room will be available for quiet reflection throughout the Summit..
Robert Bank
Dr. Guila Benchimol
Dr. Shira Berkovits
Paul Bernstein
Dr. Mijal Bitton
Stacey-Aviva Clark
Rabbi Ayelet Cohen
Rabbi Jessy Dressin
Lisa Eisen
Rabba Yaffa Epstein
Rachel Faulkner
Josh Feldman
Eric Fingerhut
Liz Fisher
Carla Friend
Rachel Gildiner
Jon Hornstein
Rabba Sara Hurwitz
Aviva Jacobs
Nancy Kaufman
Idit Klein
Rabbi Sandra Lawson
Ari Levy
Nate Looney
Dr. David Manchester
Arya Marvazy
Jessica Mehlman
Matthew Nouriel
Erica Phillips
Meredith Polsky
Dr. Deitra Reiser
Rabbi Isaiah Rothstein
Yoshi Silverstein
Shaina Wasserman
K' Dr. Harriette Wimms
Rabbi Mary Zamore
Please check back for updates.
FAQs
Photos from SRE's 2024 Annual Convening, by Shulamit Photo + Video | @shulamitphotovideo.
About SRE Network
Launched in 2018, SRE is a growing and impactful network of 185+ organizations committed to creating workplaces and communal spaces that are safe, respectful, and equitable for all. SRE Network guides Jewish organizations to achieve gender equity and cultivate inclusive workplaces and communal spaces where all individuals can thrive and drive change.
About Jewish Federations' Center for Jewish Belonging
Jewish Federation’s Center for Jewish Belonging supports Jewish life in creating a culture of belonging for all Jews and our loved ones by empowering individuals, community leaders, and organizations to implement equitable policies, and procedures, engaging organizations and individuals that represent underrepresented groups in Jewish life, and through convening professionals and volunteers in the field of Jewish Belonging.
SRE Network is deeply committed to supporting the dignity and belonging of all individuals across our diverse Jewish community. This includes our radical acceptance of LGBTQ+ folks, Jews of Color, and Jews of all abilities, backgrounds, races, ethnicities, and sexual and gender identities.