The Jewish Federation of St. Louis is accepting applications and nominations for the next cohorts of its Millstone Fellows and Levy Fellows leadership programs. Both initiatives are designed to cultivate volunteer leaders, strengthen nonprofit boards and prepare participants to take on greater roles throughout Jewish St. Louis.

Building future leaders

“A strong and vibrant Jewish community depends on leaders who can build relationships, inspire others and navigate an increasingly complex world,” said Danny Cohn, president and CEO of the Federation. “The Millstone and Levy Fellowships are among the most important investments we make in our community’s future because they equip emerging and established leaders with the skills, knowledge and connections they need to make a lasting impact.”

Two programs, two audiences

While both programs focus on leadership development, they serve different audiences.

Now entering its 10th cohort, Millstone Fellows is geared toward adults ages 30 to 50 who want to deepen their involvement in Jewish communal life. The program combines eight monthly sessions with opportunities to explore leadership, Jewish life and community issues while building relationships with peers from across the St. Louis Jewish community. Participation is limited to 18 people to encourage discussion and collaboration.

Jessica Mirowitz, a Covenant Place executive board member and Millstone alumna, said one of the program’s greatest benefits was the relationships she formed.

“What I appreciated most about being part of the Millstone Fellows was having the opportunity to expand my network among my Jewish peers, who all came from a wide variety of professional backgrounds,” she said. “Everyone brought their own unique perspectives to the table, but we all shared the same commonality of wanting to connect, engage and grow our leadership skills.”

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Strengthening today’s board leaders

Levy Fellows, launched in 2022, focuses on current board members of Jewish organizations, congregations and agencies. Rather than preparing participants for future leadership, the program is designed to help current leaders become more effective in the boardroom by strengthening governance, organizational leadership and collaboration across the community. The sessions are led by Leslie Peters, an organizational development consultant with more than 25 years of experience working with nonprofit and for-profit organizations.

Jon Baris, who participated while serving on Congregation B’nai Amoona’s Board of Trustees and now serves as the congregation’s second vice president, said the training offered practical tools he could immediately apply.

“The Levy Fellows program really focused on training for board leaders, which I felt I could take back to use on the boards and organizations I serve with,” he said.

How to apply

Applications for Millstone Fellows are due Sept. 1, while nominations for Levy Fellows must be submitted by Sept. 10. Millstone participants pay a $299 program fee; Levy Fellows participate at no cost. Both programs are supported by the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, Mont and Karen Levy, the Lubin-Green Foundation and other community supporters committed to developing Jewish leadership.

For information or to apply, visit the Federation’s leadership initiatives webpage or contact Marci Mayer Eisen, director of leadership initiatives.