How would Moses run a synagogue board meeting?

Preposterous idea?

Not really, when you consider what’s at stake in preparing the next generation of leaders to take charge and get things done while being guided by Jewish values, be it through groups within the Jewish community and/or the wider, secular world.

Those are exactly the goals of the Millstone Institute for Jewish Leadership, which is sponsoring a series of programs beginning with a two-day session later this month led by organizing professional Deborah Grayson Riegel. She was featured here in March for the JProStl Conference for Jewish professionals.

“We want to provide a service to the entire community, not just the Federation,” said Bob Millstone, president-elect of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis. “This is supported by the Federation, but it is not only for the Federation. It’s for the entire community.”

Over many centuries, Jewish communities have thrived because of the quality of their leaders and their demonstrated ability to organize around a cause, be it creating a congregation or a nation.

Today, say local leaders, the possibility exists that there won’t be enough men and women ready and willing to step into leadership roles in the future.

“This effort is about having in place a really top-notch system of developing leaders,” said Barry Rosenberg, executive vice president of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis. “On the professional side, there has been a significant challenge in bringing in top-quality people.”

Developing strong leaders on both the professional side and the volunteer side has been identified as a long-term Federation goal.

“All non-profits are struggling with getting young people on boards. They want to grow, change and stay relevant,” said Marci Mayer Eisen, director of the Millstone Institute.

Millstone, who is the grandson of the late St. Louis-based Jewish philanthropist I.E. Millstone, and Rosenberg acknowledged that some in the greater St. Louis Jewish community may be reluctant to participate in leadership training sponsored by the Federation.

They said they understand that some potential and present Jewish leaders are wary of the Federation for a variety of reasons.

“There is some distrust in the community,” Millstone said. “We have to understand that distrust exists. We hope that in working with community in this way that distrust will lessen.”

Just because a young man or woman takes part in the leadership-development programs does not mean he or she has to assume roles in Federation-sponsored organizations. Still, said Eisen, there are about 70 Jewish organizations of all kinds in the greater St. Louis area that will continue to need leaders.

And, said Mont Levy, a Millstone Institute board member, “we indeed want to reach out to Jewish leaders who are not involved in the Jewish community.”

Those could be men and women who work or contribute their time and experience in various kinds of non-Jewish organizations as well.

“Who’s not sitting at the table?” asked Karen Sher, senior program associate with the Millstone Institute. “How do we support their work? We want to go where those people are. We are not trying to bring them in (to the Federation). If they don’t want to, that’s OK too.”

One benefit of this effort, said Sher and Eisen, is to help younger men and women get to know each other and to build up their professional contacts and networks.

They added that they believe the Millstone Institute’s leadership-development program is the first of its kind in the United States for Jewish communities.

Another benefit, said Levy, is to help young leaders to think beyond their own committees and programs.

“We want to tear down walls,” he said.

But everything that is to be taught, shown and learned should conform with and further Jewish values.

What are Jewish values when it comes to organizations? Or, is there a Jewish way to run a meeting?

Maybe or maybe not, but those values should come through, say the organizers of this effort.

What are some?

Rabbi Mordecai Miller of Brith Sholom Kneseth Israel summed up the concept of Jewish values in the context of community leadership this way.

“God is the one who is ultimately in control,” he said. “Being in a position of authority means one has to serve God.”

Specifically, Miller said a leader:

• should put him- or herself second to the interests of the people being served;

• will often have to delegate decisions to others who also understand and be sensitive to how people will react to those decisions;

• must understand that if a decision will affect other people, include those people in the decision-making process;

• should welcome points of view that are not all the same, and do not assume that disagreement means fighting;

• has to know that if a decision or action goes against Torah law, it must be done in a way that does as little damage as possible.

When asked what he thought the term “Jewish values” means, Rosenberg ticked off several points: civility in debate, following a code of ethics, understanding the role of Israel as an important value, as well as pluralism and “a sense of peoplehood.”

“We are part of a global Jewish community,” Rosenberg said. “We are responsible for each other.”

Deborah Grayson Riegel

Deborah Grayson Riegel will make five presentations over two days for board leaders, volunteers, and staff professionals of the St. Louis Jewish community:

• “Managing and Motivating,” for staff only at 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 29.

• In “Solicitation without the Tsuris” (Wednesday, June 29, 7 p.m.) she focuses on enhancing knowledge, skills, confidence and motivation in organizational fundraising.

• Thursday morning at 8 a.m., Grayson Riegel’s presentation “Oh, (BLEEP!) Another Meeting?” starts the day by revealing how every meeting offers an opportunity to reinvigorate people’s participation in the vital work of the organization.

• At 10 a.m., she explains “Appreciative Inquiry,” a technique for identifying what’s working well in an organization and applying it to strategic planning, meetings and even one-on-one conversations to produce positive, powerful change.

• At noon, she will present “Strategic Storytelling to Recruit, Engage and Inspire,” showing how to create mission-driven stories that use a balance of facts and emotion to make an impact and incorporate the critical call-to-action.

For more information or to register, contact Marci Mayer Eisen at 314-442-3810 or [email protected] or go to www.jewishinstlouis.org/jpro.