The Jewish Leadership Academy’s Community Leadership Initiative (CLI) is a 12-month training and mentoring program for lay leaders who are expected to advance to senior level positions in their synagogue or local Jewish nonprofit. The program prepares participants with the skills and Jewish leadership values to successfully guide their organizations and address critical challenges.

The following guest blog is a firsthand account from CLI participants Meryl Braunstein, Incoming President of Mandell JCC, and Michael Skott, Executive Vice President of Temple Beth Hillel. The Jewish Leadership Academy is a program of the Jewish Federation, and has enjoyed generous support from the Jewish Community Foundation and community donors.

This past August, we had the privilege of joining the latest cohort of the Jewish Leadership Academy’s Community Leadership Initiative (CLI). As incoming board chairs for the Mandell JCC and Temple Beth Hillel, respectively, we were eager to embark on this leadership journey alongside fellow leaders from the Greater Hartford Jewish community. A key component of this yearlong program was a leadership mission to Poland, where we explored the complex history of Jewish life—from the horrors of the Holocaust to today’s inspiring cultural resurgence. 

In Poland, history is inescapable. While we visited sites like Auschwitz-Birkenau and the Warsaw Ghetto, we want to highlight the flourishing Jewish life we discovered to exist both before and after this dark chapter, along with the leadership lessons we gained. 

You may wonder: Is there Jewish life in Poland? The answer is a resounding yes. A visit to the POLIN Museum illuminated Poland’s 1,000-year Jewish history. For centuries, Poland was a haven for Jews fleeing persecution from other parts of Europe, fostering a rich and dynamic Jewish community. Over three million Polish Jews were murdered in the Holocaust, and only a fraction of Poland’s Jewish population survived. Today, an estimated 15,700 self-identified Jews live in Poland. Beyond somber reflections on the Holocaust, we saw the vibrant revival of Jewish life in Warsaw and Krakow, meeting individuals at the forefront of this resurgence. 

A profound highlight was spending a day at the JCC in Krakow, where we saw firsthand how they nurture Jewish life. Many in Poland today are rediscovering their Jewish roots—some are learning for the first time about their Jewish heritage through deathbed confessions or long-held family secrets, while others are exploring an identity they were once afraid to embrace. This Jewish resurgence speaks to the resilience of the Jewish people and efforts to reclaim a nearly lost heritage. The Krakow JCC fosters an inclusive Jewish community by meeting people wherever they are in their identity journey.  

During our visit, we met Jonathan Orenstein, the Krakow JCC’s dynamic executive director. A New York native, Jonathan passionately promotes Jewish strength and celebration rather than focusing solely on victimhood. The resilience of this Jewish community—thriving just 45 miles from Auschwitz—demonstrates the unbreakable spirit of the Jewish people. 

Our trip reinforced key leadership lessons, especially the importance of welcoming all expressions of Jewish identity without judgment. At the time of this writing, we were preparing to celebrate Purim, a holiday that moves us from fear to joy. In doing so, we remember the lessons learned in Poland and understand that fostering Jewish joy, rather than dwelling on 'oy,' is key to a thriving community—whether in Poland or Greater Hartford.

Being part of CLI, a program that invests in strong community leaders who work together to sustain the vibrancy and strength of Jewish Hartford, has reminded us why our mission is so vital, and has deepened our pride in helping to make our Jewish community the best it can be. 

Above: CLI group visits the POLIN Museum in Warsaw