Writing in eJewish Philanthropy, Laura Herman and Deirdre Munley (then at JPro, now part of Leading Edge) write about using paired Jewish text learning within their supervisory relationship.

“Much has been written about the power of chavruta, paired learning centered on Jewish texts. Chavruta is a form of dialogue, between the study partners and with the text itself. Its virtues have been extolled in commentary dating back to the Talmud… In our experience, using chavruta within our supervisor/direct report relationship has opened up new ways for us to relate to one another and engage with deep, complex topics.”

Reimagining supervision through chavruta

Writing in eJewish Philanthropy, Laura Herman and Deirdre Munley (then at JPro, now part of Leading Edge) underscore the pivotal role that nonprofit managers play in fostering healthy, high-performing workplaces. They describe how JPro created peer-learning roundtables, skill-building resources, and communal networks to address the acute challenges facing managers, especially during periods of transition and uncertainty. They call on philanthropic partners and organizational leaders to invest in these supports so that managers can thrive and, in turn, strengthen the broader nonprofit ecosystem.

“Even in ‘ordinary’ times, most nonprofit managers work without sufficient training, resources or tools for their roles. The newly released Leading Edge report ‘State of the Jewish Workplace 2023,’ using data collected months prior to the Oct. 7 attacks, found only 59% of managers and 56% of managers of managers report having a reasonable workload. Even more concerning is that less than 40% of employees in these two groups feel that there are enough people in their organization to do the needed work. The Jewish nonprofit sector can and must buck this trend by making management training a rite of passage and ongoing support for managers accessible.”

Supporting managers when they need it most

Writing for eJewish Philanthropy, Deirdre Munley (then Chief Strategy and Operating Officer at Gateways: Access to Jewish Education, and later VP, Program Planning and Leadership at Leading Edge) discusses non-Jews’ sense of belonging in Jewish communal workplaces, and how organizations can support these staff. 

Leading Edge’s 2021 Employee Engagement survey report...found that nearly half of all respondents self-identified on the survey as something other than Jewish for religion (including atheist, agnostic and those who preferred not to answer). This number has risen consistently in every year of the survey, from 27% in 2016 to 49% in the 2021 report… And while some of those who preferred not to answer regarding religion may indeed be Jewish, undoubtedly there is rich religious diversity within the workforce that powers Jewish communal organizations.

Deirdre draws from her own experience and from discussions with non-Jewish colleagues to offer some practices she believes can contribute to experiences of belonging and enhance religious diversity and inclusivity in Jewish organizations.  

Let people self-identify if, when, and how they choose. 

Avoid assumptions about who is or isn’t Jewish. 

Be inclusive in language choices and mindful of assumed knowledge.    

Be transparent about whether job opportunities are open to people of all religious backgrounds and identities.

Ensure that appropriate career growth and development opportunities are available to everyone.

Consider whether religious diversity could help strengthen your leadership team. 

For more details and explanations, read the full article here. 

Writing for eJewish Philanthropy, Deirdre Munley discusses non-Jews’ sense of belonging in Jewish communal workplaces, and how organizations can support these staff.

Non-Jews in Jewish Communal Workplaces

Deirdre Munley is Vice President, Program Planning and Leadership at Leading Edge. Prior to joining the Leading Edge team, she served as Chief Strategy Officer at JPro, overseeing JPro’s full suite of programs and ensuring the successful implementation of the organization’s multi-year strategic goals. 

Deirdre has dedicated her career to supporting nonprofit organizations within and beyond the Jewish communal sector as an executive, Board member, and consultant. Prior to joining JPro, she held the role of Chief Strategy and Operating Officer at Gateways: Access to Jewish Education, where she had served for eleven years. Previously she served as Program Director and then Director of Operations for a children’s health foundation, as well as serving as a consultant to a variety of nonprofits on organizational development and strategy. 

Deirdre has held an array of leadership positions on nonprofit boards, focusing on strategic planning and the establishment of best practices, and currently serves on the board of the Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School. She holds a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Management, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology with a concentration in Race and Ethnic Relations, both from Clark University. She is honored to be a member of Cohort VI of the Mandel Institute for Nonprofit Leadership’s Executive Leadership Program, and is a graduate of Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies' Inaugural Mahloket Matters High Impact Field Leaders Cohort, Project Accelerate’s Cohort III, and UpStart’s Change Accelerator cohort. She lives outside of Boston with her husband, their two children, and a beloved rescue mutt. 

Vice President, Program Planning and Leadership

Deirdre Munley

Deirdre Munley is Vice President, Program Planning and Leadership at Leading Edge.