Equipping Jewish Leaders for Depolarized Dialogue
Jewish leaders carry immense influence in shaping how their communities engage across difference. At their best, congregations and communal institutions cultivate spaces where people can hold complexity, sit with discomfort, and remain in relationship even when they disagree. That work has become increasingly challenging as antisemitism and polarized discourse around Israel and Palestine surface within Jewish communal life. We recognize that today’s Jewish leaders are often navigating this moment without a shared language or a practiced skill set for the conversations before them. Project Shema’s Changemakers Arc equips Jewish leaders to meet this moment with clarity, nuance, and confidence.
Across five sessions, participants deepen their understanding of how norms shift within networks, explore the power of story, and build practical skills for facilitating difficult conversations. The Arc is designed not only for personal learning, but for application; participants leave prepared to bring this learning back into their communities, strengthening their capacity to foster connection, resilience, and meaningful engagement.
Cohort Schedule
West Coast (12-1:30 PM PT)
- Session 1, Breaking the Binary: Depolarization Foundations: Tuesday, Dec 8, 2026
- Session 2, Storytelling Part I: Story of Self: Tuesday, Dec 15, 2026
- Session 3, Storytelling Part II: The Stories Told About Jews: Tuesday, Jan 5, 2027
- Session 4, Difficult Questions & Making an Ask: Tuesday, Jan 12, 2027
- Session 5, Beyond the Binary: Tuesday, Jan 19, 2027
Central US (12-1:30 PM CT)
- Session 1, Breaking the Binary: Depolarization Foundations: Wednesday, Dec 9, 2026
- Session 2, Storytelling Part I: Story of Self: Wednesday, Dec 16, 2026
- Session 3, Storytelling Part II: The Stories Told About Jews: Wednesday, Jan 6, 2027
- Session 4, Difficult Questions & Making an Ask: Wednesday, Jan 13, 2027
- Session 5, Beyond the Binary: Wednesday, Jan 20, 2027
East Coast (12-1:30 PM ET)
- Session 1, Breaking the Binary: Depolarization Foundations: Thursday, Dec 10, 2026
- Session 2, Storytelling Part I: Story of Self: Thursday, Dec 17, 2026
- Session 3, Storytelling Part II: The Stories Told About Jews: Thursday, Jan 7, 2027
- Session 4, Difficult Questions & Making an Ask: Thursday, Jan 14, 2027
- Session 5, Beyond the Binary: Thursday, Jan 21, 2027
Canada (12-1:30 PM CT)
- Session 1, Breaking the Binary: Depolarization Foundations: Wednesday, Dec 9, 2026
- Session 2, Storytelling Part I: Story of Self: Wednesday, Dec 16, 2026
- Session 3, Storytelling Part II: The Stories Told About Jews: Wednesday, Jan 6, 2027
- Session 4, Difficult Questions & Making an Ask: Wednesday, Jan 13, 2027
- Session 5, Beyond the Binary: Wednesday, Jan 20, 2027
Fees
This course is $360 per congregation, and $360 CAD per congregation for the Canadian cohort.
