The Op Ed Project: For Jewish Communal Professionals

This four-session writing workshop is based on time-tested models of transformational learning, designed to unlock knowledge in powerful and unexpected ways. We explore the source of credibility; the patterns and elements of persuasion; the difference between being “right” and being effective; how to preach beyond the choir; and how to think bigger about what you know—to have more impact in the world. Participants emerge with concrete results (op-ed drafts and more), and access to our national network of journalist mentors for individual follow up. Our workshops are also designed to inspire and cultivate a greater sense of social responsibility by clarifying our potential impact on the world.

Our workshops are 100% virtual, which has allowed for an exhilarating learning experience - with participants joining us across geography, time, and an enormous range of identities, voices, and ideas. This cohort, designed for women writing in Jewish communal spaces and for Jewish communal audiences, will be available for the first time virtually to folks across the world regardless of location thanks to our ability to gather virtually. We will break into smaller cohorts of ten for discovery-based work, in which participants learn by doing. As always, our model is based on discovery through group interaction, so we ask participants to show up and participate in full.

Our work will be done in partnership with The Gender Equity in Hiring Project. We are aware that writing in and for the public domain changes perception and helps women to advance ideas vital to the shifts that are reshaping our world--and our Jewish community--today. The OpEd Project received seed funding from Echoing Green in summer 2008.  Since then, nearly 17,000 people - the vast majority of them underrepresented, and overwhelmingly women—have come through their doors, including many cohorts of women participating in cohorts sponsored by The Jewish Women's Foundation of New York and CLAL.  They have produced tens of thousands of published ideas (op-eds and much more), reaching hundreds of millions of viewers, readers and listeners, inside the Jewish community and across the world.

Every participant who succeeds in publishing an op-ed reports significant extended impact as a result, including personal, professional, and public impact. This is what we are hoping to do together, in addition to lifting up women's voices individually. Your capacity to write and share your writing publicly helps you to generate the social capital, human capital and professional capital to advance in your work.  Examples include media appearances, promotions at work, job offers, book deals, funding to launch new organizations, and powerful impact on the lives of individuals and communities – such as the impact of our participants and fellows who have changed policies; founded or led new movements; or written articles or books that have led to major changes inside organizations and communities. 

Participants who take part in this work supported by the Gender Equity in Hiring Project will be invited (and encouraged) to write in ways that shine light on the advancement of women in Jewish professional life. More details on this partnership will be forthcoming. 

Please note that this program is over 4 sessions, and will take place on the following dates and times:

• Monday, February 22
• Monday, March 1
• Monday, March 8
• Monday, March 15

All sessions will take place from 8:00-10:00 AM PT/10:00AM-12:00PM CT/11:00AM-1:00PM ET

Please consider putting these dates in your calendar now.

PLEASE NOTE: THE DEADLINE FOR ENROLLMENT IS FEBRUARY 1, 2021. We cannot guarantee enrollment after that date. 

Be with us. We look forward to learning from your writing and advancing your ideas. 

We gratefully acknowledge and thank Sally Gottesman and the Gottesman Family for the generous funding that makes this program possible.