When I was asked to write a short piece on why I choose to be involved in the Young Leadership Division of Federation I was surprised at which stories leapt to mind to share. None of them were about my current or recent leadership experiences in my Jewish life but instead most of the stories that raced into my head were all about my experiences as a little girl and the fact that I stand proudly on the shoulders of my family legacy of Jewish leadership.

I moved to Oakland a little over 3 1/2 years ago to get my doctorate in clinical psychology at The Wright Institute in Berkeley. Although it has taken me a few years to get involved in the Jewish community here in the East Bay since I arrived, I knew it was only a matter of time. Although I am a proud New Yorker, having grown up there since age 12 and then attending college at Sarah Lawrence, I spent the first 11 years of my life living in a small but notable college town, Gainesville, Florida, well known for its college football team, The Florida Gators, and, in smaller circles, it’s proud and thriving Jewish community. I often reflect on the fact that it is truly amazing that we grew up in a such a small town in the deep south that had only one synagogue and yet somehow I had the experience of feeling like most people I knew were Jewish and that there were plenty of Jewish activities and people in our community to keep me busy for a long time. I am one of many children in that small but thriving community who have a treasure chest of memories from growing up in a Chavurah that our parents decided to create. Forty families came together to take on the task of forming this Chavurah. In addition to being part of a religious and spiritual community connected to the local synagogue and rabbi, our parents were looking for a way to design and celebrate holidays that held meaning and joy for them and an opportunity to be innovative and free in exploring what it means to be Jewish together. Our parents were taking on leadership in so many ways at that point in their lives, in their careers, in their families and as members of the community, that it seemed only natural that this was the next area of life to take on with intentionality. Their willingness to give that kind of time, energy and commitment to create something that would extend so far beyond them will always be a source of inspiration to me.

Most people think that my Jewish identity was formed primarily from growing up in the suburbs of New York City where there are seemingly boundless resources to support every aspect of Jewish life. In truth the core and strength of my Jewish identity was formed by being a part of and a witness to the creation of a community that faced a host of challenges and had limited resources. I am proud to say that to this day this Chavurah remains strong and has a larger membership base today than we ever anticipated. The fact that it has continued to sustain itself and thrive even though we, the children of that original era, are long gone, speaks volumes about the kind of teamwork and leadership that it took to make the idea become a reality. My choice to be an active member of the YLD community gives me access to being a part of something larger than myself and to participate in a Jewish community that is willing to join together in various ways to leave legacies, putting ideas and dreams into action, that will continue to make a difference for years to come.