Rabbi Jason Kimelman-Block is the Senior Director of Leadership Initiatives and Rabbi-in-Residence for Bend the Arc: a Jewish Partnership for Justice, where he directs the Selah Leadership Program. He is the co-editor and co-author of Just: Judaism. Action. Social Change and served as the Director of the PANIM Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values, a division of BBYO. Rabbi Kimelman-Block holds a B.A. in Political Science from Grinnell College and rabbinic ordination from The Jewish Theological Seminary of America. He has served on the board of Jews United for Justice and Interfaith Youth for Climate Justice, and is a founding member of Eastern Village Cohousing in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland, where he lives with his wife Devora and their four children.
1. A more apt title for my position: Director of Selah, Judaic Resource and Rabbi Organizer
2. Rockwood = True, sustainable change
3. Three words that describe me as a leader: connected, warm, learning
4. One way Rockwood impacted my leadership: It taught me to view professional challenges not as setbacks or failures, but as learning opportunities.
5. What’s your personal ecology secret practice? It’s not a secret, but riding a bicycle to the office is my key personal ecology practice: it clears my head, reduces my stress, and feels like a mini-vacation twice a day. The other is observing a traditional Jewish Sabbath – no work or email and the smartphone goes in the drawer for 25 hours – liberation!
Participants at the January 2013 Selah Network Gathering. Selah integrates Rockwood’s Art of Leadership with Jewish leadership practices. Since 2004, Selah has trained 11 cohorts of 275 leaders from over 200 Jewish and secular social justice organizations. Art of Leadership graduates who are interested in the Selah Network, please contact Jason at [email protected]
6. Where do you find inspiration these days? I just saw the exhibit of the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei at the Hirshhorn Museum and was inspired by his audacity, fearlessness, and caring.
7. Partnership means…Operating from a deeply-held understanding that more brains is actually much smarter than one brain – even if that one brain is mine and I really think I know what I’m doing.
The Rockwood Pop quiz is a quick way to catch up with leaders in our network. Email us if you’d like to take the pop quiz and be featured on our blog.