National Young Leadership Cabinet is Jewish Federations’ elite leadership training program for people ages 30-45. It attracts the best and the brightest, the savvy and the sophisticated. Young, successful, business, and philanthropic-minded Jewish professionals seeking to enrich their lives and the Jewish community by becoming leaders within a global philanthropic movement. 

Because the world doesn’t repair itself. It takes leadership. Cabinet is the only Jewish leadership program where members are not only taught the skills they need to be successful, but are given the chance to put those skills into action. In fact, Cabinet is the primary pipeline for leadership across major Jewish organizations. Members often go on to long-term senior level leadership at both the local and national levels, within Federation and throughout the Jewish world.

So how do these young leaders acquire the leadership skills needed to improve our Jewish landscape? Every summer they gather for an annual Leadership retreat. This year San Diego sent 10 outstanding young professionals to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to learn with the best and the brightest. Here are there reflections: 

What happens at Cabinet Retreat? 
What doesn’t happen at Cabinet Retreat? You have a hotel filled with caring and passionate Young Jewish Professionals who don’t want to be anywhere else but present and in the room. Networking with a smiling face everywhere you turn! Friendships and bonds are created with every person you meet. Leadership on crack, each person is more philanthropic then the next and they are helping to engage and enhance our Jewish community, locally, nationally, and abroad.    

As a first-year, our track concentrated on leadership and giving. We learned about many different leadership styles and who amongst us lead which way and how to work with the various style to reach our further potentials. We also concentrated on listening, learning how to truly listen to our peers, community, and take what we learned from them to the next level of helping where it is needed.  

— Simone Abelsohn, First Year
 
What did you learn about Federation? 
I learned about the significant and far reaches of the Federation and its partners and everything they do. It was eye opening to see the wide extent of Federation involvement both locally and worldwide for Jews in need, from helping rebuild Houston post-hurricane to social services in Israel, to building Jewish schools in South America. 

— Rayna Karoll Druck, First Year

What was the highlight? 
It was an amazing week being with all of my chevre in Fort Lauderdale. It was a special week connecting with old friends and making new ones. It always fills my heart being with so many likeminded friends who care about making the world a better place. It gives me hope for our future.

— Kira Finkenberg, Third Year

What do you think it means for Federation’s future that young people raised more $2.3 million in one day?
I think it’s really promising for the future of the organization and for the Jewish population worldwide that this group was we able to raise over $2.3 million for the Federation Annual Campaign. Those dollars are only the start. Imagine what can be raised over the year with the new programs and conversations Cabinet members will bring home to their local communities.   It shows that this organization has the potential to make major changes within our own local communities as well as the world

— Samantha Nusbaum, First Year 

What do you hope to bring back to San Diego from the experience?  
I recently attended my sixth and final NYL Cabinet retreat. What a rewarding experience it has been to connect with young Federation leaders nationwide while learning about the important work of our overseas partners helping Jews in need around the world. At this retreat, we learned about trends in charitable giving and the challenges faced by Federations across North America. I look forward to bringing this knowledge home as incoming board chair, to grow involvement in our Federation, and strengthen our Jewish Community.

— David Bramzon, Sixth Year