The WLI
In the Media
Mentee Spotlight: Mikayla Laufer Stokes
Take a minute to get to know WLI mentee, Mikayla Laufer Stokes by reading the Q&A below!
Please tell us about your project?
I had the opportunity to work with Jewish Free Loan and help the organization collect 70 impact stories for their 70th anniversary in 2020.
Please share a few of your favorite things you have learned in the class sessions?
I gained so much from the experience, but particularly enjoyed the learning we did around Jewish development and the reframing of a financial ask from being a burden to being an opportunity to assist someone in a mitzvah.
How have you stayed involved with WLI since your year ended?
I’m in contact with people from the WLI experience and am working with two current WLI mentees on their projects with ASU Hillel.
What is your occupation and have you been able to apply what you learned in WLI to your job?
I work within the Jewish nonprofit sector and I use the skills I learned with JFL and through WLI on a regular basis!
Please tell us more about yourself, your family and/or your involvement in the Jewish community.
I work for the Hillel Jewish Student Center at ASU as their Director of Engagement and work at Congregation Beth Israel in Scottsdale as a religious school teacher. I’m currently pursuing a masters in education from The George Washington University in Israel studies to continue to bring deeper content knowledge and a wider toolbox of teaching methods to Israel education in the Phoenix metro area. I’m married to the best guy and we have two cats.
In your spare time what are some hobbies or activities you like to do? (and/or share some fun facts about yourself)
I currently have basically no spare time but really enjoy reading, traveling, and baking!
View ArticleMentor Spotlight: Dale Singer
Take a minute to get to know WLI mentor, Dale Singer by reading the Q&A below!
Please share a few of your favorite things you have learned in the class sessions?
The active engagement of presenters, mentees and mentor around the core issues discussed in the class sessions expands my appreciation for the value of being a life time learner for continued growth. Differing perspectives on “not yet” and failures inherent in risk taking, often highlighted by personal narratives, continue to help me develop a broader definition of listening. The curriculum remains consistent with our heritage and it has been fun to witness how young women leaders are maximizing their effectiveness within the greater Jewish community through diverse, meaningful projects.
How have you stayed involved with WLI since your year ended?
Elana has invited me to participate in a variety of ways, including the opportunity to be a mentor in three cohorts, encouragement to participate as a team member and as a solo presenter, and the joy of helping to “cater” the Alumni Retreats.
What is your occupation and have you been able to apply what you learned in WLI to your job?
In reverse chronological order, I established and implemented the End of Life Program at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, was a Pediatric Oncologist with a special interest in solid and rare malignancies, Chairperson of the Bioethics Committees at Children’s and Good Samaritan Hospitals, and a general pediatrician caring for chronically ill children and their siblings. The formal curriculums for each aspect of my professional life taught me the value of learning from those wise enough to teach others the skills needed for the tasks at hand. Retirement is as exciting as my professional years with opportunities to participate in a variety of classes and to explore a different concept of time.
Please tell us more about yourself, your family and/or your involvement in the Jewish community.
At our middle granddaughter’s Bat Mitzvah, her father [our son] answered a colleague who asked, “How long has your daughter been preparing for her Bat Mitzvah?’ truthfully by saying, “for generations.” My husband, Alan, and I have two grown sons, two daughter-in-laws, five grandchildren. We had the good fortune of being in a lay led equalitarian congregation for sixteen years in Michigan from which we and our sons emerged with the skills and commitment to continue our involvement in our Jewish communities. Alan has been a mohel for 45 years and continues in this role post COVID vaccinations. All three of my men have, or are serving on boards of their synagogues. The grandchildren are active members of their communities, participating, teaching, and enjoying their roles. And, for many years, we have celebrated Seders in our sons’ homes where the grandchildren and I assist as they make the matzo and prepare the meals. We delight in a daughter-in-law’s leading of the Seder.
In your spare time what are some hobbies or activities you like to do? (and/or share some fun facts about yourself)
My passion is my family: nuclear and extended. In retirement, I have enjoyed the flexibility of being available without the constraints of a call schedule. We love hosting and visiting with our sons and their families, including ten years of Camp Savta/Saba in Phoenix, our siblings and spouses, nieces, nephews, cousins. Fortunately, many of our friends, and their children and families, also visit Chez Singer. I love to cook, bake, exercise daily alone or with “walking friends,” read and participate in a reading group, travel, do needlepoint, play Scrabble and Canasta, study Hebrew [for over ten years with Harriet Rosen as partner] and now classical Hebrew grammar, and just stare at the desert horizon appreciating how fortunate I am.
View ArticleMentee Spotlight: Madeline Dolgin
Take a minute to get to know WLI mentee, Madeline Dolgin by reading the Q&A below!
Please tell us about your project?
In March 2022, I am excited to launch an 8-week IYUN circle for young professionals ages 22-35. Each week I will co-teach on a new topic along with Rabbi Kanter. We will explore life’s big questions such as: When living in a world that is increasingly more secular, what is the role of religion and spirituality? How do we decide what our calling should be? In the age of sharing life events on social media, what is the impact of creating an online persona in the public realm?
Our 8 weeks together will culminate in a Shabbat retreat! This cohort will provide an exciting place for young jews to develop relationships and grow to love and want to continue the study of Torah. If you are interested in being on the email list to get updates when registration opens, please email madeline.dolgin@gmail.com.
Please share a few of your favorite things you have learned in the class sessions?
One of the most impactful lessons for me was about accepting failure. My current company has a coaching culture that is rather blunt in how they choose to provide feedback. When I first started, I focused a lot on the constructive criticism I was given and thought I must be terrible. During WLI, I was able to reframe and see those criticisms as exciting growth opportunities. Each comment I received fueled me to be better next time. I strongly believe that this mindset helped me get a promotion the next year!
How have you stayed involved with WLI since your year ended?
I have had the pleasure of attending a book club and celebrating havdalah at Rabbi Kanter and Rabbi Wasserman’s house with fellow WLI participants. I also had the opportunity to volunteer with my mentor and teach a sewing class for her camp kids!
What is your occupation and have you been able to apply what you learned in WLI to your job?
I currently work for ASU Online as a Senior Enrollment Advisor while completing my Master’s degree in Sustainability. I assist students throughout the application process and train new advisors. I also coach and lead my peers on several projects. WLI helped me self-reflect about my own leadership style. For me, one of the most valuable parts of WLI was the intergenerational nature of the participants. This allowed for a great diversity of perspectives and WLI gave me the confidence to speak up even if my opinion does not follow the status quo. I often lead and mentor colleagues who are older than me which felt really intimidating at first. The lessons from WLI helped me develop the confidence to own my role and not to feel shy about my age.
Please tell us more about yourself, your family and/or your involvement in the Jewish community.
I grew up locally in Scottsdale, Arizona. I attended Pardes Jewish day school for my early elementary school years and became a bat mitzvah at Temple Chai. I moved to New York City to attend college before moving back to accept a position as the Student Life Coordinator at ASU Hillel. I had the joy of having the most incredible first boss Debbie Yunker Kail, a WLI mentor herself, who taught me so much about how to be a good supervisee. I enjoyed the opportunity to help provide a community for Jewish college students and create new programs. I helped start a few new programs such as a Career Mentorship Program, 10-week Jewish Torah Study program, and a Mindfulness Cohort, and Interfaith Shabbat while serving at Hillel.
After Hillel, I began my Master’s Degree in Sustainability I am excited to graduate in December 2021 and currently am looking to pursue a career as a sustainability analyst or social impact professional. If you know of any jobs looking for a sustainability graduate, let me know!
This past year, I participated in Valley Beit Midrash’s first Social Justice Fellowship where I co-created a booklet called the Activists Guide for a More Sustainable and Equitable Food System, which provided tips that individual consumers can implement in their lives to be more sustainable when it comes to food. I also helped coordinate a food drive for refugees.
Lastly, I am very excited to share that I will be celebrating a very big Simcha in my life this upcoming March when I will be marrying my fiancé Mat! Mat and I look forward to this exciting new chapter and building a Jewish home together. We appreciate all of those in the Jewish community who have supported us in planning this celebration.
In your spare time what are some hobbies or activities you like to do? (and/or share some fun facts about yourself)
I am passionate about sustainability, dance, and biking!
I currently sit on the board of a local non-profit organization Arizona Sustainable Apparel Association. I host events that promote local sustainable fashion businesses such as pop-up shops and clothing swaps and educate consumers about the environmental issues in the fashion industry through our social media. I also host a podcast called Growing Together where I interview local fashion brands about their brand stories. You can find the podcast on Spotify here.
I have always loved dancing. I grew up doing musicals and local theaters and taking dance lessons around the valley. I am currently a member of an all-level women’s dance group called Swexy Squad. We perform at local dance events and fundraisers throughout the year.
Finally, I purchased an electric bike during the pandemic and have enjoyed riding around Tempe and Scottsdale. My bike goes up to 20 miles an hour so it is certainly an adventure!
View ArticleMentor Spotlight: Faith Boninger
Take a minute to get to know WLI mentor, Faith Boninger by reading the Q&A below!
Please share a few of your favorite things you have learned in the class sessions?
I really enjoyed working with other mentors when we did a bit of teaching. It was more about working together than the content of the sessions, though. As for content, my favorite things are Simon Sinek’s “The Power of Why,” and J.K. Rowling’s graduation speech. I learned a lot about life from Dale’s story of career (which she did at one of the retreats), and I was blown over when Ellen brought in the ERA banner that had been to so many marches for women’s rights.
How have you stayed involved with WLI since your year ended?
I just keep starting a new year!
What is your occupation and have you been able to apply what you learned in WLI to your job?
I’m a research professor in education at the University of Colorado Boulder. In that context I’m both a mentee and a mentor, so I bring what I learn in those roles back and forth between there and WLI. As a mentee, it means taking a lead, and as a mentor it means asking a lot of questions.
Please tell us more about yourself, your family and/or your involvement in the Jewish community.
My husband David and I have two daughters in their twenties, Alisa (who we’ve been so fortunate to have living with us this past year) and Talia (who currently lives in New Orleans). We’ve been members of Temple Solel since Talia was in the 3’s class at the Solel Preschool. Both girls went to Pardes Jewish Day School, and Talia was involved in both the temple youth group and camp. I have long appreciated how our various Jewish activities (including involvement with the Valley Interfaith Project and, of course, WLI) make us feel grounded in the community more generally rather than siloed in any one particular place. It was amazing for me to see, when our kids were in high school, how connected all the Jewish kids were — no matter where in the city they happened to be from. And it is fun for me now when I get a text telling me that this or that old Pardes classmate is on their way over to visit, or already here sleeping in one of the bedrooms.
In your spare time what are some hobbies or activities you like to do? (and/or share some fun facts about yourself)
I really enjoy cooking — which to me is arts and crafts, science, and cultural history. Between my own purchases and gifts I’ve received, I have an embarrassingly large collection of middle eastern cookbooks. It’s my favorite type of food, for sure, but I also love the photographs and the stories they contain. I guess it could also be said that I’m a very persistent runner. I don’t feel like one, but somehow or another I keep going out every 2-3 days and those days have added up to quite a few years! I’m not sure if I have more years running or more cookbooks!
View Article2020 Alumni Retreat
The Women’s Leadership Institute held its second annual Alumni Retreat at the Spirit of the Desert Retreat Center in Carefree, AZ on Jan. 19 and 20 where leaders throughout the Jewish community gathered together.
View ArticleBuilding Women’s Leadership Roles in the Community
Rabbi Elana Kanter established the Women’s Jewish Learning Center in 2010 as a center for high-level Torah study for women. Part of the mission of the center is to help develop women’s leadership within the community. The Women’s Leadership Institute is helping to fulfill that mission.
View ArticleOut & About
Alumna of the Women’s Leadership Institute take part in a retreat at Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center in Carefree. The retreat featured dynamic Jewish learning classes, an interfaith panel discussion and leadership-development courses. The retreat was funded in part by the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Phoenix.
View ArticleSeekers of Meaning Podcast: Rabbi Elana Kanter and Harriet Rosen on Women’s Jewish Learning Center and Women’s Leadership Institute
On this installment of the Seekers of Meaning Podcast, Rabbi Address chats with Rabbi Elana Kanter and Harriet Rosen, founders of the Women’s Jewish Learning Center and the Women’s Leadership Institute.
View ArticleJewish Women Change the Landscape of Communal Life Through Mentorship and Study
When 1998 Covenant Award recipient Rabbi Elana Kanter established the Women’s Jewish Learning Center in Phoenix, Arizona in 2010, she often heard the same questions over and over: “Why are you starting a learning center for women only?” “Isn’t that a step backward?”
View ArticleWomen’s Leadership Institute expands reach across country
In the three years since the launch of the Women’s Leadership Institute, participants have added several programs to the Valley’s Jewish communal landscape, including a family camp experience, a teen leadership program and Passover seders for individuals with special needs.
View ArticleValley breast cancer survivor starts support group with Jewish focus
Facing a cancer diagnosis with four young children, Knight felt a strong urge to connect with the Jewish community. She called the nearest Reform synagogue. As it happened, the synagogue’s membership director answered and told her that they ran a breast cancer support group. She invited Knight to come meet with them that evening.
View Article