CELEBRATING THE JEWISH Communal PROFESSIONAL
JPro Pittsburgh is the local affiliate of the JPro Network, a storied national organization that amplifies the ability of Jewish community professionals to contribute to the vitality of their communities by supporting career growth and serving as the central resource for professional development.
If we want excellent organizations prepared to achieve our ambitious collective vision for a vibrant Jewish Pittsburgh, we need inspired, well-trained people to work at them.
It’s that simple.
JPRO Pittsburgh Leadership
A core group of local Jewish Communal Professionals - all of us strong believers in the Jewish professional and seeking to pay forward the support we received throughout our own careers - decided to revive our local JPro chapter in late 2016. We are proud to build on the legacy and leadership of our predecessor - the Pittsburgh Jewish Communal Network, and indebted to the Jewish Federation for lending us one of their own to provide thought, leadership and organization. Drop us a line if you have something to say, we are all ears. But really, this is about you. We envision a forum where Jewish communal professionals themselves contribute ideas, energy, inspiration, time and expertise to nurture themselves and their peers.
Mission
Provide meaningful professional development, training and resources to individuals working within the Jewish community in order to strengthen the community as a whole.
Vision
Our goal is to help professionals work more effectively in building and strengthening themselves as well as the Jewish community and the services that the Jewish community provides.
purpose
By teaching professional development through a lens of core Jewish values to all levels of staff, no matter age, career path or affiliation, JPRO Pittsburgh enhances the field of Jewish communal professionalism by providing professionals with resources of best practice, professional development and networking opportunities.
What do we do?
JPro Pittsburgh supports people working in the Jewish communal sector by:
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Celebrating the Jewish communal professional
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Connecting individuals and organizations to professional development opportunities
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Empowering local professionals and organizations to support each other's career growth
HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?
Who is this for?
We aspire to be like Abraham and Sarah. We would rather direct the energy that could go to defining our membership into welcoming and serving all who come to our tent.
If you work at a Jewish organization, JPro is for you. If you want to advance your career serving the Jewish people, JPro is for you. If you want to build networks among your peers around a common purpose, JPro is for you.
If you are confused by the alphabet soup of Jewish life and really looking for ways to engage in the diversity of Jewish life with other young professionals, some great organizations like J’Burgh, Moishe House, and Federation’s Young Adult Division might be for you.
How do I join?
The best way to be part of the network is to join our email list and Facebook group. From there you will receive curated content related to Jewish communal work, notices about upcoming programs and events, and opportunities to help craft and create professional development opportunities. Note that if you work at the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh or one of its beneficiary agencies, you should be automatically added to the email list!
Being a part of JPRO Pittsburgh
JPro Pittsburgh is a forum - largely through our monthly email and Facebook group - for Jewish communal professionals to ask for and offer support to each other. Through JPro, dedicated individuals lend their talent, ideas, knowledge, and inspiration to their peers. What does this look like?
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Are you really good at supervision? Offer to hold a training session for new supervisors.
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Know a lot about the history of Jewish Pittsburgh? Convene a brown bag lunch for new transplants to town.
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See a workplace challenge you think is shared at other organizations? Convene an affinity think tank to workshop solutions.
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Want to study Jewish leadership theory? Find a chevruta learning partner.
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Want to kvell or share a link to a professional development opportunity you know about? Post about it.
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Want to socialize with others in your neighborhood? Organize a meetup.
I’m inspired and have an idea.
How do I actually do it?
Excellent! We love your energy and enthusiasm.
The next step is to post in our Facebook group or email it in for inclusion in our next monthly email. As you can imagine, Facebook might work better for timely and interactive items, the email might reach a wider audience. We don’t have paid full-time staff to actually run a program for you, so if you step up, be sure that you are ready to follow through. However, feel free to drop us an email, and we can help you with some basic advice and guide you through the Facebook and email channels, or connect you with someone else in the network for further guidance or support.
Due to the sensitive nature of my idea/request, I’m a little uncomfortable posting with my name.
Can I post anonymously?
Absolutely. Just email us at jpropittsburgh@jfedpgh.org or use the Contact Us form, we can post for you, and send you any replies.
