Communal professionals to network

By JEWISH REVIEW

article created on: 2009-02-15T00:00:00

Jewish communal professionals in Portland have launched a new group to support and unite professionals working in local Jewish institutions.

J-PRO Portland invites all such professionals to attend the group’s first event—J-PRO Networking Hour from 4-6 p.m., Feb. 19, at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center. The center will host the event, with kosher snacks being provided by the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland.

J-PRO, which stands for Jewish Professional Resource Organization, is affiliated with the national Jewish Communal Service Association. J-PRO plans to provide opportunities for staff development, networking and collaborations to strengthen individual careers and institutions while enhancing the Jewish community in Portland as a whole.

Josh Stein of JFGP, Caron Blau Rothstein of Neveh Shalom and Michelle Koplan of B’nai B’rith Camp make up the new group’s steering committee.

The local affinity group was the brainchild of Rothstein, who belonged to a similar association in Baltimore.

“I was involved with Kehillah-the Jewish communal professionals association in Baltimore as a founding steering committee member for the past decade or so,” said Rothstein. “I saw the utility time and again of creating opportunities for networking, mentoring, socializing, recognition, professional development, etc. within this group. As I networked around the Portland Jewish community while looking for a job in the summer/fall of 2007 after arriving here, I saw that the time had arrived in Portland for the creation of such an organization.

“It was time to unite, learn to cooperate, recognize and cultivate our professionals and our profession,” she said.

In addition to the networking  event, J-PRO Portland also plans a March 3 brown bag lunch gathering at the JFGP to listen to JCSA’s continental conference call about “Silo Busting: Fostering Collaboration and Community Building.” Stein said Portlanders will be able to listen to the national conversation and then discuss the topic with their local counterparts.

“Fostering collaboration and partnerships starts with relationships,” said Stein.
“We want to provide opportunities for people to get to know one another and learn about each other’s work.”

Stein and Rothstein both noted that in today’s economy such a group could be especially helpful.

“Especially in this challenging economy where people are being laid off and services discontinued we need to both keep morale up and look for ways we can eliminate duplication and enhance collaboration,” said Rothstein. “J-PRO Portland can help do that over time, I have no doubt.”

Stein said that with organizations cutting their travel and professional development budgets, less training is available for many local professionals. J-PRO hopes to capitalize on local resources or experts coming to town for one organization by asking those people to provide an additional community-wide session for J-PRO members. For details, call Stein at 503-245-5641.