Continuing Education to Build Community
From the Desk of Lynn Davis, Director, Rabbi Joseph H. Gumbiner Community Action Project.
Why a master’s degree at this point in my career? It has always been on my to-do list but it never seemed to be the right time or the right program. But this point in history is very much the right time, and Spertus is the right conduit for the work I do every day. Continuing my formal education was more of a gift that arrived when I needed to grow professionally and personally, and I am grateful.
The MA in Jewish Professional Studies highlights several learning outcomes that I will continue to lean into as we build the collaborative Gumbiner Project while staying grounded in tzedek, khavod, kehillah, and limmud. We will always strive to understand key themes in Jewish communal life today, and how they evolve. A grounding in classical Jewish thought does underpin the museum’s values and the lens in which we view our social justice and interfaith goals. And, of course, working constructively with a diverse group of constituents and colleagues is what I strive to do every day to build stronger bridges. It isn’t just about the piece of paper- it’s about trying to be better for those who trust me to be an effective Jewish leader and representative into the community.
I was actually accepted into the program in the summer of 2023 and started the first classes in November. The last eighteen months have been an intense time in the Jewish community. Lots of hard questions have been asked of us and by us. This degree had several assignments that required students to articulate our thoughts and feelings about the American Jewish community, and about Israel. Working with a cohort based all over the country and experiencing similar personal and professional challenges was truly valuable. And having to write down my thoughts forced me to fully articulate my viewpoints and their ramifications.
In addition, re-learning how to write academic papers might have been the hardest part of all!
Overall, this eighteen-month challenge was everything I had waited for. If you’ve been toying with the idea of doing something bold, just do it! I think that you’ll find that big efforts inspire others to be courageous, too. You don’t know what you’re capable of until you try.
Davis recently completed her Master of Arts in Jewish Professional Studies from Spertus Institute of Learning and Leadership in Chicago. Yasher koach!