Robbins Picked to Help Guide Jewish Future

Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta CEO and President Eric Robbins is one of 14 senior leaders of Jewish organizations chosen to confront the challenges of the American Jewish community in the second cohort of the 12-month CEO Onboarding Program.

Also part of the program’s second group of nonprofit CEOs and executive directors is Honeymoon Israel Co-CEO Avi Rubel, the son of Epstein School Middle School Principal Myrna Rubel.

Group members will learn from expert veterans in the Jewish nonprofit field, collaborate with leadership coaches, hone their management skills at the Center for Creative Leadership, and study with the Shalom Hartman Institute and the Israel Institute.

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The program is organized by Leading Edge, the Alliance for Excellence in Jewish Leadership, with funding from the Jim Joseph Foundation, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation (which has an office at Atlantic Station) and the Helen Diller Family Foundation.

“Leading Edge has chosen the most promising new CEOs across the sector to invest in them so that they can be best positioned for success,” Robbins said in a statement. “The skills, the network, the coaching and the experience are going to position me to deliver the leadership to help our community reach its full potential at this time of change in the Jewish world. I am honored to be selected.”

The 12 other members of the group are Ilana Aisen, the executive director of the JPRO Network; Paul Bernstein, the CEO of Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools; Jamie Allen Black, the executive director of the Jewish Women’s Foundation of New York; Rachel Fishman Feddersen, the CEO and publisher of The Forward; Aaron Katler, the CEO of UpStart; David Katznelson, the executive director of Reboot; Howard Libit, the executive director of the Baltimore Jewish Council; Arlene Miller, the president and CEO of Jewish Federation & Family Services, Orange County; Heather Moran, the executive director of Sixth & I; Todd Polikoff, the president and CEO of Jewish Nevada; Rabbi David Rosenn, the executive director of the Hebrew Free Loan Society; and Seth Vilensky, the president and CEO of Montefiore.

“Tomorrow’s success depends on today’s leaders. As demographics shift in our society, the need to support CEOs transitioning into Jewish organizations is critical,” said Gali Cooks, the executive director of Leading Edge. “Cohort 2 of the CEO Onboarding Program is a key component of Leading Edge’s commitment to strengthening the leadership pipeline in the Jewish nonprofit sector. The cohort will leverage the program to create lasting benefits for the participants, their organizations and the Jewish community.”