Women’s Leadership Training
The centerpiece of the PK model is leadership development training where participants who share the same set of values learn the skills and tools needed to support activism to improve their societies. Graduates of the program have strong grassroots organizing skills, can facilitate needs assessment and the development and implementation of creative, effective programs, evaluate their impact and communicate their results in reports and through the media. Newly trained leaders join a global network of feminist activists, share a program bank and virtual programming for continuing training. The Project Kesher network of leaders share in Jewish and feminist values as a compass for their work.
In 2021, Project Kesher’s Women's Jewish Leadership program trained 116 new women leaders who represent over 38 different cities in Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, and Israel. Leadership Training participants have already launched 25 new Jewish community projects reaching 400 others and supported Jewish community High Holiday celebrations and learning this year.
In Belarus (suffering from enormous political and economic insecurity), leadership participants are providing direct support to the women in need in their cities: delivering food and medicine, medical equipment and first aid kits. Each participant finds a way to use her talents to make an impact. Inna Samusevich from Vitebsk, Belarus, writes content for PKB’s blog and social media. Alla Zeldina from Mogilev, Belarus, shares traditional recipes for Jewish holidays and helps other participants make festive and traditional Jewish cuisine. While participating in the leadership training program, Anna Dashuk from Minsk, Belarus, was inspired to become the head of the Women’s Club at the JCC. PK Russia leadership program participants have developed and begun implementing 14 projects, resulting in 165 workshops and meetings with more than 300 people participating directly. All the projects share the goal of supporting women in changing their lives: taking care of their health, introducing Jewish tradition into their homes, uniting for volunteer work, supporting the elderly, and stimulating volunteerism.
Highlights of the programs include: “How to Develop Memory Skills and Retain Your Memory as you Age.” Maria Popova and Inna Kiryushenkova, from Smolensk, Russia, with the goal of preserving and maintaining cognitive functions (memory, attention, spatial and imaginative thinking) among senior Jewish community members through training in special techniques and using modern technology and apps. PKR has conducted 82 classes since July 2021. “Women's health - Overcoming the Problems of the Pandemic together" Organized by participants Elena Shalygina, a trained psychologist, and Elizaveta Vasilyeva, a cardiologist, the program’s goal was to ensure that women emerge from the pandemic physically and mentally sound. To date, 128 women have participated in the training and begun practicing techniques to improve their physical and mental well-being. We can provide many more examples.
