What I Have Learned from You

by Jill Maidhof

Twice a year we five members of the Chai Mitzvah national staff paint a portrait of the organization for the members of our Board. As the Outreach Coordinator, I speak with participants throughout the year, but never more than during Board Report month, as we confirm the number of people we’re reaching and receive their feedback.

Let me share a glimpse of what I’ve learned from my conversations:
First, many people who order our materials have no intention of running a small group. One gentleman is converting to Judaism and reads our curricula to gain insights supporting what he’s learning in class. Another is the headmaster of a Jewish day school whose plan to introduce Jewish ethics to middle schoolers is informed by our Mussar curriculum. Other educators have likewise incorporated our texts into existing lessons. And hundreds are attending our Scholars Circle lectures to enrich their understanding of antisemitism. Given the multiplicity of ways that people rely on Chai Mitzvah, we now describe ourselves as The Resource Center for Jewish Engagement. 

Next, as I tell the folks I speak with, we love getting our materials in your hands, but most importantly, we want to know how effective they are: Do our curricula stimulate fellowship as well as group learning? Does our program inspire you to actively engage in your community? Does your experience bring you joy?

It seems that our programs are meeting these goals, as our programs are described as “energizing,” “a great way to not only meet people but make friends,” and “effective as the learning component of a service-learning project.”

The experiences you describe in your stories are the reward for the work we do.

Finally, your feedback means more to us than we may have realized. The experiences you describe in your stories are the reward for the work we do. They comprise the case we make in seeking support from funders — support that enables us to provide resources for free or at a nominal cost; and they are the inspiration to continue researching and developing opportunities for you to lead a full Jewish life.

If you have a story or feedback about how Chai Mitzvah has impacted your life, please send it to me at jill@chaimitzvah.org or respond below, and I’ll make sure that it’s forwarded to those who make our work possible.

Thank you!