In President Wood’s boardroom at SUNY Rockland on the evening of May 1, the county’s Jewish agency heads and congregational leadership came together for the first time in recent history.

Hosted by Lisa Green, President-Elect and Gary Siepser, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Rockland County, the meeting included twenty lay and professional representatives who were brought together to examine how they might work differently and in collaboration.

According to Gary Siepser, CEO of Federation, “We brought everybody to the table because we need to work collaboratively to create a shared vision for the future of Jewish Rockland. As a community we have a lot of great assets and strengths…but we can be even more effective if we use them together.”

The leaders at the meeting discussed the benefits and challenges of increasing collaboration while remaining true to each organization’s unique identity. The meeting was seen as an introductory discussion, and the group plans to reconvene in the near future to keep the process moving forward.

Rabbi Jeremy Ruberg of New City Jewish Center was one of the clergy present at the meeting. Says Ruberg, “We have a tremendous opportunity here. By identifying our weaknesses and building upon our strengths, we can unite Rockland’s Jewish community.”