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July 19, 2013
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This past weekend REALITY hosted its 2013 Reboot (reunion) in Newark, NJ.
REALITY is a values-based leadership program that invests in young professionals, empowering them to enact positive social change in their communities. As part of the REALITY program, more than 350 of these rising leaders have traveled to Israel for a 10-day trip to explore the values that drive their commitment to public service, understand how those values intersect with Jewish values and, ultimately, further develop their leadership capacity. Upon their return, participants gather for bi-annual "Reboots" to reconnect with each other, share their innovative ideas for addressing pressing social and global challenges and further explore their drive to advance social justice.
This past weekend, more than 100 past participants gathered for a weekend that included meaningful Jewish learning and powerful leadership development experiences. For example, participants spent time with former REALITY scholar-in-residence Rabbi Will Berkovitz sharing what it is like to work in areas without a strong Jewish community. "There are so many assumptions [about what it means to be Jewish], it's up to us to repackage people's understanding and show them the complexity," shared Zach Hofeld, who spoke about his experience teaching in rural Arkansas.
In addition to self-reflection, much of the weekend was devoted to innovation. As part of the Tikkun Project Expo, REALITY Check fellows—a select group of highly motivated participants who complete a one-year program that culminates in developing an action plan for change in their communities—pitched their ideas to their peers and invited guests. From researching ways to empower Teach For America alumni to be a united force, to creating greater access to legal services for Navajo Indians in New Mexico, to scaling youth outdoor programs in Wisconsin, the passion for social change was palpable.
The following day a few participants presented their Indiegogo projects. As part of a partnership with the crowdfunding platform, participants have the opportunity to raise money to put their plans for social change into action. Simon Cataldo, for example, was already on his way to funding a girls lacrosse team in Harlem to teach the athletes the value of leadership and academic achievement. Participants also had the chance to meet with established social change leaders who shared challenges they were wrestling with in their work in the hopes of eliciting ideas for solutions.
To round out the fun-filled and meaningful weekend, students participated in half-day workshops that taught them how to be better communicators, fund-raisers and powerful change agents. To hear more, check out the three-part Storify recap:
