Master's Outcomes

I always had an appreciation for New York. As an LA native, I was captivated by its cultural boldness and energetic bustle. I had spent 4-5 years working at Hillel on the West Coast and kept observing that New York was pioneering and setting the agenda for the American Jewish communal life conversation. I wanted to be part of that in an elevated way in the hopes that I could be contributing to and shaping the momentum of the ecosystem for years to come.

I knew that I would need to hone my voice and thinking through the lens of doing good in the world and learning about what it takes to create and sustain impact for communities. And so I was seeking an interdisciplinary education where I could be exposed to practical frameworks necessary for the overall public sector (nonprofit and beyond) and wrestle with the history of ideas of diverse Jewish communities over time.

The Wagner-Skirball program provided a special platform for me to synthesize the unique components of these programs. The Wagner program helped me feel prepared with the skills to be a well-rounded champion for the distinct challenges of the public sector. Skirball pushed me to develop nuanced understandings of the history of the Jewish people while contextualizing how modernity could be molded by what we learned from the past.

After working as a Jewish communal professional in Israel and the United States for almost a decade, I was eager to supplement my first-hand experience with academic training. The NYU Dual Degree Program afforded me the opportunity to take a deep dive into Jewish history with renowned scholars while also learning best practices of leadership and management from experts and practitioners in the nonprofit sector. Bridging this learning together through the Dual Degree Program, I was exposed to challenges and opportunities in the Jewish community and came to understand systemic issues in new ways. I appreciated that I was able to chart the course of my studies based on my primary interests and areas of growth. I found great support among the faculty and staff of the program, and treasured the opportunity to work alongside, and in partnership, with classmates who shared my commitment to improving Jewish communal life.

I continue to be grateful for my education in the dual MPA-MA in Jewish studies program at NYU. My Wagner courses introduced me to a variety of practicable tools and conceptual frameworks that I regularly incorporate into my work—from creating and tracking budgets and leading collaborative projects to understanding markets and analyzing and interpreting data to make organizational decisions. I similarly appreciated the opportunity to study with the renown faculty in the Skirball Department, whose teaching and guidance helped me hone my writing and research skills and scholarship deepened my understanding of the historical, social, and political context of my work as a Jewish communal professional. Just as importantly, I learned and grew tremendously from learning and collaborating with my fellow students in the program, many of whom continue to be trusted advisors and dear friends and colleagues. Having this comprehensive training and robust network has helped me be a more informed, sensitive, and effective professional across diverse organizations and settings.