Posted by
Jason Kunzman, JCC President and CEO on January 24, 2025

Yesterday, the JCC’s Leadership Team came together for a ½ day “advance” to assess our progress in both programs and organizational culture and to prioritize our work for the immediate future. Instead of calling our time together a “retreat,” we embraced the term “advance.” While “retreat” could imply stepping back, “advance” speaks to our purpose: Moving forward together, building momentum and striving toward shared goals. This shift in language reflects not only our commitment to growth, collaboration and progress, it also reflects how important continual improvement is to this group. It’s not about taking a step away—it’s about charging ahead with renewed energy and focus. This time away from our daily routines provided an invaluable opportunity to engage in thoughtful discussion about our progress and what opportunities may lie ahead.
As leaders, we often find ourselves deep in the weeds of the daily work that comes with serving community. Offsite gatherings like these remind us of the importance of pausing to ask critical questions: Are we staying true to our mission? Are we meeting the evolving needs of our staff and members? How can we continue to grow and serve our community better?
And while each of us walked away with a list of action items intended to move the agency forward, it was the qualitative aspects of our time together that excited me the most – deepening trust, facilitating collaboration, providing clarity, strengthening accountability, and fostering adaptability. These are the core elements of a highly functioning team and what I believe will enhance results not only for the JCC but will positively impact the broader community as well.
No single team building exercise is going to create transformational change or impact. Instead, it requires a commitment to creating space for ongoing conversations, continuous learning, sharing ideas, and problem solving and making it part of our professional practice for the entire workforce. It remains the greatest honor to be a part of the JCC’s Leadership Team. I am excited for what we can achieve together as we continue to create an environment where every team member feels supported and eager to contribute meaningfully, achieving better performance at every level.
Wishing you and your families a Shabbat shalom,
Jason