Jonah Grossman, Candidate for the 5th Board of Manhattan AZA
Jonah
Grossman
Empire AZA #2564
aspiring to be your 5th Regional Aleph Godol
Biographical Information
School:
Churchill School and Center | Class of 2022
NYC Neighborhood:
Upper East Side
Favorite Restaurant in NYC:
Playa Betty's
Favorite Quote (and who said it):
"The biggest risk is not taking any risk. In a world that's changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks." - Mark Zuckerberg.
Who is one of your Role Models and why?
My role model is Michael Jordan. Not only do I admire his talent on the court but also the business acumen he showed after his career.
Reflection Questions
Why do you want to serve in the position for which you are caucused? Why are you qualified to do so? What will you uniquely bring to the Regional Board?
I want to serve as Godol because I love MHR and want to help the Region prosper and reach its full potential. From serving on Chapter Board, Regional Board and many committees, I have thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. BBYO has given me the opportunity to meet so many amazing people as well as gain important skills that I can further use at BBYO and beyond. In particular, I am currently your Regional Moreh which has taught me to grow as a leader by making personal connections with others. These connections have led to the recruitment and welcoming of 47 new members into our community. As Godol I will devote endless energy to support my fellow Regional Board and chapter counterparts teams. This could be anything from assisting with individual projects to brainstorming new ideas. Helping the Regional Board succeed will ultimately lead to MHR’s future success.
Select one of the Cardinal Principles and explain how you apply this principle in your day-to-day life. How does this principle influence your leadership style?
Usually when someone thinks of charity in Judaism they refer to tzedakah. While I contribute to tzedakah I think about this term more broadly. In my eyes, charity has many different meanings but the overarching definition is to benefit others. However, this does not mean that you cannot have a beneficial experience yourself. For instance, I serve as a madrichim for elementary students at my synagogue’s religious school. Though I am in my third year in this role I still learn something new each session. I also serve as a grade representative on my school’s student council where I help lead fundraisers, drives, and activities which I find rewarding. Being in these different groups allows me to work with many different people which has greatly improved my teamwork skills. I have also gained a number of new perspectives from other leadership styles which I have retained and incorporated into my own.
How will you help build a hard-working, supportive, and fun team consisting of the AZA Regional Board, the BBG Regional Board, and the Regional Staff? How will you help get these different groups to share goals and pull in the same direction all year long?
The primary way a healthy working environment is built is through frequent and consistent communication. With everyone on the same page and understanding one another and their needs, Regional Board will be able to work together in a constructive way and therefore benefit the Region. Currently, Regional Board conducts monthly calls to discuss upcoming events and initiatives. Serving on Regional Board, I find these calls to be very helpful as it ensures a significant amount of communication amongst the Board. If I become Godol I will advocate to have these calls more frequently than once a month if need be. A final benefit of frequent communication is that it enables Board members to get to know each other well and form tight friendships and a fun atmosphere.