Board Service Application

• Gain invaluable experience that will improve and enhance your leadership and public speaking skills.
• Provide input on the direction of social justice initiatives for the Reform Movement. 
• Contribute your area(s) of expertise to WRJ workshops, committees, and more.
• Weigh in on WRJ priorities and projects.
• Participate in the future of Reform Judaism.
• Connect and build a diverse community with people from across North America.

• To be educated regarding the current work and benefits of WRJ and support WRJ's mission.
• Promotes WRJ's purpose, programs, and projects, locally and beyond.
• Serves as an ambassador of WRJ, and inspires women and other individuals as potential leaders locally, regionally, and nationally.
• Establishes policies to be implemented by WRJ staff.
• Approves and adopts WRJ's annual budget.
• Participates in thinking about and discussing the future of WRJ.
• Raises funds to keep WRJ financially sound.
• Elects WRJ's Executive Committee every three years.

• Serve one (1) three-year term, with the option to apply for another consecutive term of up to three years. 
• Participate in our "L’Atid" onboarding program during your first year. This includes approximately six (6) Zoom sessions lasting 90 minutes each. Sessions provide foundational, useful knowledge about WRJ’s priorities, processes, and initiatives. The "L'Atid" program additionally allows you to connect with a Board mentor to help you acclimate to your new role. 
• Attend the annual Board meetings during your term. These meetings will either be held in person as a stand-alone event or connected to a WRJ North American conference (i.e., Fried Women’s Conference, Social Justice Conference) or held virtually if necessary. Board members are responsible for airfare, hotel, and a registration fee for the Board meeting, separate from conference attendance, when applicable.**
• Attend three (3) to five (5) virtual (Zoom) Board meetings per year, lasting approximately 90 minutes each. 
• Potentially serve on committees of interest, skill, or expertise with separate virtual meeting schedules.
• Each WRJ Board of Directors member will donate or solicit and give a minimum annual contribution of $360 USD to be applied to the General Fund, as a financial commitment to support the future of WRJ.
• **In addition to the minimum $360 USD annual contribution, other anticipated financial expectations include paying for your own travel, hotel, and registration fee for the annual Board Meeting, as well as additional registration fees and hotel costs for that year’s conference registration, if you are able to attend. 
• Board members are highly encouraged (but not required) to participate in our Lifeline program, WRJ YES Fund giving, and Ner Tamid Society (WRJ's planned giving).

** We do not want finances to be a barrier to your participation on WRJ’s Board. You will have the opportunity in your application to indicate your interest in financial assistance for expenses such as attendance at the annual Board Meeting and/or conference, and a WRJ staff member will contact you to discuss potential arrangements. This will not impact your candidacy for the Board. 

Note that experience in all of these areas is not required; there are many paths to WRJ Board service. We encourage you to share your relevant skills, experiences, or perspectives that would enhance your participation on WRJ’s Board.

Please consider the below summary of questions before beginning your application. We strongly suggest you open the application to see the exact questions and then type your answers into a separate document. This will give you a saved copy of your answers if the form isn’t properly submitted. Once you’ve written your responses, you can copy and paste them into the online form. Please allow 30-45 minutes to complete the application in one sitting, as it cannot be saved and revisited.

• Involvement, leadership, and/or affiliation details for any/all of the following: your sisterhood/women’s group; WRJ District; WRJ North America; other organizations (e.g., congregational, Jewish communal, other nonprofits, professional, etc.).
• Information about your professional and/or volunteer experience, affiliations, educational interests, talents, and abilities that could be of service to WRJ and our communities.     
• What do you see WRJ currently doing successfully, that led to your interest in getting (more) involved with WRJ at this time? How - if at all - do you believe you will be able to help WRJ build upon this success?
• What skills do you have that can benefit WRJ at this juncture? Are there any “challenge” areas you see WRJ or similar organizations experiencing, that you believe you can help address with your knowledge and experience? If so, please elaborate. 
• Be ready to provide the name and contact information of a reference, who we will contact to discuss your qualifications, and complete an endorsement form on your behalf by November 20, 2024. Your reference could be any nonprofit or professional leader or colleague who is familiar with your qualifications, such as a sisterhood/women's group leader, a WRJ District leader, a WRJ Board member, a religious communal leader, clergy, a non-profit leader, coworker, etc. 

• Explain why you want to return to or continue on WRJ's Board of Directors and what you hope to accomplish in a new term.
• Are there any WRJ projects you are currently involved with that require additional/continued Board service?