How important is it for us to be “authentic” in our professional practices? Where does authenticity reside – in the individual, in the community, in history or elsewhere? What is the relationship between authenticity and creativity? Are there Jewish experiences that are “inauthentic”?
These were some of the questions up for discussion at the Mandel Winter Consultation (MWC) which took place at the Mandel Leadership Institute (MLI) in December 2008.

Questioning the authenticity of a Jewish experience has become - in our pluralistic, increasingly post-denominational world – taboo or off-limits. The MWC provided an opportunity for a select group of Jewish educators and innovators from the United States to study this topic – one which quietly underlies Jewish life. 

By focusing on the notion of authenticity, participants had the chance to examine some of the fundamental assumptions of their work, offering them new insights upon which to build.

The program included seminars taught by Mandel faculty, a project workshop, site visits and reflective time, giving the participants a taste of the kind of learning that takes place at MLI. The seminar was also an opportunity for MLI to learn about the concerns and interests of the leading educators and social entrepreneurs of the Jewish world.

The MWC was modeled after the year-long Mandel Jerusalem Fellows program, in which fellows develop a clear and well-grounded vision for their work in the Jewish community. By engaging Jewish educators and innovators in serious thinking and discussion about their work, the Mandel Leadership Institute strives to enrich Jewish identity around the world.