Introduction
In this article, I aim to address the role of the Jewish educator from a perspective that starts in the classroom and extends to the community. I will use the concept of influence leadership to support the significance of the Jewish educator for Am Israel today. Finally, I will point out some elements that I find essential for developing a positive, inclusive, and unifying leadership.
Conceptual Framework
In biblical times, the king exercised power, but his leadership was not the only voice of influence. Even the powerful king was limited by prophetic discourse. This counterbalance was clearly established through the power of influence wielded by the prophet, who spoke to power and also to the people. He did not call for rebellion or disregard for authority, but instead proposed observation and reflection. In many cases, we hear prophetic speeches with sharp exhortations aimed to “awaken the people”:
"Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to their husbands: Bring, and let us drink!" (Amos 4:1)
Beyond the sharpness of the prophet's words, the objective of his speech is to generate change.
"Learn to do good; seek justice, give the oppressed their rights, do justice for the orphan, advocate for the widow." (Isaiah 1:17)
The changes come from within the system, to improve it, not through its destruction. Prophets exercise influence not in a fundamentalist or revolutionary manner but as a positive evolutionary approach based on existing reality. They speak to society at every level, from the king to the humblest farmer.
It is also worth noting that prophets emerge from the entire socio-economic spectrum and all strata of the people. Ezekiel was a kohen; Amos was a field laborer:
Amos answered and said to Amaziah: “I am not a prophet nor the son of a prophet, I am a cattleman and a sycamore picker.” (Amos 7:14)
Prophetic leadership was exercised through words, inducing reflection, with rhetorical devices such as allegory, questions, or attention-catching elements clearly projecting pedagogical techniques. Words are the primary tool of both prophets and educators.
Influence leadership grows by sharing words; it multiplies through motivating reflection and dialogue.
Judaism favors influence leadership over power leadership. Kings had power; prophets were influential but had no power. Power elevates the leader above the people, while influence lifts the people above themselves. Influence respects the people; power controls them. (Rabbi Jonathan Sacks)
Influence leadership and teaching are deeply interconnected, as both roles involve the ability to guide, inspire, and transform others. We, the teachers, are heirs to and continuers of the legacy of influence leadership. To lead is to share, explain, stimulate the learning process, and learn. We lead by educating, aiming for our students to choose good, the common good. The influence leadership of the Jewish educator is not only a classroom action, although it begins in the school; it should extend to the community.
I believe the following phrase by Rabbi David Hartman precisely states the challenge that begins in the classroom:
Jewish education should be a dynamic process that not only transmits knowledge but also inspires students to question, explore, and deeply engage with their Jewish identity. An educational leader must be able to connect ancient wisdom with contemporary challenges, creating a bridge between the past and the present.
The continuity of classroom educational leadership and its projection to the community and all of Am Israel is a constant task we must develop and strengthen.
Necessary Elements
Influence leadership must be characterized by a diversity of voices that collectively enrich the people. Listening to diversity allows for the encompassing of an integrated whole from different perspectives. Leadership must be exercised with an inclusive and conciliatory style, driven by intellectual honesty focused on the common good.
Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook taught:
The divergence of opinions and the multiplicity of perspectives are not only inevitable but also desirable. Complete truth can only emerge through the combination of different viewpoints.
In the exercise of our leadership as educators, it is essential that we balance ongoing study, which stimulates our own development within the temporality of the current leadership, with a clear view toward the future - not only the direction in which we ourselves we are heading but also the nurturing and promotion of future influence leaders who will emerge.
This concept is noted by Rabbi Sacks with reference to Moses and Joshua, stating that leadership is not only about the leader but also about the ability to train others to take over. Moses understood this and spent time and effort preparing Joshua to continue his mission. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel shares the same idea, observing that Moses' greatness lies not only in his leadership but in his ability to see beyond his time and prepare Joshua to lead the people into the Promised Land.
Final Reflection
"It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it." (Rabbi Tarfon, Pirkei Avot 2:21)
Our leadership as educators must always be framed within the above teaching from Pirkei Avot, balancing the impatient energy to move forward with the patient understanding that we are part of an ongoing process towards a goal that will be achieved sometime beyond our lifetime, within which the present link we contribute to the chain is significant.
Reality shows us that exercising influence leadership as teachers confronts us with difficulties that demotivate, wear us down, and frustrate us. It is therefore essential that we energize and motivate ourselves by remembering that educating is a long-term and essentially optimistic action. Finally, I wish to emphasize that our task as educators and the consequent influence leadership we exercise requires believing in our students, our communities, and all of Am Israel.
References
- Sacks, Jonathan. Lecciones de Liderazgo.
- Kook, Abraham. Orot Hakodesh.
- Hartman, David. A Living Covenant: The Innovative Spirit in Traditional Judaism.
- Sacks, Jonathan. Lessons in Leadership: A Weekly Reading of the Jewish Bible.
Gabriel is a graduate of the Melton Centre's international master's degree.