Joint Workshop- Cohort 16 and 17

Getting to know Cohort 16 was great! The workshop consisted of our Cohort (17) splitting up into small groups and rotating among 4 different insightful stations (all of which were planned and well conducted by the members of Cohort 16). Each station focused on different components of what Diller’s program strives to teach their “Diller Fellows”.

 My group started off with a station that assigned us a task where everyone worked together while each member was constricted by a hypothetical disability. For example, one of us couldn’t talk another group member was blindfolded, while someone else couldn’t write. That station taught us that working together with constrictions is difficult, but if we use our strengths we can get through situations more easily than expected. 

In the next station, we were presented with a power point that displayed Cohort’s 16 journey in Israel. The station got us (Cohort 17) thinking about our future Israel experience. In fact, many of Cohort 17 fellows started planning out what we wanted to see with our Israeli pen pals. That was the first time my Israel visit became somewhat of a reality. I could picture what we would be doing, how we would be doing it, and with the pictures Cohort 16 showed us, having a good time would clearly be understating their experience. In the third station, we thoroughly explored the four pillars: Israel, Jewish Identity, Tikkun Olam (community service), and Leadership, and placed each of them on our self-made maps. Having a deep conversation about where we stand with each

pillar, and being able to face our strengths and weaknesses sets a path for ourselves as leaders to explore what we have not mastered yet and what we can work on.

 Finally, in our last station, we were asked to share how we could apply Diller skills to life. This question was answered different by each member in our group, but it all came down to how you can be a better leading in your community/ society. We all came to a very open ended understanding of respect and honesty. With the components of honesty and respect leaders are established. This workshop got the whole Cohort (17) thinking about our leadership roles to our communities and how important they are. All, I can say at this point in time, is that  I look forward to seeing where else Diller’s thought provoking, life changing, experience takes me.      

- Caroline Rabinovich Cohort 17