For professional women who want something new — or something more in their lives — sometimes it’s best to look no further than one another.
That’s what happened in San Mateo on Jan. 22, when approximately 50 people convened for the networking seminar “Jewish Women Making It Work.” It was the first in a two-part series exploring what it means to “work and make it work” for 21st century Jewish women.
“We targeted a small number of participants, which made the event more intimate and comfortable,” said Mara Langer, who came up with the idea for the Women’s Alliance event, which was subtitled “Paths to a Full Life.
“Women got more out of it than they expected,” Langer added.
Rabbi Kim Ettlinger of Burlingame’s Peninsula Temple Sholom kicked off the event, held in the Sprint Executive Briefing Center in San Mateo, with a spiritual welcoming speech.
A panel of Jewish women followed. Lisa Kay Solomon, an executive with the consulting firm Flexperience, peppered the diverse group with questions that centered on the “it” in the seminar’s title: ”How do successful women define the ‘it’ for themselves?”
Panelists included Jennifer Dulski, a former vice president at Yahoo who left to form an Internet startup; Linda Gerard, a full-time volunteer re-entering the work force as a consultant; and Jennifer Sarver, co-owner of the San Francisco Soup Company.
The speakers touched on how Jewish values, specifically the concept of community, helped them achieve what they wanted in both their business and home lives
“It’s nice to know that other people are in the same boat we are,” said Langer, who works for the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation as the outreach chairperson of the North Peninsula region’s Women’s Alliance. “We’re commonly talking to each other about our kids and families, but what about what we want?
“We work so hard to get to this level of independence, yet we’re the primary caregivers. How do we take care of ourselves so we can give to other people?”
In an effort to address some of these common ponderings, Solomon engaged the audience in “popcorn wisdom,” a word-association exercise. She threw out terms such as “e-mail,” “BlackBerry” and “birthday party,” and the women responded with their thoughts or strategies for dealing with such things.
The women then split into small “self-help” groups for the remainder of the seminar. Each participant described an area in her life where she could use a little boost, be it through advice, networking or just confiding in other Jewish women.
By the end of the evening, each woman came away with an index card filled with contacts and tips on how to achieve her goals.
“It’s extremely important to have an outlet,” said Denise Ron, the federation’s North Peninsula campaign assistant. “It’s about letting women know they’re not alone in dealing with hardships, tough decisions or career transition.”
“Jewish Women Making It Work” was organized by Langer, Tracy Stettner, Lisa Wachtell Miner and Wendy Verba. The event was sponsored by two federation groups (the Women’s Alliance and the Business Leadership Council) and by S.F.-based Jewish Vocational Service.
Bare Escentuals offered free “makeunders” and handed out starter kits with goodies to help participants keep up their new, natural looks. Cocktails and appetizers also were served.
The second seminar is next month and will feature women who have undergone life-changing career makeovers. Led by career and life coaches, “Your Career Compass” will focus on assessing goals, realizing aspirations and developing one’s personalized, marketable brand.
“You don’t always have to go to career counseling or search the want ads,” Ron said. “Sometimes the best opportunities are in your own backyard.”
“Jewish Women Making It Work: Your Career Compass” is 5:45 to 9 p.m. March 31 at the Sprint Executive Briefing Center, 1850 Gateway Drive, 7th floor, San Mateo. Cost is $30. RSVP and information: (650) 349-1523 or [email protected].