Earlier this month, we entered the month of Kislev. The Hebrew word Kis means “pocket,” and lev means “heart,” making Kislev the “Pocket of the Heart.” For alumna Ilana Rose Cloud, each month she enters the “Pocket of the Heart” through her monthly Well Circle, which she has been organizing since 2017. TischPDX supported and nurtured this labor of love TischPDX supported and nurtured when Ilana was part of the first cohort in 2018.
During her cohort experience, Ilana explored how to structure leadership for sustainability, improve programming, and develop the community. She also focused on empowering fellow Well Circle members to take on leadership and hosting roles themselves. Being coached by TischPDX empowered Ilana to better guide Well Circle attendees, inspiring them to lead and host. She also gained skills in conflict resolution, helping to address any issues that arose between attendees.
Since its inception, three Tisch alumni have contributed in various leadership roles. As board members, they have helped shape the circle’s development, brainstorm group norms, define its mission and vision, and support the evolution of its structure.
“TischPDX has supported me in more ways than I can count to create a thriving and meaningful community of women who celebrate and learn about Jewish traditions, ourselves, and our connection to each other.”
The cross-pollination of her experience in TischPDX and At the Well has nurtured the well circle into its 8th year. With Ilana’s leadership continuing to grow and change, the circle also grew large enough to have both a closed monthly gathering and commmunity-wide gatherings that involve more behind the scenes planning by the expanded leadership team that joined Ilana. The monthly moon manuals are still a supportive resource as are the alumni connections and resources of TischPDX over the years.
With TischPDX’s support and encouragement, Ilana was inspired to volunteer with At the Well participating in their Well Circle coaching program to help create more circles around the world. Her experience proved invaluable in helping others gain confidence. Ilana also collaborated with the At the Well team to create a calendar and coloring book sharing her talents with a broad global audience.