Senior Communal Leaders Gather for an Inspiring Evening with Mariano Schlimovich

On Tuesday 9th September, our current Dangoor Senior Leadership Programme cohort came together with alumni for a special evening in the company of Mariano Schlimovich, outgoing CEO of the European Council of Jewish Communities. Hosted by Lead’s Senior Leadership Programme Alumni Network at JAMI’s Head Room Café in Golders Green — with participants also joining online from Glasgow, Birmingham and Manchester — the event combined drinks, dinner and networking with a thought-provoking conversation between Mariano and Jamie Field, Chair of the Alumni Network Steering Group.

Mariano shared stories and insights from across European Jewish communities, which included reflecting on the importance of fighting for one’s vision, looking beyond numbers to understand real impact, and highlighting the Jewish community of Krakow as a model of values-driven leadership, especially in its support for Ukrainian refugees.

The discussion could easily have continued long into the night (only dessert and coffee forced a pause!), and we look forward to reconnecting with Mariano again in the future.

Shayna Conn, Director of the Scottish Jewish Youth Alliance, who had joined the event online said, “I found the event very useful and informative, and I felt seen and heard! A small Jewish community has different needs and desires than a large community like London, and Mariano definitely understood this and gave me lots of food for thought as a leader in the Glasgow and Scottish community.”

Another Jewish communal leader who attended in-person reflected, “In an increasingly challenging landscape, now more than ever it’s important to come together as leaders in the community to provide support for each other and reignite the passion for what we do and why we do it. The take-away from the evening for me was that having a vision is not enough - we also need to fight for it.”

To read more about the DSLP programme and the 2025-26 cohort, click here.