Building an All-Star Staff: The Anatomy of a JLIC Director

 

In this episode of the Torah JLIC Podcast, hosts Don and Alex sit down with Tal Attia, JLIC's Chief Operating Officer, to explore what goes into building JLIC's exceptional staff of campus directors across North America and Israel.

The Journey to JLIC Leadership

• Tal's unexpected path from college student to campus director to COO
• The transition from being "needed constantly" on campus to behind-the-desk leadership
• How a Shabbat conversation with Rabbi Josh Joseph changed everything

What Makes a Great JLIC Director

• The critical importance of "avdut" (servant leadership) over ego
• Why sophisticated, individualized approaches to Judaism matter more than cookie-cutter programs
• The necessity of deep self-awareness for campus work
• How JLIC uniquely empowers women in Orthodox Jewish leadership

The Recruitment Philosophy

• Why Tal meets with potential candidates years before they're ready
• The difference between recruitment and leadership development
• How matching couples to specific campus cultures makes all the difference
• Learning to trust that people land where they're supposed to be

Retention and Growth

• Balancing the marathon vs. sprint mentality in campus work
• Supporting directors in discovering their next calling
• Why it's a win when JLIC alumni move to other Jewish leadership roles
• The broader challenge of sustaining the Jewish education pipeline

Core Values

• How the concept of achrayut (responsibility) drives meaningful work
• Creating space for students to lead rather than being "the big man on campus"
• The unique opportunity JLIC provides for women in rabbinic leadership

Memorable Quotes

"If you think you're gonna get up and give a drash every Friday night, you're sorely mistaken... No matter how amazing your shiur or event might be, you're going to be creating a 10 times bigger impact if you empower a student to create that shiur or that event."

"We throw you in the deep end. Next thing you know, you are the directors and the rabbinic leaders of a campus community. It could be as many as 600 students who are looking to you for your leadership."