Nonprofit Leader Honored for Championing Staten Island
By Danielle Wiseman, Staten Island Chamber of Commerce
Orit Lender, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Joan & Alan Bernikow Jewish Community Center (JCC), is a champion for the Staten Island community.
Lender was born in Queens, New York but spent a few years of her early childhood in Kibbutz Urim, a communal settlement in Israel just six miles from the Gaza Strip. Lender has called Staten Island her home for the last forty years. She obtained her bachelor's degree in 1997 and her Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from Duke University in 2015.
Lender began her professional career as a Youth Coordinator for the Seamen’s Society for Children and Families, a local not-for-profit dedicated to securing the safety and well-being of children and families throughout Staten Island. As Youth Coordinator, Lender was dedicated to facilitating youth groups and developing and implementing events, activities, and trainings.
However, while working at the Seamen’s Society, Lender made the decision to temporarily return to Israel to reconnect with her roots. Lender enrolled in a year-long international program that allowed her to live in and work on a kibbutz, sharing resources with other residents and working collectively to achieve a common goal. She also met her husband, Ed, while working in Israel, and they later returned to the United States together.
“My year in Israel reiterated to me the importance of giving back to my community and the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam, or repairing the world. Each of us is responsible for one another. It is our obligation to make sure each one in our community has their needs met. We cannot turn away from those who need our help and support,” says Lender. “My time in Israel reminded me of the importance of community coming together in order to thrive. I believed that the most meaningful way for me to accomplish this was to be part of the Jewish communal field, so working for the JCC just felt right. Now I’ve been here for 23 years.”
Lender began her JCC career in 2001 as the organization’s Youth Empowerment Director, working with teenage groups on public health issues and educating them on their roles in advocacy. Over the next few years, she grew her professional portfolio to include the JCC’s camp program, community outreach, and community-wide programming and community building.
In 2009, Lender was promoted to Program Director, overseeing programming for the entire organization. Her leadership skills continued to grow, and she was appointed Assistant Executive Director in 2015 and Deputy Executive Director in 2019.
In 2020, following a fifteen-year tenure, former CEO David Sorkin retired, leaving the JCC to conduct a national search for his successor. After an extensive interview process with candidates from across the country, the search committee decided to appoint Lender as the organization’s next CEO. She has the distinction of being the JCC’s first female CEO.
Lender officially began her tenure as CEO in July 2020 at the peak of the pandemic. “I came into the role at a very challenging time for the world,” says Lender. “The JCC had to pivot very quickly to support the needs of our community. How does a community-based organization whose main function is to connect people in-person continue to be there for their members, participants, and community? We got very creative! We safely provided essential services, like grab and go meals for seniors, pop up vaccine clinics, virtual programming, and an in-person camp throughout the pandemic. I’m very grateful for my Board of Directors and dedicated staff, who really helped me navigate through unprecedented times.”
Under Lender’s leadership, the Joan & Alan Bernikow JCC has flourished, establishing itself as a staple of the Staten Island community. The JCC is proud to serve the entire community, from children to elderly people and everyone in between.
“I truly believe in the mission of this organization,” emphasizes Lender. “We are driven by Tikkun Olam, or repairing the world, and in doing that we can focus on bettering the community. Making all people feel welcome here is a top priority for us.”
The past few months have been particularly challenging for Lender, and the entire JCC community, as Israel recovers from the attacks on October 7th, 2023. Lender has been traveling back and forth to Israel throughout this time to show support for the Israeli community and share survivors’ stories.
“The rise of antisemitism is prevalent now more than ever,” says Lender. “I’ve been traveling to Israel to represent our JCC in solidarity and to be able to share firsthand the results of the atrocities that began on October 7th.”
In 2023, after a two-year process working with a task force comprised of leaders from both Hillel of CSI and the JCC, the JCC assumed operations for Hillel of Staten Island. Under Lender’s leadership, Hillel of Staten Island will expand its services to serve both CSI and Wagner College students. This innovative model is the first of its kind in the nation.
“The climate on campuses continues to be challenging for Jewish students, now more than ever we need to support them and under the Hillel of Staten Island,” shares Lender. “I am extremely proud of the work we are doing in partnership with Wagner College and CSI. I believe that it is imperative for all of us to stand united against hate of all kinds.”
For her accomplishments, Orit Lender is being honored with a Louis R. Miller Business Leadership Award, which she will receive in the Not-for-Profit Businessperson category. The awards, which are presented by the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce and the Staten Island Advance, honor the memory of Louis R. Miller, a businessman and West Brighton resident who was also a community leader.
In addition to her community involvement with the JCC, Lender is also a member of the UJA-Federation of New York, the JCC Association of North America, American Friends for Israeli Community Centers, Nonprofit Staten Island, the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation, the Staten Island Council of Jewish Organizations, and the Wagner College Chai Society.
“Collaboration and partnerships are key in building a stronger community,” emphasizes Lender. “I am grateful to be part of the Staten Island community with like-minded individuals who care so much about ensuring that the Staten Island community thrives.”
Questionnaire:
Current occupation and title: CEO, Joan & Alan Bernikow JCC.
Hometown: Heartland Village.
Past occupations and titles: Various positions at the JCC over the past 20 years.
Community involvement: Member of UJA-Federation of NY, JCC Association of North America, Metropolitan Centers Executives Association, Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation (SIEDC) Business Council, the Council of Jewish Organizations (COJO), and the Wagner College Chai Society. Board member of Nonprofit Staten Island, American Friends of Israel Community Centers, and the Richmond University Medical Center Foundation Board. I am on the Mifgash Steering Committee for JCC Association and the ExecNet Steering Committee for UJA-Federation, and I recently took part in two missions to Israel with UJA-Federation and JCC Association of North America in the wake of the October 7th tragedy.
The best part of my job: When community members share how the JCC has impacted their lives for the better. I am grateful to lead a group of innovative, talented, and compassionate professionals who value our agency’s mission just as much as I do.
The most difficult part of my job: There aren’t enough hours in the day.
My life philosophy: I believe in the Jewish value of tikkun olam, or repairing the world. My philosophy is that each of us are responsible for one another. It is our obligation to make sure each one in our community has their needs met. We cannot turn away from those who need our help and support.
I am most proud of: From a personal perspective, nothing makes me prouder than my amazing husband and our two remarkable sons. From a professional standpoint, I have to say, it’s AWESOME being the first female CEO of this agency!
The quality I like best about myself: I am too humble to respond, but my staff made me so here goes... For those who know me, know that they can always depend on me, come to me to feel supported. I can be an ear, a mentor, here for advice, and to laugh with and cry with.
Personal interests and hobbies: I love to travel!
I admire: My parents who taught me what love is, the importance of community, and the definition of resilience.