The Bender Jewish Community Center’s annual spring event this year honoring “transformational leadership” will recognize local philanthropists Drs. Stuart and Ellen Lessans and fundraise for scholarships at the Bender JCC.
The June 5 event will feature Israeli actor Lior Raz and CNN’s Dana Bash, according to Josh Bender, the CEO of the Bender JCC. Once called “IMAGINE,” the fundraising event is now rebranded as “Voices of Leadership” to better reflect its purpose.
“We’ve always done a spring event designed to raise money for scholarship and financial aid, camp, [JCC] membership,” Bender said. “Last spring, we were testing the idea of bringing in leaders who can have a compelling conversation around leadership and connect it thematically to the presentation of the Ourisman Award, which we’re giving to leaders who’ve really made a difference in our local community.”
That’s how “Voices of Leadership” was born. The Bender JCC has granted the Benjamin Ourisman Memorial Award for Civic Engagement to a local leader since 1956.
“The award winner is someone whose civil engagement has improved the lives of people living in the DMV,” Bender said. “Ellen and Stuart Lessans have deep connections to the Jewish community and deep connections to the Bender JCC. They have been members and active participants in our programming for many years starting when their twins — who are now grown — [attended] our camp many years ago.”
The Lessanses have actively supported Bender JCC programs including the Lessans Family Literary Series and Lessans Camp JCC, the latter of which Stuart Lessans said is the “antidote to antisemitism.”
The retired ophthalmologist has underwritten a number of Jewish community initiatives, such as the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington’s Sara and Samuel J. Lessans Good Deeds Day — named for his parents, the Dr. Stuart Lessans Talmud Torah educational program at B’nai Israel Congregation and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington’s Dr. Stuart Lessans Israel Action Center.
Ellen Lessans, a clinical psychologist, has been “very involved” in the Bender JCC’s literary programs, planning and executing community book talks with authors, Bender said.
Despite their extensive community involvement, the Lessanses are humble, according to Bender.
“When we ask them what they think of themselves as leaders, they say, ‘We don’t think of ourselves as leaders,’ but they certainly are in their own right,” he added. “Through their actions and through their participation in our community, they really have inspired so many other people.”
“Voices of Leadership” aims to explore the definition of a leader, various ways people can become leaders and lead and various elements of being a leader.
“The goal for this event every spring, and hopefully for years to come, is to bring many types of leaders, many different voices, many perspectives,” Bender said.
Bender and the Bender JCC’s executive board chose to bring in Lior Raz, the star and co-creator of the political thriller TV series “Fauda,” hoping to hear from someone who could speak to issues related to Jewish identity and Israel: “Israel and Jewish peoplehood is in our mission statement.”
“We started thinking, ‘Who could we bring in? Who would bring an interesting perspective on Israel, particularly in a post-Oct. 7 world with antisemitism on the rise and Israel being a polarizing issue in society?’” Bender said. “A number of ideas came up and Lior was at the top of the list.”
Then, the team began brainstorming a candidate to interview Raz who is not only skilled at interviewing, but also a leader. They came up with Dana Bash.
“Dana is obviously a great interviewer in general, in the work she does,” Bender said. “Also she has deep roots in the Jewish community. She talks a lot about the influence that, for example, Jewish camping had in her life.”
Bender looks forward to “hanging out with Lior [Raz] and Dana Bash” as well as raising funds for Bender JCC families through this event.
“More than anything, right now, we’re seeing the destruction of the federal government affecting our families and we see more families and individuals coming forward and asking for financial support so that they can continue to send their kids to our preschool, to our camp, and continue to be members and participate in our community,” Bender said.
“We want to be able to raise enough money to make sure finances is never a reason why somebody doesn’t participate at the Bender JCC.”
He aims to do just that through “Voices of Leadership,” an opportunity to “celebrate individuals in the community.”
“Voices of Leadership” will take place on June 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Bender JCC of Greater Washington. Buy tickets at engage.benderjccgw.org.
