A decade of work at the intersection of creativity, Jewish life, and leadership positions the organization at the forefront of a growing national conversation about how communities adapt to change.
At a time when communities and institutions across the country are struggling to navigate polarization, grief, and rapid change, Jewish Studio Project (JSP) is marking its 10th anniversary by elevating a bold claim: creativity isn’t extra, it’s essential.
Over the past decade, JSP has built a national movement reframing creativity as a core capacity for life and leadership—one that strengthens resilience, deepens moral imagination, and equips communities to stay in relationship across difference when certainty collapses
“In this moment of collective heartbreak and upheaval, we need tangible tools that expand our curiosity, courage, and capacity to imagine new possibilities,” said Dr. Imani Chapman, Chair of JSP’s Board.
Founded in 2015 by Rabbi Adina Allen and Jeff Kasowitz, JSP’s work centers the belief that transformation unfolds through process—not certainty—and that every person carries innate creative capacity that can be activated for communal renewal.
The organization has developed a distinctive model that blends Jewish wisdom, creative process, and leadership development. Its approach treats creativity not as self-expression, but as a disciplined practice for navigating complexity—one that can be learned, cultivated, and applied across sectors.
“Ten years in, we’re seeing that creativity is not a luxury—it’s foundational, and it’s a capacity everyone can cultivate given the right tools and support,” said Kasowitz.
JSP has engaged tens of thousands of individuals (including educators, clergy, artists, and institutional leaders) across hundreds of Jewish organizations nationwide, through immersive fellowships, workshops, and partnerships. Participants report renewed clarity of purpose, greater emotional agility, and practical frameworks for leading through disruption.
“JSP gives me space to notice the feelings inside me and move through difficult moments,” a JSP Participant shared. “I always leave our sessions feeling shifted—more grounded, with renewed energy to move forward.”
The 10th anniversary will culminate in “We The Process,” a national livestream gathering on March 1, bringing together partners and participants for an evening of storytelling, music, and participatory art-making. The event will honor three internationally recognized leaders whose work embodies JSP’s values:
• Krista Tippett, Peabody Award-winning journalist and host of On Being
• Bayo Akomolafe, global speaker and author exploring posthumanist futures
• Susan Magsamen, founder of the International Arts + Mind Lab and author on neuroaesthetics
Alongside the anniversary, JSP has launched a $500,000 campaign to expand its impact and reach in its second decade.
“Genesis opens with chaos and void,” said Allen. “Creation doesn’t wait for clarity; it begins in the dark. At a time when fear constricts our collective imagination, creativity is how we participate in that original creative act again—bringing new worlds into being.”
Registration and campaign information: https://www.jewishstudioproject.org/we-the-process-celebration.
