Community Agreement

Leading Edge (“we”) is committed to creating an environment that is welcoming to participants from across the Jewish nonprofit sector. Our community is undeniably stronger when anchored by connection and learning from all individual identities, viewpoints, and organization types. We are grounded by our Jewish values and use our Gathering Norms to establish a community steeped in respect and goodwill. We also acknowledge that every community, including our own, is susceptible to bias and misconduct and that there are no universal definitions of such values or concepts. Articulating specific expectations can ensure an open, trusting space for everyone who enters it.   

Leading Edge’s Community Agreement (“Agreement”) seeks to establish an environment centered in the dignity and safety of all participants, alumni, volunteer leaders, guests, employees, and vendors in connection with any Leading Edge program. The terms of this Agreement apply to all programs, events, and communication platforms organized or operated by Leading Edge, including but not limited to in-person gatherings and workshops, ancillary events, unofficial social gatherings, and virtual gatherings (collectively, “our programs”). By participating in our programs, you are both bound to comply with the terms of and afforded the rights and privileges conferred by this Agreement. We reserve the right to modify this Agreement at any time, in its sole discretion, with or without notice, and your continued participation in our programs represents an ongoing commitment to abide by its terms.

Agreement

Delineated below are expectations for how every member of our community shall engage with Leading Edge and interact with others in our program spaces. 

As a participant, you will: 

• Default to respect and goodwill in all communication and behavior at all times. 
• Approach gatherings with Leading Edge’s Gathering Norms as a guide. 
• Be open-minded and listen when given constructive feedback regarding others’ perception of your conduct.   

You will be deemed to have violated this Agreement if your actions, conduct, or speech disrupt the learning environment that we seek to create and foster in our programs or are in any way deemed to be harassing or discriminatory. This includes, but is not limited to: 

• Offensive or hurtful language or behavior that explicitly or implicitly makes any derogatory or unwelcome reference to another person’s age, race, ethnicity, ability, religion, national origin, physical appearance, sexual orientation, sex or gender identity/expression. This includes any language that can be construed as abusive, offensive, or unwelcome.  
• Repeated uncivil or rude behavior, including but not limited to behavior that is deemed to constitute bullying or abusive treatment.
• Unwelcome physical contact or sexual attention. 
• Repeated disruption of talks or other events. 
• Engagement in direct solicitation of funds from community members or excessively using our community for the benefit of your business/venture.  
• Use of another community member’s personal identifying information without their specific consent.
• Violating another’s reasonable expectation of privacy and sharing statements or posts outside of the program or virtual community without the consent of the original commenter. 
• Failing to cooperate with an investigation or making an intentionally false statement regarding a violation of this Agreement.

Contact Us to Report an Incident

We strive to provide all participants with a safe avenue to voice concerns regarding any perceived violation of this Agreement. If you have been involved in or have witnessed an incident that you believe violates the Agreement, please report it to one or more of our staff members on-site or the contact person designated for the program. Alternatively, get in touch with Dena Schoenfeld, Chief Program Officer (dena@leadingedge.org). Information included in reports will be protected to the extent possible and shared only on a need-to-know basis, though anonymity cannot be guaranteed.

Our Response

Leading Edge retains full and complete discretion to determine if or when the Agreement has been violated and what steps, if any, to take to address a violation. We will evaluate all incidents reported with discretion and respect for privacy. We reserve the right to terminate participation in our programs immediately for any person who is determined to have violated the Agreement and to remove them from associated program communication platforms. Termination from our programs for such reasons shall not entitle any person to receive a refund of program fees. Further, we reserve the right to withdraw the program affiliation of any person terminated for such reasons and to exclude them from future programs. 

About

This Agreement is a general guideline of Leading Edge’s expectations of all persons involved in our programs. We acknowledge that it is impossible for any document to anticipate all situations that may arise in the future, and the intent of this Agreement is that its principles shall be construed and applied broadly in upholding its underlying intent – namely, the creation and maintenance of an environment in which all participants feel welcome and safe.

If you have any questions about this Agreement, please contact us at info@leadingedge.org.