For Michael Paul, anything worth doing is worth doing well. When he enters into a new opportunity, he gives it his all and often ends up in a keystone role.
“I engage in any project, organization, committee, always with an eye to taking a leadership role,” he said.
On June 10, Paul will be honored by the Jewish Learning Venture, a Jenkintown-based organization he has been a part of for 25 years. The organization provides resources and assistance for parents who want to raise their children in a Jewish way, including literature, programs and in-person guidance. True to his nature, Paul has served as president, as well as held positions on the board of directors and board of trustees. Since then, he has remained involved as a volunteer.
His leadership and volunteer work are typified in part by his constant drive and upbeat attitude, said Jewish Learning Venture CEO Elana Rivel, who also knows Paul from Temple Sinai in Dresher, where they are both members.
“Every time he sees you, there’s a smile,” she said. “There’s a warmth of just being appreciative for being in the Jewish community, which I think is so lovely.”
Past president Jon Broder said that Paul helped create a wonderful, team-first outlook at Jewish Learning Venture.
“Michael stands out as one of the few leaders who actively sought out opportunities to lead,” Broder said. “He was never just a rubber stamp. Instead, he [engaged] deeply with both staff and volunteer leadership, always fostering a spirit of true collaboration.”
Paul works full-time in wealth management, but said that the genesis for his volunteer work in the Jewish community is the idea that it is up to us Jews to better life for each other. As for why Jewish Learning Venture, he said it goes back to his own childhood. The organization works to further Jewish education for children, which is a cause close to his heart.
“I wanted to get involved in something at an organization that had an effect on Hebrew school and Jewish learning, because as I recall, as a 10-year-old boy, that’s the last place I wanted to be, so I wanted to improve that for my children,” he said.
The event on the 10th will be special, but Paul played down its magnitude. However, his accomplishments at Jewish Learning Venture speak for themselves. He served in an executive role but was never afraid to get his hands dirty.
“I think one of the things that makes him a [good] leader is that he’s a thought partner, but he’s also willing to roll up his sleeves and do the work,” Rivel said. “He doesn’t shy away. He doesn’t say, ‘This is a great idea. You should do it.’ He’s willing to put himself into the role of helping make things happen.”
For Paul, who lives in Upper Dublin, the organization embodies what it means to be Jewish and what it means to help other Jews be Jewish.
“The core value is Jewish community,” he said. “You can’t have community without connection, and you can’t have connection without being included. We try to find ways to create inclusion.”
The organization provides resources and a framework for Jewish families to help their kids live Jewish lives. That means educational materials, Jewish experiences and more. It also means helping identify ambassadors to work in the community, including family members, community leaders and others. They help Jewish families raise their kids in a Jewish way, whatever their needs may be.
“We provide those resources so people can live the Jewish life that they want to live,” Paul said.
Now, most of the work that Paul does is to help keep operations running smoothly. He said that the greatest gift given to him in terms of work with Jewish Learning Venture is the example set by those before him.
“One of the things that I took out of being engaged in this organization is learning from such well-educated peers and mentors who preceded me,” he said. “As I was giving to the organization, I think I got just as much out of it from learning.”
Paul is a leader, a volunteer and a father. He is also a lifelong Philadelphian. He was born and raised in Northeast Philadelphia and grew up around the corner from his wife. They went to elementary school together, and Paul said that their loved ones have always been here. For the Paul family, Philadelphia is home.
“Her closest friends are my closest friends,” he said. “We’ve always wanted to be near our families. We never had a thought in our mind to ever leave the area.”
Current president Jon Levine said that the honor being bestowed on Paul is about more than his tenure in charge; it’s about how he has helped as a volunteer since then, too.
“I’ve seen firsthand how his leadership is defined by vision and integrity. Michael never hesitates to step up when the agency needs him — he is always eager to assume responsibility and his commitment is clear to everyone around him. His approach is never passive,” he said.
Paul said that acclaim is not why he did any of this, but it is nice.
“I’m looking forward to seeing everyone turn out, seeing all my friends come together under one roof and have a fun evening and learn a little something more about an organization that we care deeply about,” he said.