In the 1978 Superman movie (still the greatest Superman to date), Lois Lane falls from a helicopter and is caught midair by Superman. As he holds her, he reassures her: “Easy, Miss, I’ve got you.” To which Lois famously responds: “You’ve got me? Who’s got you?”
That question came to mind as I read Barry Finestone’s recent article in eJewishPhilanthropy, “The Crisis We’re Ignoring: Who’s Caring for the People Who Hold Up the Jewish World?”
As Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z”l taught, “Judaism is unique, for it is a faith based on asking questions, sometimes deep and difficult ones that seem to shake the very foundations of faith itself.” Finestone’s question is one of those foundation shaking questions that, left unanswered, risks fracturing the very faith in the work that we do. If our NCSY professionals, or Jewish professionals in general, are holding everyone else up, who is holding them up?
I have the privilege of supporting and training NCSY staff every day, and I know firsthand: they are holding up the Jewish world. What they do is not just a job, it is a calling. It is meaningful, impactful, and often demanding sometimes to the point of unbearable.
Our staff pour themselves into the lives of Jewish teens through mentoring, guiding, listening, teaching, entertaining, and above all, inspiring. They do this in schools, in communities, at evening programs, on weekends, on Shabbos, in moments of celebration, and in times of pain.
They give so much of themselves that the question must beasked again: Who’s caring for the people who hold up the Jewish world? Who’s got you?
The truth is: we are not superhuman. Extraordinary, yes, but still human. Our staff carry the same anxieties, the same exhaustion, and the same need for support as anyone else. Sometimes even more. Superman may not need holding up, but Lois Lane does and so do we.
Finestone offers powerful steps: real rest, extra help during crises, meaningful gratitude, training leaders to navigate conflict, and building support networks. I’d like to add a few more for Jewish professional staff in general and ones that I am proud to say NCSY does and continues to develop:
- Investing in growth and development, so staff feel nurtured, not just needed.
- Making mental health resources accessible and stigma-free.
- Building cultures of balance, where sustainability matters more than “always on.”
- Celebrating wins, so staff feel the impact of their work, not only the weight of responsibility.
I am endlessly grateful for the people who make NCSY what it is. The teens feel it. The parents feel it. And I feel it. If we don’t care for the people holding up Jewish life, we risk losing the very foundation that keeps us strong. Let’s not wait. Let’s make sure we care for them the way they care for all of us.