Sept. 2026
Michelle Daleo

Hamilton has reached a significant milestone in Jewish leadership development, joining the prestigious Wexner Heritage Program for the first time. The two-year initiative brings volunteer leaders together from across North America for intensive Jewish learning, dialogue and community building. For more than three decades, the Wexner Heritage Program has invested in volunteer Jewish leaders, helping cultivate individuals who go on to strengthen their communities through learning, service and thoughtful stewardship.

Hamilton’s participation is made possible through a partnership between the Wexner Foundation and philanthropic organizations committed to strengthening Jewish leadership beyond Canada’s largest centres. The inaugural Canadian cohort also includes Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg.

Hamilton native Rabbi David Russo, who has directed the Wexner Heritage Program for the past four years, describes it as “an intensive, two-year, cohort-based leadership experience” that combines deep Jewish learning with leadership development. The goal, he said, is to bring community builders together “so they can create lasting change in their communities.”

Hamilton’s inclusion carries special significance for Russo.

“Hamilton has always had a strong Jewish community,” he said. “This program is about building on those strengths while creating space for new ideas, new relationships and new voices to emerge.”

After attending the Wexner Heritage Program’s opening welcome seminar in Winnipeg last May, Hamilton’s inaugural cohort returned home energized by new ideas, lasting friendships and a shared commitment to the two-year journey ahead. Each participant brings a unique story, but together they represent the diversity of experience, dedication and leadership that strengthen Hamilton’s Jewish community.

Nataly Minster
The Wexner program arrived at a pivotal moment for Nataly Minster. After moving from Israel to Canada in 2024, she began exploring her Jewish identity in a new way. In Israel, Jewish life was woven into everyday living; in Canada, maintaining that connection became a more conscious choice, shaped by community, learning and reflection.
At the program’s opening session in Winnipeg, Minster encountered a style of Jewish learning that went beyond the texts themselves, embracing thoughtful discussion, diverse perspectives and the shared exploration of ideas.

“The program felt like another step toward understanding myself as a Jewish person,” she said. “It was completely new for me, overwhelming, but in the best possible way.”

The experience challenged Minster to think differently about leadership, belonging and her place within the Jewish community. It also strengthened her desire to play a more active role in Hamilton’s Jewish community.

Nicholas Daleo
For Nicholas Daleo, the Wexner program is a natural extension of a lifelong love of learning. A researcher by profession, he was drawn to Judaism when he converted in 2013, finding a tradition that encourages thoughtful discussion and the exploration of ideas rather than simple answers.

His perspective is also shaped by his Mohawk heritage from Six Nations, where storytelling and the passing of knowledge between generations is deeply valued. Daleo says that both traditions share a belief that understanding is built by listening to others and considering different perspectives.

What resonated for Daleo most at the opening session was hearing how people with different backgrounds could interpret the same Jewish text in remarkably different ways.

“The more that I dive into the learning, and the lessons, the more curious I become,” he said.
The experience affirmed for him that authentic leadership begins with humility, the willingness to keep learning, asking deeper questions, and remaining open to new perspectives.

Soraya Quintela Chusyd
For Soraya Quintela Chusyd, the Wexner program offers an opportunity to deepen her understanding of Jewish community engagement while connecting with peers from Jewish communities across Canada and North America. Originally from Brazil and now living in Hamilton with her family, she brings a unique perspective shaped by her work in education and her graduate studies in educational leadership and equity.

Guided by the Jewish value of tikkun olam — repairing the world — Chusyd is particularly drawn to the program’s exploration of Jewish texts alongside contemporary communal challenges. What stood out most for her at the opening session was the openness of the discussions and the participants’ willingness to learn from one another.
“The conversations were so open and welcoming,” she said. “You really feel that everyone has something to contribute.”

She returned from the session with a renewed belief that leadership isn’t reserved for a select few, but a result of people of different backgrounds coming together with a shared dedication to learning, listening, and strengthening their communities.

Daryn Epstein
A lifelong Hamiltonian, alumnus of the Hamilton Hebrew Academy and Camp Gesher, and now raising his own family in Dundas, Daryn Epstein has spent much of his life contributing to Hamilton’s Jewish community. He currently serves on the board of Kehila Heschel School, and was recently honoured with the school’s 2026 Shem Tov Award in recognition of his outstanding volunteer service.

Epstein says the Wexner program has given him an opportunity to step back from his day-to-day volunteer roles and reflect on leadership alongside peers from Jewish communities across Canada. He was particularly struck at the opening session by the diversity of experiences around the room and the opportunity to learn from people whose perspectives differed from his own.

“What stood out most was being in a room where everyone is coming from a different place, but trying to build something together,” he said.

While each participant brought a unique perspective to the Wexner program, they returned to Hamilton united by a renewed sense of purpose and a deeper appreciation of leadership rooted in learning, relationships and service.
The Welcome Seminar in Winnipeg marked just the beginning of a two-year journey. As Hamilton’s inaugural Wexner Heritage cohort continues its learning, the insights and relationships they build will strengthen both their own leadership and the future of Jewish life in Hamilton.