Shaindy Kudlata

English Composition I
Prof. Horowitz
03/04/14

Successful Leadership
I cannot imagine myself without my faith. And if not for my spiritual guide –
Rabbi Shlomo Bald, I cannot fathom where I would be today. I admire my Rabbi because
of his exceptional personality and for all he has done for my community. He possesses
qualities that every great leader should have: passion, vision and kindness.
The first impression one gets from meeting Rabbi Bald is his unbelievable zest for
life, his deep love for yiddishkait and the Jewish people. From the warm way he speaks,
to the way he treats his children, he exuberates happiness at every turn. He leads by
example. His passion is contagious to anyone who crosses his path. Rabbi Shlomo is a
living proof that a leader needs to be positive and passionate about his beliefs if he wants
to achieve greatness.
Rabbi Bald came to Ukraine in the late nineties, when the fall of communist
USSR opened the gates for Russian Jewry. Years behind the iron curtain had left the Jews
of Ukraine totally ignorant of their heritage, and in addition people had become very
suspicious towards foreigners. However, Rabbi Bald had a vision of a flourishing Jewish
community developing its own synagogue, kindergarten and school. Despite initial
resistance, the wall of skepticism in the hearts of many people melted. Shlomo Bald
achieved the re-birth of Jewish life, by projecting his dreams unto the people of Lvov,
and thinking outside the box in order to accomplish his goals.
Finally, Rabbi Bald is a most kind and compassionate person. His love for a
fellow Jew has no bounds. The harsh life in the USSR made people wary of kindness, but
Rabbi Bald never gave up by insisting on helping people over and over without expecting
anything in return. He spent many nights getting sponsors from overseas, convincing
local government officials and the general public of the importance of Jewish identity;
dedicating himself to the mission of creating a self-sufficient Jewish community. What
Rabbi Bald accomplished in such a short period demonstrates his exemplary skills of
leadership.
Success is a journey, not a destination. Challenges are thrust upon a person to
make him a stronger and better person. And even when the results are significant, it is
more important how he got there. What makes a leader successful is how he
accomplished his triumph.