Beth Tfiloh at the 2012 General Assembly

By Aaron K.
Class of 2013
Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School

“Life is full of tears of joy and tears of despair. Life is not made of years but of moments” – Elie Wiesel

Just as Martin Luther King demonstrated on the National Mall in 1963 for a cause he firmly believed in, so too did 250,000 people demonstrate on December 6, 1987 for the support of Soviet Jewry. The issue: Jews throughout the Soviet Union were living under anti-religious, anti-Semitic and Communist oppression and were denied the ability to emigrate. They were hunted down by the KGB for even the slightest detection of religious practice. Possessing scant knowledge of Jewish history, customs and holidays, many of them either assimilated or converted. Those that chose to fight, however subtle it may have been, were called refusniks and were often convicted of treason and sentenced to long and harsh prison sentences in Siberia.

Perhaps the most famous refusnik, Natan Sharansky,was sentenced to 13 years of imprisonment in a Siberian labor camp for teaching Hebrew to students. While he was frequently held in solitary confinement and in a special “torture cell,” Sharansky became the first political prisoner released by Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev, thanks to intense political pressure from Ronald Reagan and the Jewish community in the United States.

This December we mark the 25th anniversary of the largest active protest on behalf of the Jewish community in American history. It was protests like these that helped end the Soviet oppression just a few months later.

Yet the passage of time diminishes the reality of history, making it belong to ‘those’ people, in another age, epoch, and place. This is a phenomenon that the Jewish community desperately hopes to avoid. As the last of Holocaust survivors die off, it is up to future generations to remember such tragic and important events as if they experienced them.

As such, about 20 students from Beth Tfiloh’s senior class headed down to the Jewish Federations of North America’s General Assembly. Few had ever heard of the issue of Soviet Jewry until we were inspired by the stories and open dialogue of Elie Wiesel and Natan Sharansky. Their leadership among the Jewish community and their dedication to our history is truly admirable.

Students like Marisa K., class of ’13, shared in Wiesel’s sentiment regarding the historical illiteracy of young people. “I was appalled to learn that such an event had never been made known to me and my peers. We definitely need to do a better job as a community to make sure that our history is never forgotten.”

In response, Rabbi Frank is coordinating a significant program this winter dedicated to understanding the Soviet Jewry movement.

Regardless, the American Jewish community in the 80s and 90s protested vociferously. According to senior Josh L., their actions were truly commendable.

“Political advocacy in response to the Soviet Jewry crisis yielded tangible results. From this, I learned that we must actively pursue justice rather than passively acquiesce in the status quo.”

As an overall conclusion on the hour long conversation Tali V. ’13 had this to say, “It was incredible to witness Wiesel and Sharansky, two men from different generations of savage anti-Semitism involving Jewish concentration camps and gulags, sitting together and conversing in today’s society of Jewish freedom and power.”

While the dialogue between Sharansky and Wiesel was certainly the main event at the General Assembly, seniors got chances to see the inner workings of the North American Jewish community by listening to unique speakers that spoke about issues such as: Israel and the Media: Tools for Effective Communication; Investing in Israel and Improving Results; and, Israel’s Haredi Community Today.

Economics student Elliott S. ’13 was very impressed with the session about investing in Israel for its information and open dialogue between the audience and the presenter. “As I intend to study economics in college next year it was very mind opening to learn that Israel’s market is a great opportunity for American companies.”

During lunch, the delegates from Beth Tfiloh sat with staff and lay leaders from The Associated and helped the community by writing letters to American soldiers returning home for the holidays and by making blankets for poor and needy children. “Very seldom do I get to have a direct impact on the Jewish community as I do at the General Assembly. I can make blankets for the poor and yet I can sign up to learn more about other issues from so many other organizations as well. It’s truly a once in a lifetime experience,” commented Yuval M. ’13.

In addition, the break gave students a chance to chat with members of dozens of organizations and learn about the services many of these groups provide. The students thoroughly enjoyed getting free souvenirs, whether a Theodore Herzl mug provided by the World Zionist Organization, a free t-shirt courtesy of the JFNA, popcorn, jelly beans, free newspapers from the Jerusalem Post and even massages. According to Jordan S. ’13, who went with his local National Conference of Synagogue Youth group (NCSY), “Like AIPAC, this was a great opportunity to meet Jews and supporters of Jewish causes from around the world and build a meaningful relationship with them.”

Meeting Engagement

By Allison Magat
Chair of Center for Community Engagement & Leadership

Have you ever been sitting in a boring, unorganized or chaotic meeting? Chances are you left feeling miserable and wondering why you spent your valuable time attending. On the flip side, have you ever been to a meeting that made you feel motivated, excited or inspired? You probably felt good afterwards, and began looking for more ways to get involved.

People feel good about being involved in a meeting that is well facilitated, interactive and results-oriented. Making sure that the outcome of this meeting is successful takes leadership from a lay and professional partnership. In order to create the ideal meeting, three areas must be addressed: Prework, Meeting Management, & Follow Up.

Prework
Meetings serve many purposes including information sharing, decision making, status checks and brainstorming. The decision about who to invite depends on what you want to accomplish. This may seem obvious, but it’s important to ask yourself — who needs to be part of this conversation? When deciding who to invite, determine what you will consider a “good outcome” and make sure to have the right people in the room.

You should be able to define the purpose of the meeting in one or two sentences at most. For example, “this meeting is to plan the new campaign strategy” or “the purpose is to discuss succession planning.” Additionally, it’s important to never plan a meeting whose goals can be met with an email. Meetings should not be a series of committee reports with little or no time for discussion. Instead, the reports and agenda should be sent out beforehand, with the assumption that people read all the documents and come prepared to discuss them.

Meeting Management
Now that the pre-work and planning has been completed, you should be able to facilitate an effective meeting. Making sure you have access to your organization’s mission, vision and values is an essential part of engaging your members.

Additionally, having a few basic rules of engagement will help the meeting run more smoothly and make people accountable for their behavior. Ask your members to share their ideas for rules of engagement and have your boards decide on the top three to five that should be adopted. Examples of these rules of engagement may include the silencing of cell phones/electronic devices, the expectation that everyone is present for the full duration of the meeting and an emphasis on the importance of mutual kavod/respect.

One of the hardest tasks of running an effective meeting is time management. As the facilitator, make sure that all members respect the time allotted for the meeting and use your agenda as a time guide. Most importantly, the facilitator needs to help the group stay focused and productive by setting a positive, productive tone for interaction among members. As the meeting facilitator, it is important to manage discussion, encourage brainstorming and participation, synthesize the conversation and then call for a decision.

Evaluation, Action Steps, and Follow-up
Receiving feedback right afterwards is essential in order to improve the meeting process for next time. Don’t wait until the next day to ask for feedback. Instead leave five to 10 minutes at the end of the meeting for evaluation or ask for written feedback. Sending out minutes will record who attended, what was discussed, any decisions made and any action items assigned. The minutes should be distributed to all members, whether or not they attended. Lastly, follow-up between meetings as a “check-in” will be helpful in deciding if members need assistance with their action items.

Following these guidelines will pave the path for a successful meeting that is productive, dynamic and exciting! Members will look forward to future meetings and will know that their time was valued and appreciated.

Check out resources for meeting management and engagement created by The ASSOCIATED’s Center for Community Engagement and Leadership>>

New Professionals … Leadership … Cohort …. Fellowship … Professional Development … Recruit … Retain … Train

By Cindy Goldstein
Executive Director of DFI

What do all of these buzz words have in common?

As the Friedman Fellowship enters into its fourth year, the Darrell D. Friedman Institute for Professional Development at the Weinberg Center (DFI) is pleased to introduce to you its newest cohort of outstanding new Jewish communal professionals working in the Baltimore area. The Friedman Fellows are nominated by their organizations and selected among an outstanding and promising group of new Jewish professional leaders who are in the field up to three years.

DFI has been selecting a cohort of up to 10 participants each year since the fall of 2009, awarding fellowship funds to be used over a two-year period to new professionals working in Jewish organizations, synagogues and agencies in Baltimore. The fellowship enables them to have a mentor and to engage in professional development opportunities that enhance their professional skills and Judaic competencies. These experiences lead to excellent service in their work and to career advancement in the Jewish communal field.

The Friedman Fellowship is supported by an endowment created by community leaders and donors. It was matched by the Weinberg Foundation, all of whom recognized Darrell Friedman when he retired as President and CEO of THE ASSOCIATED. We are therefore able to attract and retain new fresh grow leadership in the field and to Baltimore. This is a “perk” for an organization and a fellow, allowing them to grow professionally thanks to the generosity of our community’s leadership and THE ASSOCIATED’s strong commitment to professional development.

This fall we are introducing KADIMA, a leadership development pilot program facilitated by Beth Gansky, leadership coach, created for the Friedman Fellows, to assist them in clarifying and developing their professional  and leadership goals, to provide tools to advance their careers and to create a cohort and network of these new professionals to  further their learning and collaboration in our community. Participating will be our newest cohort, listed below, along with our continuing 2012 fellows: Molly Amster, CHAI, Melissa Berman, JCC; Brad Cohen, Baltimore Hebrew Congregation; Marisa Danto, THE ASSOCIATED; Rabbi Kelley Gludt, Beth Am;  Nechama Goldman, AJOP; Caren Leven, Oheb Shalom;  Loryn Strauzer, BHI.

Our newest cohort, selected this fall of 2013, include:

• Sora Brill, Donor Services Representative, THE ASSOCIATED
• Carly Frank, Campaign Associate, THE ASSOCIATED
• Ilana Knobel, Special Events Coordinator, UMD Hillel
• Darren Levin, JLIC Rabbi, Johns Hopkins University Hillel
• Lane Levine, Community Network Director, Comprehensive Housing Assistance, Inc.
• Amanda Max, Children’s Service Director, Jewish Community Center
• Lara Nicolson, Family Engagement Associate, Center for Jewish Education
• Jessica Shimberg, Associate Director for Jewish Life and Learning, UMD Hillel
• Ahuva Spetner, Program Director, JEPGirls of Maryland

For a complete list of all Friedman Fellows, and to apply for next year, visit www.thedfi.org>>

On Manhigut

By Erika Schon
Former Director
Baltimore Hebrew Institute at Towson University

The Hebrew word for leadership, manhigut, reminds us that we expect a certain conduct, or minhag, from our professional and lay leaders. This behavior includes the careful consideration of succession. Dr. Hal M. Lewis, the noted author on Jewish leadership, writes “the essence of an authentic leader in Jewish tradition is the individual who is always in search of his or her replacement…the true test of success is the long-term continuity of an idea or movement.”  

And so, with humility and gratitude for a challenging and rewarding tenure both at Baltimore Hebrew University and, for the last three years, at Baltimore Hebrew Institute at Towson University, I have taken this notion to heart. 

I am proud to announce that on July 1, Jill Max assumed the position of Director of BHI. Jill is already well-positioned to take on the helm of BHI, having spent the past year as Assistant Director of BHI, focusing on Adult Education initiatives. I know you will join me in wishing Jill ongoing success in her new and expanded responsibilities.

It has truly been a privilege and an honor to play a role in the establishment of Baltimore Hebrew Institute. The integration of BHU’s programs into Towson University was a landmark achievement that was possible through the close collaboration and support of the ASSOCIATED: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore. The transition required not only bridge funding, but also creativity and bold thinking to develop a new educational model. 

As you know, I have tremendous respect and excitement for the programs and students that we are supporting here at TU. In just three years, Towson has become a recognized address for Jewish Education, Jewish Communal Service and Jewish Studies, with outstanding academic offerings for both undergraduate and graduate students. With an exceptional Judaic library collection, dedicated Towson faculty and staff, enthusiastic and talented students and strong University-wide support, I am certain that we have found a wonderful new home for our programs. Each year, I couldn’t be more proud of the BHI-affiliated graduates and I know they are also proud to be members of our BHI family.

As I write this, I am also participating in another first at Towson University that was made possible through the ASSOCIATED’s support: the Instructional Leadership Institute for Jewish Educators runs from July 9 – 13th. Today is day three of the stimulating, well-organized and enlightening week-long course. The 45 educators enrolled in the course span the broadest spectrum of Jewish affiliation and each brings unique experiences and perspectives to the class exercises and conversations. The Institute is being taught by four expert faculty members from Towson University’s Center for Leadership in Education. Following the five days of intense classroom study, the course will continue with online forums throughout the year.  

The success of this innovative professional development initiative has already generated tremendous enthusiasm from all the students and I am personally thrilled to participate as I prepare to launch new music education projects next year. 

To the ASSOCIATED, as well as all of our stakeholders and friends, thank you for your trust and support during our journey together. May we go m’chayil l’chayil, from strength to strength!

Recognizing Volunteers

By Leah Berry
Director of Engagement and Leadership
THE ASSOCIATED

As we wrap up the current fiscal year, it is important that we take the opportunity to reflect on our accomplishments, recognize our lay leaders and volunteers for their efforts and identify their next steps for involvement.

When recognition is done successfully, it is ongoing, personal and thoughtful.  People don’t always take the time to say thank you because they busy, don’t always have an attitude of gratitude ingrained in them. Being thankful and expressing gratitude is a profound Jewish value. As Jews, every morning we wake up and recite Modeh Ani expressing our gratefulness for all that we have been given. In Judaism, the word for thank you is todah which comes from the word, l’hodot, to praise. Hakarat hatov is another way that one expresses thanks which literally translates as recognizing goodness.

Power of the personal thank you note
A handwritten note goes further in many cases than a public honor. Notes should be personal and meaningful. Let’s use Dayenu as a great example of a wonderful expression of appreciation. Dayenu is broken up into specific components to help the reader realize the many miracles that took place in the Exodus story. Dayenu teaches us to be specific, detailed and break down the different aspects of what people have done for us, when we are expressing our gratitude.  Take advantage of unexpected moments to send a thank you (during an experience with a volunteer versus at the end of the year when they might be expecting it).

Creating a culture of appreciation and gratitude
As it states in Psalms, Olam Chesed Yibaneh, the world is held up/built on kindness. As lay and professional leaders in the community, we need to create an ongoing culture of gratitude. Everyone has different life experiences and some individuals don’t feel comfortable giving and/or receiving gratitude. We need to orchestrate an environment where people feel good about giving and receiving appreciation. When someone decides to take on a project, they are not always expecting to be appreciated but there is minor disappointment when they don’t feel appreciated. People need to feel appreciated and a sense of belonging.

What’s next for the outgoing leader?
Creating plans for outgoing leaders helps to ensure their future involvement while gleaning
important lessons learned from their tenure in their leadership position.

• Meet in person with your chair(s) to thank him/her, discuss the year as a whole, accomplishments, challenges, their overall experience, etc. Also discuss his/her interests going forward. (If he/she is concluding the term, determine what the individual wants to do next. Get a range of interests. If he/she is not completing the term, it is never too early to begin this general conversation.) Following the meeting, should the individual require a new placement, work with the appropriate person in your organization to follow-up on the various interests.

During your transition meeting, consider asking the following questions:

• What did you learn during your tenure in this leadership position?
• Are there particular aspects of the work, or new things that you saw/learned that piqued your interest? What should we be aware of in future planning?
• What do you think is next for you?

THE ASSOCIATED offers the “cultivation form” to help you with this process. Download the form now>>

What a Community!

By Cindy Goldstein
Executive Director
The Darrell D. Friedman Institute for Professional Development at the Weinberg Center

I feel so fortunate to work in a Jewish community that values its professionals. The success of our community depends upon the quality and success of our excellent professionals that we have in every agency, organization and synagogue. Do you know why they are excellent? Because they value learning, growing and expanding their knowledge so they can perform their jobs better, provide the best service, and advance their own careers in this fabulous field of what we call Jewish communal service. Professionals have a passion for their work, they want to make a difference, they believe in building relationships with their volunteer leaders and their clients/customers/congregants. They are part of a caring team, striving to make this world a better place for all of us, that’s what Jewish community is all about.

And that is what June 5 will be about.

On June 5, professionals will have the opportunity to gather with their colleagues from around the country. The Jewish Communal Service Association (JCSA) will be holding its annual program, a day of professional development, right here at our Weinberg Park Heights JCC.  We will have the opportunity to celebrate with our mentor and friend, Marc B. Terrill, President of THE ASSOCIATED, who will be installed as the new JCSA President. Marc cares about all the professionals in our community. He values the role that each of us plays and the difference we can and do make in our community. He is a true mentor and colleague.

We’re on the cutting edge of nonprofits, continually striving to meet new challenges. Chip Edelsburg, the Executive Director of the Jim Joseph Foundation, will speak of “Big Ideas, Bold Solutions: The Challenges and Choices of Today’s Jewish Community Professionals.”

Also among the top speakers expected in Baltimore for the conference are: Shifra Bronznick, founding President of Advancing Women Professionals; Miriam Brosseau, Social Media Coalitions Manager at The Jewish Education Project; David Cygielman, co-founder and CEO of Moishe House; William Daroff, Vice President for Public Policy and Director of the Washington Office of The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA); Sarah Gershman, President of Green Room Speakers; and Deborah Grayson Riegel, coach, trainer and speaker.

“This is an excellent opportunity for Baltimore to showcase its rich and vibrant Jewish community to other professionals from across the country,” said Michael Hoffman. “Working with THE ASSOCIATED’s professional development arm, the Darrell D. Friedman Institute, JCSA is putting on a diverse program that will inform the work of our most-seasoned professionals and help ensure the future success of the country’s newer staff.”

Are you one of the hundreds of passionate professionals working for a Jewish organization in Baltimore, striving to make a difference in our community? Then join us on June 5 to network with your colleagues, learn from experts in our field, and go back to your organization renewed and rejuvenated! Register at www.thedfi.org/jcsa.

The Value of Feedback

By Leaders from THE ASSOCIATED’s Center for Community Engagement & Leadership (CCEL)

Everyone talks about the importance of feedback. But what does the term really mean? Why is it useful and how do we create a culture of feedback?

Leaders are constantly striving to create an environment where every volunteer has a meaningful experience, and is given the tools necessary for success. THE ASSOCIATED has been working to make sure we are truly achieving that goal.

This year, CCEL’s Forum invited top lay and professional leaders to a three-part series with the goal of creating a culture of dialogue and feedback, one where we can help each other to be more  effective leaders. The forum was facilitated by leadership development coach Ellen Kagen Waghelstein and was a tremendous success.

The take-away? Three tips for incorporating feedback into your work as a leader.

Manage Yourself
As you are offering feedback to others, do a check on your true intent and motivation. You are ready to give feedback if your heart is open and you are focused on their success, not your opportunity to express anger and frustration.  Commit to:

1. Letting go of the past
2. Telling the truth
3. Being supportive and helpful-not cynical or negative
4. Making  sure you are focused on improvement rather than judging

Seek Feedback
Each of us has an Achilles heel, the thing that is a blind spot to us and can get in the way of our being our best leadership self. Seeking feedback that opens your eyes to those blind spots is a gift.  Feedback of this sort is not finding out what people think of you or how they feel about you or even what they like or dislike about you. There is really one fundamental question: How can I do what I do better? Listen carefully and take the feedback seriously. And continue to seek it.

Create a Feedback Culture
The best way to begin a process of culture change is to become a role model yourself. If people see that as leaders you ask for feedback regularly and are open to their feedback, without repercussions, people will begin to open up and share their thoughts honestly and thoughtfully. As you move forward in this process, be aware of the times when you have received feedback that opened your eyes to a blind spot and helped you be a better, more effective leader. Share those experiences and draw out the experiences of others. This will provide an opportunity to bring the issue to the table and encourage new behavior from everyone.

Knowing and Using our Rich Jewish Tradition

By: Cindy Goldstein
Executive Director
The Darrell D. Friedman Institute for Professional Development

The visionaries of 45 years ago in both the social work and Jewish communal field, such as Dr. Daniel Thursz, brought together secular learning with Jewish learning. Whether the technique was to learn them in distinct settings or integrate one with the other, Dr. Thursz and others recognized then that Federation and other communal workers needed Jewish learning to inform their work in the Jewish community. After all, what would be the difference between a Jewish nonprofit and any other nonprofit organization? Jewish tradition, text and values inform our work and make it holy.

All of us working or volunteering in the Jewish community are doing holy work.  We are making a difference in people’s lives within a Jewish context.

In order to do that, we should not be afraid of learning, yet instead let the values and the teachings of the past give us the foundation to be strong leaders, to make decisions, to lay the foundation for how we treat others, for how we give tzedakah and, most of all, to inspire us as leaders.

As leaders – professional and lay – we are the emissaries. When we are knowledgeable about text, tradition, ritual, values and Israel… and can then in turn teach others around us, what a blessing. Looking to the past inspires us and helps us to innovate. The Bible, Talmud and related texts have determined meaning and identity for the Jews for centuries. Dr. Erica Brown, scholar and educator, uses text to show us how inspired Biblical leaders take on a mission or act on a calling, and then she asks us to look into our own psyche. She teaches us that “inspiration does not just help us recharge our batteries but it is critical in expanding the membership of our organizations, retaining those who are burning out and keeping active members joined to an institution’s core values.”

Our tradition is rich. Look at the Hagaddah and how we use it to “bring the past into the now. In order to fully learn from and appreciate that which went before us, we must bring that past into the present and search for the relevance to our now,” comments Orlee Turitz, Director of the Jewish Leadership Institute of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington.

Professional skill sets and competencies in the Jewish communal field include Jewish literacy. This may entail board and staff learning Jewish history together such as in DFI’s current Jewish Heritage program, or bringing text study into an organization’s business, or taking a class in Judaism 101. Part of our responsibility as Jewish leaders is to increase our commitment to Jewish literacy.

To take it a step further, Hal Lewis, President and CEO of Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies, contends that Jewish leadership is something different. Jewish literacy is not sufficient to guarantee Jewish leadership. True leadership development involves transmission of skills such as coping with change, visioning, motivating people, fostering teamwork, mentoring and risk taking. In teaching all of these skills there is much to be learned from our tradition and it is incumbent upon us to follow in the footsteps of a Daniel Thursz and continue to find ways to meld the “skill” with the “Jewish” and therefore to work “better,” coming from an informed Jewish tradition.

We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us as we continue our holy work and perpetuate a strong Jewish community for generations to come.

Register today for DFI’s Jewish Heritage>>
Next session: April 18, 2012

Advocacy Day 2012

By: Zach Ranen
Gilman School, Grade 10
STAC Fellow 2011-2012

On February 7, 2012, Jewish Volunteer Connection’s STAC (Students Taking Action for Change) fellows traveled to Annapolis to participate in Advocacy Day. In advance of speaking to the legislators, we were eager to use the skills learned from earlier program meetings.

We were fortunate to have a one-on-one session with Delegate Eric Bromwell. In this session, each group was able to lobby the Delegate with the hopes of convincing him to support the bills they have been working on since the fall. It was truly a great experience to make our opinions heard by an influential leader. Delegate Bromwell listened intently to our views on each bill, enabling us to feel we were making a difference and putting our knowledge of these bills to good use.

After our session with Delegate Bromwell, we went to the Legislative Reception where we met the Lieutenant Governor and listened to speeches from members of the Jewish community as well as members of the legislative community. One STAC fellow was even able to give his “elevator pitch” to Delegate Dana Stein.

Finally, we were able to spend valuable time with the Elijah Cummings Youth Project teens to debate prominent controversial issues being addressed in the upcoming legislative session.

Overall, Advocacy Day was an extremely valuable and rewarding experience where we were able to put the skills we’ve learned in STAC to good use and make our voices heard.

Students Taking Action for Change (STAC) is a 10-month teen leadership program of THE ASSOCIATED: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore and Jewish Volunteer Connection, in partnership with the Baltimore Jewish Council.  To learn more about STAC and THE ASSOCIATED’s Teen Leadership programs, please contact Renée Goldfarb at 410-369-9338 or rgoldfarb@associated.org.

Happy to Be the Exception to the Rule… This Time

By Mark Edelson

What happened there certainly did not stay there, and it’s a good thing too, because what happened at TribeFest 2011 in Vegas turned out to be one of the most illuminating experiences of my life.  And that life includes emigrating at age 15, an Oranim Taglit-Birthright trip at age 18, and backpacking through Europe alone at age 20.  To say that TribeFest, an annual North American seminar for Jewish young adults, was eye-opening is no small feat.  Now you might presume that I’m being slightly liberal with my adjective use, but one day when my family and I are so entrenched in Baltimore Jewish life that some might believe I was born here, I will always know that it started with TribeFest and THE ASSOCIATED Young Leadership Council (YLC).

How about a little context?

I emigrated from my native Sunny South Africa at age 15  – yes, “Sunny” is part of the official title – with my parents and sister.  We uprooted and moved to Humid Atlanta – ok, now I’m just taking liberties – where I lived for eight years before moving to Baltimore to continue my education at The University of Maryland School of Law.  Upon my arrival, I was largely unaware of just how rich and cohesive the Baltimore Jewish community is, but I soon got a glimpse of the full picture.  I received an early introduction to THE ASSOCIATED and all aspects of the local community from spending many wonderful Shabbos’im with my cousins in Pikesville.  I often felt motivated to get more involved but simply did not have the time to fully commit what with the rigors of being a full-time law student and being a 20-something guy with a South African accent.  I always told myself that once I was finished with law school and had a steady routine, my primary goal would be to put down some lifelong roots in Baltimore, and more importantly, Jewish Baltimore.

A few months after graduating from law school, I had the most extraordinary turn of luck, or perhaps something slightly more omniscient, and found employment at a law firm run by two pillars of the Baltimore Jewish community: Brian and Evan Goldman.  Not long after starting at the firm, I told Evan that I wanted to get more involved in the community and asked what he knew about IMPACT. That was all it took.  Within a week I was meeting with associates from IMPACT, learning about all of the amazing things that THE ASSOCIATED does worldwide, and attending more happy hours than my liver would appreciate.  But I wanted more…

It was around this time that I heard about TribeFest: a few thousand young professional Jews from around the country participating in three days of networking, seminars on subjects ranging from Jewpardy to the international perception of Israel to a Jewish wine-tasting, and of course, the occasional happy hour.  In addition, every day there was a keynote address at which all participants would congregate in the main conference room to be entertained, moved, and  most of all, inspired by a host of political figures, actors, comedians, musicians and athletes, all of whom are tied together with a common, unrelenting bond – being Jewish and proud of it.

I distinctly recall sitting in the conference room on the Tuesday morning for the final address and some words from the organizers extending gratitude to the participants and expressions of hope that we had enjoyed ourselves and made some good connections in the process.  I looked around at the people at my table that I had met and with whom I had become instant friends in the previous 24 hours.  I glanced out at the rest of the room and saw a few thousand people that I’d become inextricably attached to over the course of just a few short days.  I could tell by the sparkle in their eyes that they were feeling the same thing I was and that in that very moment the room we were sitting in could have been in Las Vegas, Pretoria or Tel Aviv and it would not have made one bit of difference, because in that moment, we were home.

Upon returning to Baltimore, I decided that I was not going to let that feeling subside and I inquired about getting more involved in IMPACT and THE ASSOCIATED.  The logical next step, I was told, was to apply for YLC. I did so and then learned that Evan had been a previous member of YLC and that it had proved to be the gateway to his extensive involvement in the community.  I’m assuming this did not hurt my application.  Now, about seven months into my first year of YLC, I am happy to report that my experience has been exciting, educational and fulfilling.

My hopes were to gain insight into the inner workings of THE ASSOCIATED and its impact on local and not-so-local communities. Through our regular meetings at various locations in and around the city, I have gained a working understanding of the numerous agencies and individuals who seamlessly coalesce to improve the lives of those around them.  I have also gained a greater understanding of the type of role that I would like to play in THE ASSOCIATED and the Jewish community in general.

Next year, as a second year YLC participant, I will have the opportunity to observe the board meetings of one of THE ASSOCIATED’s agencies or internal committees. It is exactly this type of opportunity that I relish and that would not be available without THE ASSOCIATED and IMPACT.  And it is thanks to the fervor and energy of the countless individuals that make up these great organizations that I cannot wait for the next opportunity to become further ingrained in the Baltimore Jewish community.

That is a small glimpse into my time at TribeFest and my involvement in YLC.  With this year’s Tribe Fest coming up in six short weeks, I am filled with questions about the experience that this year’s participants will have: will there be as many or more TribeFesters? Will the keynote addresses be as moving and awe-inspiring as last year? Will other people have the same life-altering moment as I did? Will Gary Busey and Lil John make another guest appearance at the Saturday night welcome event? I honestly have no idea how any of it will unfold for this year’s attendees. But I can tell you this much, I will be there to find out.

Register for Tribefest>>

Looking for something to do in Jewish Baltimore? Check out j-more.org!