Etz Chaim’s JWRP trips for both moms and dads bring dozens of participants to Israel each year for spiritual and physical explorations of Israel – and both programs have spanned vibrant follow-up offshoot groups that meet regularly to continue their Jewish growth.

After the trip Donna and a few fellow participants went on to found Jewish Women of Howard County (J-WoHoCo) to keep the inspiration alive. Four years later the core group of members still meets every few weeks for Jewish learning and there are over 300 members who attend various social events throughout the year.

Young Professional Leadership

Had the story ended there it would have been enough – but little did Donna know that her involvement with Etz Chaim was soon going to have a ripple effect on her daughter, Danielle, as well. Danielle returned to the Baltimore area after graduating from the University of Michigan to pursue a Masters in Nursing from the University of Maryland in Baltimore. After finding out about Etz Chaim through her mother, Danielle became a member of the very first J-Care Fellowship pilot in the Spring of 2017, where she was matched with two families in need.

The J-Care Fellowship harnesses the passion for Tikkun Olam common to many Millennials, by combining meaningful volunteer opportunities with Jewish learning for young professionals and graduate students living in the Baltimore area. Developed in partnership with the Jewish Caring Network, J-Care engages approximately 25 young professionals and grad students each year to participate in bi-monthly learning and volunteering sessions. Past fellows designed collection boxes for the JCN toy drive, ran a Chanukah carnival event for 50 JCN beneficiaries, and put together and delivered food packages for Purim, Passover, and Shabbos. Study sessions focused on Jewish concepts and sources on kindness, community, charity, and social service.

Many of the J-Care fellows will be traveling to Israel together later this summer to experience Jewish learning and volunteer work in the Holy Land to bring the experience “home.” In addition to this, Etz Chaim will be sending over 40 participants on various transformational trips to Israel in 2018.

“I’ve always been into community service and giving back,” Danielle explained. “Etz Chaim’s J-Care Fellowship offered me a chance to volunteer while helping the Jewish community. . . It’s a win-win situation: I get to enjoy the good feelings of doing community service and the community benefits at the same time!”

Danielle gained so much from the program that she signed up for a second round last fall. Today, she is on Etz Chaim’s Young Professional leadership committee and is also a resident of Moishe House, where she helps to create additional programming for young professionals in Baltimore.

“I was really surprised that she is so involved,” Donna said about her daughter. “I’m thrilled that she’s doing good things and the Jewish piece is the icing on the cake.”

Across the Lifecycle

Surprisingly the story of the Kasoff family is not unique. Under the energetic new leadership of Rabbi Zev Pomeranz, Etz Chaim’s programming has tripled over the past two years. Etz Chaim is repositioning itself as the address for Jewish education in the Baltimore area from across the lifecycle. Whether it’s programming for college students, young professionals, families with young children, or seniors, Etz Chaim has something for everyone looking to seriously explore Judaism in a relevant and non-threatening manner.

To name a few examples across the lifecycle, Etz Chaim’s bi-monthly class for seniors in the Pikesville Senior Center has been drawing 30 seniors - ages ranging from 60 to 93 - each session for almost a decade. The class covers Jewish history and thought and is taught by Etz Chaim dean, Rabbi Shlomo Porter. For some it is their very first time engaging in adult Jewish learning.

Etz Chaim’s campus programs in Towson and UMBC introduce over a hundred college students to Jewish learning each year and many students go on to participate in trips to Israel, Jewish themed internships, and yeshiva study programs. In addition to J-Care, Etz Chaim’s Whiskey, Wine, and Wisdom is another exciting new initiative that brings together dozens of Young Professionals each month at the new Daily Special kosher restaurant downtown to socialize and enjoy a great meal and cocktail, while discussing relevant topics through the lens of Torah sources. 

Young families, who find themselves too old for young professional programming, can attend Etz Chaim’s Sunday morning classes on Jewish philosophy and practical Jewish law. Zach and Nadine Epstein, originally from Chicago and Miami Beach respectively, have been regular attendees of these programs. The two were married last year and settled in Baltimore. Zach is in the process of completing a PhD in physics in College Park with a research focus on laser defense and Nadine is a career coach in Hopkins University. Having both become Torah-observant as adults, they love learning about all the practical ins-and-outs of Jewish life. "We feel so lucky that we got connected with Rabbi Pomeranz when we first moved to Baltimore this October. Since then, Etz Chaim has helped us find community in our new city, introduced us to amazing mentors and role models, and given us new avenues to continue our Jewish learning. We can’t wait to find new ways to become involved as we continue to make Baltimore our home!"

Join us on July 8^th for the upcoming exclusive Raise the Steaks gourmet BBQ experience for men to support Etz Chaim’s programming. Become an Israel trip sponsor to help provide scholarships for one of Etz Chaim’s study programs in Israel and earn two VIP tickets! To find out more about Etz Chaim programming or to learn how you can help support Jewish engagement in Baltimore for Jews of all ages visit www.etzchaimusa.org.