Photos courtesy of Jewish Women International
local Young Women’s Impact Network San Francisco members
enjoy a day at the park.

Jewish Women
International Launching Young
Women’s Group in
Philadelphia Learn More About
Vibrant Senior Living!
Get your FREE brochure from Ann’s Choice®
in Bucks County or Maris Grove® in the
Brandywine Valley.

• See a variety of floor plans
• Discover fresh, flavorful dining
• Learn about affordable pricing
Jarrad Saff ren | Staff Writer
J Call 1-800-989-3958 or visit us
at SeniorLivingPA.com.

464548 ANN’S CHOICE, Bucks County
MARIS GROVE, Brandywine Valley
6 JANUARY 12, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT
ewish Women International, the
Washington, D.C.-based social
service organization, describes
its nationwide Young Women’s Impact
Network as a group that will change
your life.

An email about the upcoming
Philadelphia chapter asks the follow-
ing question: “Do you know any Jewish
women or non-binary people in their
20s and 30s living in the Philadelphia
area who might be looking to create
lifelong friendships, find profes-
sional mentorship, discover meaning-
ful philanthropy opportunities and
take part in fi nancial empowerment
programs?” But in reality, the impact is a little
more practical, according to Meredith
Jacobs, the CEO of Jewish Women
International. In Los Angeles, Chicago,
New York and other cities, the YWIN
aims to help Jewish women combat
domestic violence, access economic
security and create leadership



Young Women’s Impact Network Chicago members
“We offer tools for women to have
options and power and control in their
lives ... It’s about being able to build
the life you want.”
Young Women’s Impact Network New York members gather for a challah bake.

opportunities. In doing all of those
things, the group helps women become
more independent, married or not.

And the Philadelphia chapter, the
11th in the world including the one in
Tel Aviv, will aim to do the same when it
opens with a still-unscheduled launch
event this spring.

“We offer tools for women to have
options and power and control in their
lives,” Jacobs said. “It’s about being
able to build the life you want.”
The YWIN is open to women roughly
between the ages of 22 and 34. In
many cases, they are new to their cities
and looking to meet people. Jacobs
estimates that there are 10,000 people
on the network’s email list across the 10
chapters and 5,000 active members.

Some may have been members five
years ago and then aged out. JWI
started the YWIN in D.C. in 2013.

The international organization supports
the local groups with funding from its
reserves and with money from donors.

In Philadelphia, it is going to open the
new network with a two-year grant from
Women of Vision, the Jewish Federation
of Greater Philadelphia’s advocacy arm
for women, worth $45,000 to start a
financial literacy series.

Jewish Women International likes to
emphasize financial programming in
its YWIN chapters. One typical series
of workshops runs for four sessions
and teaches women to create budgets,
according to Jacobs. Each session
focuses on an important topic like how
to save for retirement, how to negotiate
for higher pay or how to buy a home.

“When you don’t have access to money,
you’re vulnerable to being in a dangerous
situation,” Jacobs said. “To not having
options. To not advancing at work.”
Meetings about domestic violence
are also important, according to the
CEO. She said that women need to
know what’s healthy and what isn’t
healthy in relationships. So JWI brings
in survivors of domestic violence to
help YWIN members gain a clearer
understanding of what a relationship
should and shouldn’t look like.

JWI also likes to emphasize leader-
ship by organizing talks and network-
ing sessions with women who are “role
models, mentors and champions,” as
Jacobs describes them. The long-term
goal of any YWIN chapter is for its
members to grow into community
leaders themselves.

“If the local JCC needs a board
member, how do they look at JWI’s
members?” Jacobs asked.

JWI has about five people interested
in joining its Philadelphia chapter,
according to Jacobs. But an official
announcement is coming soon. If
you’re interested in signing up, visit jwi.

org for more information. ■
jsaffren@midatlanticmedia.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
7