COMMUNITY NEWS
The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia mobilizes financial
and volunteer resources to address the communities’ most critical
priorities locally, in Israel and around the world.

5 Local Leaders Travel on Cabinet’s
Largest Study Mission
10 MAY 11, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT
Courtesy of Dayna Finkelstein
Courtesy of Lauren Danneman
M Dayna Finkelstein, who serves on the local
ore than 175 young leaders from North
Jewish Federation’s board of trustees. “At a
America, including five representa-
time when we are seeing antisemitism seep into
tives from the Jewish Federation of
mainstream culture and Holocaust denialism
Greater Philadelphia, recently met with Jewish
still exists, I think it’s important to combat this
communities across Eastern Europe as part
by remembering our past and confronting our
of the Jewish Federations of North America’s
present — through keeping our Jewish tradi-
National Young Leadership Cabinet Study
tions alive, our memory of Jewish history sharp,
Mission in March.

and our global Jewish communities healthy and
National Young Leadership Cabinet, better
strong.” known as Cabinet, is the premier young leader-
As part of their journey, Cabinet participants
ship development program that educates and Greater Philadelphia leaders with the United States
Ambassador to
Latvia Christopher
Robinson during
the visited
various partners of the Jewish Federation
connects the next generation of global Jewish
National Young Leadership Cabinet’s Study Mission. From
to feel the true impact of their philanthropic
leaders and philanthropists.

left: Joey Schorr, Dayna Finkelstein, Danielle Weiss, Lauren
goals to help those in need and create vibrant
“I am invested in the Jewish community Danneman, Robinson, Jan Kushner, Josh Schoenberg and
Jewish communities around the world.

because if we as Jews are not invested, no Ben Schindler
Partner visits included various Jewish Agency
one else will be. We need to make sure that
for Israel sites and the World ORT school in Riga.

Jews locally, nationally and internally, are taken
Participants also explored the Joint Distribution
care of,” said participant and Cabinet Co-Chair
Committee’s supported Jewish Community
Lauren Danneman, who also serves on the
Center in Budapest, the Camp Szarvas – a
board of trustees, the Committee of Jewish Life
summer camp turned winter respite for Ukrainian
and Learning and the Women’s Philanthropy
Jewish refugees — in Hungary, and more.

Board for the local Jewish Federation. “I believe
“It is an honor to do my part to ensure that our
in the Jewish Federation as an organization
Jewish community, locally and globally, contin-
that takes care of our own as well as others.

ues to thrive in the face of growing hate,” said
From kids to teens to adults to the elderly — we
Cabinet participant Danielle Weiss, who serves
address the needs of everyone in the U.S. and
as the chair of the local Jewish Federation’s
internationally.” Jewish Community Relations Council as well as
Representing more than 40 Jewish
on the board of directors, Women’s Philanthropy
Federations as the largest study mission in One hundred and seventy-five young leaders traveled to
Board and Campaign team. “I can trust that my
Cabinet’s nearly 60-year history, the cohort Riga, Latvia, and Budapest, Hungary, as part of the largest
National Young Leadership Cabinet’s Study Mission in
intention to repair the world will be well-ex-
traveled to Riga, Latvia, and Budapest, Hungary. March.

ecuted when I make my gift each year to the
During the week-long trip, participants explored
global Jewry by visiting historical sites, taking walking tours and socializing with Jewish Federation.”
This experience is just one of the many impactful leadership development
other participants and with the various international communities.

“Many of us as Ashkenazi Jews can trace our roots to Eastern Europe,” said opportunities that Cabinet provides for its 450 current members. Since its incep-
Cabinet participant Jan Kushner, who serves on the local Jewish Federation’s tion in 1963, Cabinet has trained 4,200 alumni across North America, including
Women’s Philanthropy Board, Finance Committee and Partnership2gether (P2G) many who have gone on to hold senior leadership roles in Jewish communal
Committee. “Seeing the Jewish life where so many of us come from being revital- organizations, public service and the private sector.

“We, in North America, are fortunate to have resources that people might not
ized and thriving was very powerful.”
The mission began with a meeting with the United States Ambassador to Latvia have in other parts of the world,” said Cabinet participant Joey Schorr from the
Christopher Robinson, who spoke about Ukrainian refugee efforts, partnership Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia delegation. “The Jewish Federation
relations with the U.S. and the fight for the recently-passed Holocaust restitution has a mandate to help Jews worldwide.”
*** law to ensure that the country remembers the atrocities of the past.

Applications for the 60th year of Cabinet are open through May 19. For more
“Experiencing this with Cabinet members — an amazing cohort of engaged,
young Jewish lay leaders across the U.S. and Canada — transforms this into a information about Cabinet or other leadership development programs, contact
once-in-a-lifetime, extremely meaningful experience,” said Cabinet participant NextGen Director Susan Becker at sbecker@jewishphilly.org.




YOU SHOULD KNOW ...

Harry Bodek
Courtesy of Harry Bodek
Sasha Rogelberg | Staff Writer
I n a time when so many young Jews are looking for meaning and
community outside of synagogues, Harry Bodek has proven that
it’s possible for the next generation to find connections within a
congregation. The lifelong member of Congregation Rodeph Shalom went
from being a reluctant bar mitzvah boy to leading the synagogue’s
Gen Z and millennial members in alternative programming as the
synagogue’s Young Friends co-chair alongside Beth Marlowe.

“The goal of Young Friends is just to bring young people that are
members of the synagogue together
and give us excuses to hang out,
talk, make friends, make connections
and also expand our Jewish commu-
nity and Jewish horizons,” Bodek said.

“It’s a connection thing. It’s all about
making friends and meeting people.”
In March, Bodek, 31, and his wife
hosted 35-40 people in his Fishtown
home for a BBQ Shabbat dinner,
complete with a smoked brisket.

Young Friends has hosted Torah study
groups with Rabbi Eli Freedman at Bar
Hygge in Fairmount and “Painting with
a Jewish Twist” art classes.

The group is in a period of flux:
COVID has made young people less
interested in stepping out of their
social comfort zones or taking the
initiative to keep affinity groups going,
Bodek noticed. He’s hoping to add
more vibrancy to Young Friends.

“COVID wrecked everybody’s
routines,” he said. “We used to be
really social, and now it just feels
like work to pull things together even
though they’re always really enjoyable.

It’s a muscle we’re working on flexing.”
Young professionals are a difficult
group to bring together. People are
building their careers and starting
families — Bodek works as a construc-
tion manager — and it’s hard to build
momentum when the onus of event
planning is on just one or two people.

“We need to make it more of a
communal effort to plan activities,”
he said.

The silver lining is that people who
attend Young Friends events have
fun and make new friends. It’s made
up of Jews who are choosing to live
Jewishly, which wasn’t always a reality
or interest for Bodek.

“I was pretty involved in the
synagogue and went to summer
camp, but I never really understood
why I was doing it other than it was
what my parents said we were doing,”
Bodek said.

His family joined Rodeph Shalom
in 1998. Bodek’s mother converted
to Judaism and wanted her kids to
have a Jewish upbringing and the
religious community she lacked
growing up. While Bodek was involved
in synagogue, he certainly wasn’t
engaged. “I didn’t really like any of it,” Bodek
said. "Frankly, I was made fun of a
lot for being Jewish. I went to public
school, and people were just kind of
rude about it.”
Bodek checked out of Judaism for
a while but returned to his roots after
his wife wanted to get involved in the
community. Two years ago, the couple
became members of Rodeph Shalom,
and this time, it was of Bodek’s own
volition. “We went to our first Shabbat service
together about two years ago right
before we joined,” he said. “Actually
listening to the content and listening
to what they were saying and listening
to what the rabbi’s sermon was talking
about — everything that was said really
resonated with me.”
Bodek and his wife took an introduc-
tion to Judaism class together, where
they met their best friends, another
young couple. He said the class gave
him “honor, pride and respect for my
heritage.” Not only did Bodek develop a greater
appreciation for his religion but also
for his mother’s reasoning to raise
her children Jewishly. Bodek’s story is
starting to mirror his mother’s: He and
his wife are entering a phase of their
lives where they want to think about
their future and support system.

In the 25 years his family has been
involved in Rodeph Shalom, it’s diffi-
cult for Bodek to really see what has
changed in the synagogue because
he’s changed so much. But he’s noticed
that the hunger for millennial Jews to
get involved is strong.

“I see more people my age who are
involved,” he said. “It definitely does
feel younger and more progressive.” ■
srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
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