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Meet Randi Buergenthal

I am a native Baltimorean, but I didn’t grow up in Pikesville or Randallstown, or the areas that most of you think of when my peers say they grew up in Baltimore. I am not really good at the high school Jewish geography game, because I was one of three Jews in my high school graduating class; I guarantee you that you did not know me in high school.

My COVID-19 Wedding

I was a Covid bride. I realize how trivial my struggles with a wedding were compared to the devastating and heartbreaking challenges others were facing from the impact of a global pandemic. I know that having to deal with a wedding during a pandemic is the best problem I could have had while others faced much heavier challenges.

Applying to College During COVID-19 – What Do Parents and Students Need to Know

Traditionally, enrollment committees evaluate student applicants, considering their grades, test scores, extracurricular activities and personal statement or essay, evaluating their readiness for higher education and their “fit” for the college or university community. But the pandemic froze so many of those activities and created unprecedented […]

Nine Things You Never Knew About Jewish Women’s Giving Foundation’s Julie Newman

Julie has lived her life as a transplant.  A true “nomad” as she likes to refer to herself, Julie was born in Camden, NJ But at the age of 2 ½, she moved to Vienna VA because of her father’s job at the Department of Defense. Since then, she’s […]

Meet Erika Rief Hornstein

Growing up in the Owings Mills area, Erika Rief Hornstein left Baltimore after high school but returned for graduate school where she earned an MBA/MA in Design Leadership at Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business and the Maryland Institute College of Art. Today, she is […]

Proud of My Jewish Identity

How am I teaching my children? Heidi Topaz and Melissa Goldmeier, Community Connectors for the Macks Center for Jewish Education (CJE), were asked about their Jewish identity, and how they are passing on these values to their children.  Melissa Goldmeier, Downtown Community Connector.   What does it mean to you to be proud of your Jewish identity?  […]

The Associated Hosts COVID-19 Vaccine Town Hall

On January 26, at 5:00 in the evening, The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore with LifeBridge Health, convened a COVID-19 Vaccine Town Hall. The virtual event, attended by hundreds of Baltimore community members, included a panel of medical leaders. Marc B. Terrill, president of The […]

Get to Know Monica Harris Susel

What was your first job? My first job was as a staff attorney at a regional brokerage firm in New Jersey (I’m originally from New Jersey). I worked on regulatory matters, trade desk issues, as well as arbitration and litigation. But eager to be in “the” financial center, I got […]

These Are Not Normal Times

By Brittni Barcase This story was featured in “My Life During A Pandemic” No one can prepare you for the loneliness that accompanies motherhood. It can be extremely isolating. One minute you are a single person in the world and the next minute you are […]

My Life During A Pandemic

At this point, we have heard the phrase “these are unprecedented times.” And while we may tire of hearing those words, it doesn’t change the reality that these are indeed, unprecedented times. Now that we are fully into the new year, we decided to reach […]