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For Melanie Shapiro, change is a constant in her life. As director of Juvenile Justice Policy for the Maryland Office of the Public Defender, Melanie is an advocate for change (and sometimes for stability, ensuring policies remain unchanged). Today, Melanie’s involvement spreads beyond her professional […]

Baltimore born and bred, Michele Shermak M.D. is a Pikesville High graduate who grew up in “21208.” Michele currently lives in Roland Park with her husband, Howard Sobkov and two college-age sons, Sam (19) and Max (18). Michele earned her undergraduate degree from Franklin and […]

For the past 13 years, Elise Rubenstein has been making a difference as a member of the Jewish Women’s Giving Foundation (JWGF), a giving circle that empowers women to make funding decisions for programs that affect women and girls. She’s played a major role in […]

My friend, the parent of a first grader, knew what to expect when she attended an IEP (Individualized Education Program) meeting at her daughter’s school. A team of school staff would discuss her daughter’s progress and update her on any additional plans. What she wasn’t […]

“I felt there was something missing in the community for active women, who had worked all their life and now have free time to give back and make a statement,” says Rosenzwog. That was when she approached Associated Women, and working with Michele Lax, Associated […]

Cindy Kasner, a native Baltimorean, always knew she wanted to raise her family not far from where she grew up. She and her husband, Harvey, whom she met while attending optometry school in Philadelphia, believe that it is easier to connect to Judaism when living […]

Since Lauren Shaivitz and Lisa Budlow recently took over the helm at CHANA and CHAI respectfully, these two dynamic women are continuing the legacy of their predecessors while providing their own ideas on how to propel their organizations forward. Yet already these two dynamic women […]

If there is one common thread that seems to run through Debra Silberman Weinberg’s life, it is the overarching sense of community. For it is her love of community that defines this Baltimore native, and it is community that motivates her to give back. Raised […]

I remember my first time using a prescription opioid. I was 17 and just had my wisdom teeth extracted earlier in the day. I was lying on the couch in our family room watching a re-run of Gilmore Girls, trying to distract myself from the pain […]

Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Laurie Weitz arrived in Baltimore in 1993 for her husband’s business. Living in the Greenspring Valley area at the time, she quickly connected with the Jewish community. She was involved as the first co-chair, along with Ned Himmelrich, for ACHARAI, […]