Meet Karen Singer
Karen Singer, The Associated’s Chair of Women’s Engagement and Philanthropy describes herself as the most stereotypical Jewish Baltimorean. “I lived most of my life in Baltimore and for the past 33 years, have lived within a half mile from my parents who lived in the house I grew up in,” she says.
A Pikesville High School and Wharton School-University of Pennsylvania graduate, Karen didn’t truly experience what it meant to be part of a minority until she attended law school at the University of Virginia. It was there, and in her career as a real estate attorney, that she realized she might be one of the first Jew or one of a few Jews some people had met. “I knew I needed to set an example.”
And Karen has certainly been doing that ever since. Here are nine things to know about this mother of two.
A family legacy.
Growing up on a sheep farm in Greenspring Valley, Karen was exposed early on to the importance of helping others. Her mother was the Chair of HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) in Baltimore and then served on the national board of HIAS at a time when many Jewish immigrants were arriving in Baltimore from the Soviet Union.
“My parents would invite many of these immigrants over for Shabbat dinner. We’d host picnics at the farm for new immigrants. Although their English wasn’t good and our Russian was non-existent, we would find ways to communicate. It was so rewarding to be part of helping them get acclimated to life in Baltimore.”
Her father and grandparents were also deeply involved with The Associated. In fact, on the cover of the Centennial book, you’ll find her paternal grandfather—behind the wheel—driving women during G-Day, The Associated Women’s Division’s annual door-to-door fundraising effort in the 50’s and early 60’s.
She met her husband, John, a Pittsburgh native, in the law library at Piper & Marbury
“I was interning, and he was working full-time at the law firm. We began talking in the law library. I laugh that his pick-up line was, ‘Are you always this serious?’
On our first date, we played tennis. I remember driving on Falls Road, and he told me about his maternal grandmother from Baltimore who would visit and always bring Berger cookies. I knew then that family (and chocolate) was important to him.”
Her journey to Chair of Women’s Engagement and Philanthropy
When Karen returned to Baltimore, she became involved with Young Leadership, ultimately chairing the group. Fast forward to when her children were grown and she reconnected as a member of Chapter 2, a former Associated Women leadership program for women experiencing their next stage in life.
That re-entry led to many volunteer positions. She served as Chair of the Jewish Volunteer Connection, chaired Chapter 2, serves on the Board of Associated Jewish Charities and its Real Estate Committee, utilizing her expertise as a real estate lawyer. She most recently chaired a Jewish Life Lead Team Management Council.
Promoting “Jewish Joy” is her passion.
“It’s a challenging time to be Jewish—that’s why I think that Jewish joy is really needed. And that journey may mean different things for different people. We could choose to be less Jewish and less engaged, but I believe that now, more than ever, we need each other. And we can find joy doing it together.
Whether making challah for Shabbat, fighting antisemitism or getting help for an elderly parent, The Associated can be part of that journey. Knowing that we are here for each other and we can support each other is so important now.”
In her role as Chair of Women’s Philanthropy, Karen wants to hear from you.
“Associated women are very diverse. We are different ages and come from different stages in our lives. The group is dynamic, not only thriving from what the generation before us built but also having the flexibility to do things in new ways.”
To grow and expand, she says, she wants to hear from women in the community. “Women have the power and the capacity to make a major difference in building a strong Jewish Baltimore, and I want to hear their ideas.”
A three-legged stool represents how she lives her life.
Home life, work life and civic life are the legs, and each component should play an equal role.
What do knitting, needlepointing and hula hooping have in common?
All are passions of Karen. Not only is she an excellent hula-hopper, but she also enjoys knitting and needlepointing, appreciating how they allow her to slow down and think. In fact, her challah covers, which she has made for many simchas and for our friends in Odesa, is a source of pride.
Pearls of Wisdom
From her parents: “Family first, it’s who you can always rely upon” and “always function on all 8-cylinders to get the job done.”
To her children: “Do the right thing (DTRT),” and “If you tell the truth, you only have one story to remember.”
If she wasn’t an attorney, Karen would be …
Julie McCoy, Cruise Director, from the 1970s-1980s television series, The Love Boat. In fact, Julie McCoy was the subject of her college essay to Penn. The question: Who do you want to meet and/or have dinner with? Karen values strong interpersonal and communicative skills and making people feel comfortable and hopes to being these values to Associated Women.
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The Associated is a home for everyone in the Baltimore Jewish community. We offer several email lists to help people find a community, engage with their peers and support Jewish journeys around the world.
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