Meet Jon Davidov

Jon Davidov with his wife Robin and two kids

One of Jon Davidov’s earliest memories of the power of Jewish community came as a young boy. He, along with his family—and several thousand other Baltimoreans—trekked throughout Baltimore’s Jewish neighborhoods in the annual Walk for Israel fundraiser. It was an incredibly impactful experience, and one that showed him what could be accomplished when people come together for an important cause.

Years later, after graduating from Syracuse University, Jon returned home to Baltimore, ready to get more involved. That’s when he began his Associated journey.

Here are eight things to know about this Baltimore native and father of two.

He began his Associated journey in Young Leadershp.

“When I returned to Baltimore after college, I wanted to establish roots in the Jewish community and expand my network. That’s when I joined Young Leadership. One of the highlights was being part of a mentor mentee program and being paired with Mike Lapides, someone who shaped my involvement in meaningful ways. The other highlight was a bus trip we took from Lloyd Street Synagogue to the [Rosenbloom] Owings Mills JCC. As we stopped along the way, we learned about Jewish migration, Associated services and the many places The Associated planted flags in our community.”

He had the good fortune of meeting his future wife at an Associated phoning.

“We sat next to each other. Like many people, Robin wasn’t a fan of cold calling. I was much better at it because it was what I did at work. So, I helped her out. Then, I asked her out. The rest is history.”

One of his first volunteer positions was sitting on board observer at Jewish Vocational Services (JVS)

He later became treasurer and stayed on the board until JVS was folded into Jewish Community Services (JCS), continuing his involvement by serving on its board. He later became JCS Board Chair.

“I think it was a brilliant idea to pull all these services under one roof. It’s rare that individuals face only one challenge. For example, if you have an addiction problem, you probably are struggling with a job. And without a good job, you may need financial assistance to pay your bills or put food on your table. The JCS business model allows professionals to look at each person holistically. They can then connect them with the resources and support they need to live more independently and become more successful.

Doing something about financial vulnerability.

With needs growing, and funding being cut, chairing The Associated’s recent Financial Vulnerability Task Force was a chance for Jon to think about creative solutions to financial challenges. He hopes many of the recommendations the group talked about, from addressing food insecurity to new investments in financial education, will be implemented in the upcoming year.

If he wasn’t in finance, he would….

Go into education. “I like working with younger people, particularly high school or college students. I’d love to teach about the financial markets and investments.”

Or:

“I’m also interested in health care. The industry has many inefficiencies, and the current climate is ripe for change. I think it would be a fascinating sector to be involved in and help rethink how we address these challenges.

Best advice he ever received.

“Be curious. God gave you two ears and one mouth. Listen more, then talk. And be empathetic.”

He makes a mean chili.

If you know Jon, you probably know he enjoys cooking. But did you know that his chili has won his office’s chili cookoff – not just once, but multiple times!

Thomas Friedman would make an interesting Shabbat dinner guest.

“He understands the big picture in the Middle East. I’d love to talk to him about what the Middle East might look like in the future, as well as hear his insights on the Abraham Accords. It would also be interesting to hear his thoughts about Europe’s future and U.S. China relations.”

Hear from Jon as he talks about leaving a legacy with his wife.

Meet Jon Davidov

Meet Jon Davidov

He began his Associated journey in Young Leadershp.

He had the good fortune of meeting his future wife at an Associated phoning.

One of his first volunteer positions was sitting on board observer at Jewish Vocational Services (JVS)