Judaism: The Foundation Of It All 

Growing up in Jewish Baltimore gave Jeanie an incredible sense of community and cultural appreciation from a young age. Knowing that she was surrounded by Jewish people and spaces instilled a sense of pride for both her and her parents, who immigrated from Ukraine. She calls her upbringing ‘amazing,’ stating that her parents celebrated every aspect of their lives and took nothing for granted. Leaving their life behind to seek out new opportunities for their young family in Baltimore was a decision that greatly shaped the lives of their children and grandchildren. “It feels like fate that my parents chose Baltimore, for me to also be here and be able to raise my children here.”  

Joining BJC’s Leadership Development Program 

After learning about the Leadership Development program at the BJC, Jeanie saw a powerful outlet for her passion in leadership and community service. Her background as an attorney gave her a unique skill set which she felt could help her to grow both personally and professionally. “It opens up a lot of different avenues for you. The extra cherry on top is that I’m able to contribute to the well-being and future of our community,” she says. 

“Given the rise in antisemitism, it was such an important bill for me. I spoke about it to both our delegate and our senator. I explained that I have two teens and I can’t imagine them not understanding what the Holocaust is… I think of a lot of different schools and areas across the country that don’t discuss this openly,” she explains. 

Advocacy Day also allowed Jeanie to reflect on her Ukranian heritage. “My parents immigrated here in the 70s without the opportunity to say that they were proudly Jewish. So, my being able to sit in a government official’s office and advocate for better Jewish education was very meaningful. I got to say, ‘look — I’m a Jewish mom, and I can tell you why this is important.” 

Ukrainian Roots 

Jeanie fondly remembers her life growing up as a child of Ukranian immigrants. She deeply respects her parents’ brave decision to leave life as they knew it to find better opportunities for their family. And now, she’s proudly passing on the traditions, stories, food and culture of her youth to her own children.  

“Witnessing the evolution of my family’s relationship with our traditions — moving from the constrained expressions of my parents’ generation in Ukraine to the full, vibrant embrace by my children — has been nothing short of miraculous,” she says. 

One of her favorite places to relish in Jewish tradition and remember her family’s journey is in the kitchen. She recalls being a child and enthusiastically listening to stories of her mother and grandmother’s humble kitchen back in Ukraine. They shared tales of making it through hardship with limited resources, preparing for Passover and quietly maintaining their faith under the threat of persecution.  

“Now as I create the dishes passed down to me, I feel deeply connected to the lineage of strong, resilient women that came before me reinforcing my connection to my identity and past,” she says with pride. 

Jeanie cherishes memories of when her children were younger, remembering core moments in their Jewish upbringing that filled her with pride. One such moment happened when her daughter was around six years old. The family had just left the store after assembling “blessing bags” for those less fortunate when her daughter noticed a homeless family with a young girl about her age. Jeanie’s daughter insisted that they go back in the store and purchase supplies for an additional blessing bag for the girl, along with a plush animal to bring extra comfort. This moment, Jeanie said, was when she knew that her children were truly grasping the lessons she taught them and perfectly modeling the Jewish concept of tikkun olan — repairing the world. 

Life Beyond Work 

When she’s not working her full-time job, growing as a leader or raising her children, Jeanie loves going to escape rooms with her family. “My family and I will drive long distances looking for an escape room,” she laughs. “We’ve been doing it since our kids were little, and as of now we’ve successfully escaped all of the rooms.”  

Jeanie also loves to spend time in the city, enjoying all of the sights and hidden gems. Whether it’s exploring a museum or relaxing in a coffee shop, she is continuously in awe of what Baltimore has to offer. “I’ve always loved being such a part of the city, living there, going to law school there…it’s our city.”