Leadership Briefing

This year, we celebrated two important agency milestones, underscoring our foresight in addressing and adapting to changing community needs.

The first is CHAI’s 40th anniversary. Recognizing our role as an anchor institution in the Park Heights community, we invested in a strategic planning process that led to CHAI’s creation. Thanks to our efforts, CHAI has played a critical role in strengthening this northwest Baltimore neighborhood and has led our efforts to ensure older adults remain safe, independent and engaged in our community.

This year, we also celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Baltimore-area Hillels. Twenty-five years ago, The Associated understood the importance of building a strong campus environment for Jewish students. Through our collaboration with national Hillel, we established chapters on our Baltimore campuses. Today, The Associated funds the work of these Baltimore Hillels (Goucher, Hopkins, Towson and UMBC), plus the Hillel at the University of Maryland, College Park. They serve as hubs for Jewish engagement and a supportive community for Jewish students. And with evolving times and unrest on campuses across the country, their work is more important than ever.

Thanks to your commitment to the Annual Campaign, we are able to innovate by building these impactful programs. Please continue to support our work so we can invest in our future.

Unrest on College Campuses

In recent weeks, The Associated, Baltimore Jewish Council and campus Hillels have worked diligently to address campus unrest. Although there are no direct threats, our security team has been in frequent communication with local law enforcement. We also speak regularly with our Hillels to help them navigate the situation and talked with leadership at area universities. This includes addressing our concerns about a lack of enforcement of existing rules related to encampments and demonstrations and seeking security for Jewish students.

Throughout this chaos, our dedicated leadership at our five area Hillels have created alternative activities during protests to give Jewish students places of peace and refuge as well as continuing programming such as Hopkins Hillel’s annual Israel Fair which went on last week. They also have spoken up against incidents of hate and focused intensely on safety and security.

Hillels are in constant conversation with administrators, many having built strong relationships with them through Hillel International’s Campus Climate Initiative. Click here to read the statement from the Baltimore Jewish Council about our collective response.

Associated Hires New Director of Security

We are excited to announce the addition of David Folderauer as The Associated’s new Director of Security. David, who serves as a staff member of the Baltimore Jewish Council, will provide security assessments for Maryland’s Jewish organizations, help with grants from Homeland Security and work closely with law enforcement agencies to ensure our community’s safety. David replaces Keith Tiedemann who served as our Director of Security for over a decade until he passed away in January.

David brings years of experience to the position. He started as a cadet with Baltimore County in 1985, retiring from the county police as a Colonel in 2021. During his time on the police force, he served as Detective Lieutenant in Pikesville, Captain in Franklin and Major overseeing Western Patrol. He has interacted with many people in The Associated network and the Jewish community over the years and had a long relationship with Keith.

The Associated’s Jewish Women’s Giving Foundation Responds to October 7 Attack

Following the horrific attacks of October 7, The Associated’s Jewish Women’s Giving Foundation (JWGF), a giving circle dedicated to supporting women and girls, took a new approach this year.

Recognizing that Israeli women and girls were uniquely impacted by the events, JWGF put more emphasis on grantmaking to nonprofits that addressed their trauma. The women simplified the grant process for these organizations, then voted to provide funding to six programs that addressed a range of issues from sexual assault, rape and mental health to direct aid to support twice traumatized Ukrainian and Russian women immigrants and refugees to Israel. Check out what was funded in Israel.

The remaining grant money went to four local programs in Baltimore, including a CHANA program. Contact Lauren Klein to learn about the program.

Survivors’ Testimonies Live on in the Next Generations

Last Sunday, in commemoration of Yom HaShoah, the Baltimore Jewish Council (BJC) led a community-wide celebration to say “Never Again.” Hundreds came out to honor the victims and survivors of the Shoah. To ensure their legacy lives on, the BJC invited survivors’ children and grandchildren to share their stories and make sure the lessons of the Holocaust are never forgotten. The BJC leads our Holocaust efforts through commemorations and providing speakers to schools, businesses and more.

Watch the event which includes powerful testimonies from the second and third generation (2G and 3G).

HAVE YOU MET…

Lindsay Klatsky

Since returning to her hometown, after a brief stint in New York, Lindsay Klatsky is making her mark. Since she’s been back, this Baltimore native has made a commitment to helping her Jewish community. Check out this Q&A with the recent winner of The Associated’s Julius Rosenberg Memorial Award. Get to know Lindsay.

JOIN US

William & Irene Weinberg Family Baltimore Jewish Film Festival

Through May 29, Gordon Center for Performing Arts

Parenting Unpacked: College Admission for the Jewish Soul

May 16, 6:30 p.m., Chizuk Amuno Congregation

YAD’s Almost Summer Soiree

May 16, 7:00 p.m., Mt Washington Mill-Dye House

Yom Ha’atzmaut Nature Festival

May 19, 3:30 p.m., Pearlstone

Jewish Professional Women (JPW) Leadhership Event – Barbie’s Jewish Mother and Corporate Genius

May 21, 7:00 p.m., Woodholme Country Club

The Associated’s Leadership Awards

May 28, 7:00 p.m., Gordon Center for Performing Arts

REIG: Yard 56 with P. David Bramble

June 3, 12:00 p.m., Lofts at Yard 56

Marc Terrill’s Grand Farewell

June 18, 5:30 p.m., M&T Bank Exchange at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center (The Hippodrome Theatre)

Annual Meeting

June 26, 5:30 p.m., Beth Tfiloh Congregation