Associated Announces New Initiatives to Strengthen Jewish Journeys
We are proud to let you know about The Associated’s exciting new initiatives to strengthen Jewish education and engagement in Greater Baltimore.
Beginning July 1, The Associated will launch three new organizations – the Macks Center for Jewish Connections, Jewish Educational Services (JES*) and the New Jewish Library – all dedicated to expanding and enhancing our Jewish education and engagement agenda. These initiatives are a direct result of the Greater Baltimore Community Study which highlighted our community declining connection to Jewish life.
The Macks Center for Jewish Connections will support Jewish journeys for Baltimoreans through Jewish living, learning and service. It will combine the work of Jewish Volunteer Connection with the family engagement agenda of the Macks Center for Jewish Education to establish a new organization dedicated to creating new partnerships, initiatives and resources to grow the number of Baltimoreans participating in Jewish life.
JES will bring together the services provided by The Associated’s Macks Center for Jewish Education and SHEMESH to establish a new organization that supports Jewish day schools, congregational schools, Jewish preschools, along with educators and families. The new organization will preserve our culture of Jewish educational excellence in Baltimore, inspire children to pursue a lifetime of Jewish learning and create positive educational experiences so all Jewish children will reach their full potential.
The New Jewish Library will connect community members to educational resources that will support them in their Jewish journeys. This new organization expands upon the library previously housed at the Macks Center for Jewish Education with a collection of over 16,000 multimedia, books, Judaica and curricular materials for educators and the general community. The New Jewish Library will support the Jewish education and engagement work of The Associated network and collaborate with Associated agencies to leverage the important role libraries play in building community.
We are excited to announce that, as part of this effort, we have outstanding professional and lay leadership to lead these important efforts.
The Macks Center for Jewish Connections
Addie Lewis Klein, selected as the inaugural Executive Director for The Macks Center for Jewish Connections, brings nearly 20 years of experience in community engagement and in socially minded entrepreneurial ventures. She is currently the Senior Director of Leadership Development & Community Engagement at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. In her role, she has delivered a new mid-pandemic plan to strengthen the engagement and leadership pipeline for the Federation and for Greater Jewish Philadelphia, launched two new regular volunteer programs for the Jewish community that fit pandemic circumstances, and curated regular conversations for community lay and professional leadership throughout the pandemic, creating a culture of openness and collaboration for Jewish organizations. She is a Wexner Field Fellow with a Masters in Judaic Studies and Jewish Communal Service from Brandeis University and a BA from Haverford College.
Jewish Educational Services
Rabbi Aaron Levitt will serve as the inaugural Executive Director of Jewish Educational Services (JES). A talented educator and lifelong learner with years of experience teaching and supervising in Jewish day schools, congregational schools, Jewish camps, synagogues and adult education programs. Over the years, he has served as the Judaic Studies Principal of the Robert M. Beren Hebrew Academy in Houston, as the Talmud Department Chair at the Hillel Day School in Boca Raton and as the Assistant Rabbi of Boca Raton Synagogue, and most recently as an educator at the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy and as Youth Rabbi at Kemp Mill Synagogue in Silver Spring, He holds degrees in Psychology and Nonprofit Management and earned his Rabbinic ordination from RIETS at Yeshiva University. Rabbi Levitt and his wife, Elisheva, are the proud parents of three children: Shira, Rina and Simcha.
The New Jewish Library
Jessica Fink has been appointed the Executive Director of the New Jewish Library. Previously she was the Macks Center for Jewish Education librarian and a former CJE Connector. Prior to joining CJE, she taught at Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community Day School and led programming at the local libraries for the JCC parent, Infant and Toddler programming. Jessica received her degree in elementary education from the University of Florida, her master’s in Elementary education from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s in library science from the Pratt Institute. She lives in Pikesville with her husband, son and daughter.
This is the initial phase of our community planning work that will ensure a robust blueprint for tomorrow, while utilizing our services in the most efficient, effective and innovative way. The announcement of the Macks Center for Jewish Connections leadership will be shared in the coming weeks.
Please congratulate our leadership who are embarking on this critical journey of strengthening Jewish education and expanding Jewish engagement for our entire community.
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