Finding Home in Baltimore 

Before arriving in Baltimore, Elliot lived in New York, Los Angeles and San Diego, earned a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University and a Ph.D. from the University of California, San Diego, and spent several years living in Israel. 

When he and his wife, Anita, moved to Baltimore in the early 1990s, finding their place in the Jewish community came naturally. “Being involved in Jewish community was just something we did.” 

Since then, they have raised three children, joined Chizuk Amuno Congregation and became actively involved in Jewish communal and global engagement efforts. They are also proud grandparents to six grandchildren. 

“It was completely by chance,” he said. At first, neither he nor his wife had seriously considered joining the trip. But something about the opportunity felt right. “I just said yes.”   

While the trip offered opportunities to visit familiar places, what stood out most were the people. “We met a lot of people who were nice and fun and good-hearted.”  Those relationships proved to be one of the most meaningful parts of the experience, and several friendships remain strong today. 

One of those connections took on even greater significance months later. During the visit, Elliot and his wife spent time with longtime friend Vivian Silver at Kibbutz Be’eri. A respected peace activist, Silver welcomed them into her community. Only a short time later, she was murdered on October 7. “We had all these fresh pictures from just a couple months before,” he says. 

For Elliot, the experience underscored why programs like the Baltimore-Ashkelon Partnership matter. They transform distant places and news headlines into real people, relationships and memories. 

A Personal Connection to Odesa 

Elliot’s involvement with the Baltimore-Odesa Partnership is personal to him. His grandmother spent several years of her youth living in Odesa before eventually immigrating to North America. Today, as an ambassador for the Baltimore-Odesa Partnership, he feels a strong connection to the city and its people. “I can’t wait for there to be peace so I can go on a mission to Ukraine,” he says.  

As the war continues, Elliot remains inspired by the resilience and determination of the Ukrainian people. “What they’re doing is historic,” he says. “The heroism is unbelievable.” 

For him, the partnership offers a meaningful way to support a Jewish community facing extraordinary challenges while maintaining ties that stretch back generations. “Whatever little bit that I can do,” he says, “I’m grateful for the opportunity.” 

Discovering Jewish Life in Uganda 

One of Elliot’s most memorable recent experiences came through a visit to Uganda, where he spent time with the Abayudaya, a Jewish community whose roots stretch back more than a century. There, he attended the bat mitzvah of Ugandan Rabbi Gershom Sizomu’s daughter. “It was absolutely an incredible experience,” he says. 

What struck him most was the energy of the community. “It’s a young community, with lots of young people and children all over the place,” he says. 

The experience reinforced one of the themes that has become central to his worldview: Jewish life exists in many forms and in many places. “There are amazing Jewish communities all over the world,” he says. 

What Fascinates Him About the Jewish Story 

As he has grown older, Elliot has become increasingly fascinated by what he calls the miracle of Jewish continuity. “It’s amazing that we’ve existed all this time,” he says. 

He marvels at the fact that Jewish communities remained connected for centuries across continents and generations, preserving traditions, ideas and relationships despite extraordinary challenges. “The miracle of our existence is that somehow, as a people, we’ve stayed connected.” 

That belief has become central to how he thinks about Jewish life today. For Elliot, being Jewish means participating in something far larger than oneself, a global community connected by shared history, values and responsibility. 

Why He Shows Up 

When asked what advice he would give someone considering involvement with The Associated’s Israel and global work, Elliot keeps it simple. “You don’t have to be a leader everywhere,” he says. “You can just be an active member of the community.” Many of his own opportunities began because he was willing to say yes when they appeared.  

For Elliot, meaningful participation doesn’t require taking center stage. “You don’t have to do everything. One thing, or two things, or five things,” he says. 

Even after decades of involvement, he still describes himself as a “backbencher.” “I’m the guy who sits in the back,” he says. 

Elliot believes communities aren’t sustained by leaders alone. They are sustained by people willing to participate, contribute and remain connected. “It’s important to be the community,” he says. “To show up.”