Empowered Women Empower Women: Meet the New Chair of The Associated’s Jewish Women’s Giving Foundation

When Jodi Moskowitz first moved to Baltimore for graduate school, volunteering wasn’t yet on her radar. She was busy earning her master’s in social work and building a career in healthcare, primarily working with dialysis patients.

After graduate school, inspired by a college friend who was a Big Brother, Jodi decided to get involved with Jewish Big Brother Big Sister. She was matched with a 10-year-old girl — and decades later, the two are still close. They’ve celebrated milestones together, stayed in touch through every life stage and even share the same career field today: social work.

After her second child was born, Jodi made the decision to step away from her full-time job and found herself searching for something that was hers.

“I didn’t want to just be known as my children’s mother or my husband’s wife,” she says. “I needed my own identity.”

She later became active in her children’s schools, Hadassah and The Associated’s Girls Project. She joined boards, took on leadership roles and discovered she had both the passion and skill to help shape community programs.

Now, as chair of the Jewish Women’s Giving Foundation (JWGF), she’s focused on raising awareness of Jewish needs for women and girls, engaging more members and growing the foundation’s impact both locally and in Israel.

Want to learn a little more about her? Here are 9 things to know about Jodi Moskowitz.

On Her JWGF Pitch

“Our theme this year is Empowered Women, Empower Women. If you want to work with a group of women who can truly make a difference in the lives of women and girls, this is the place to do it.” Jodi hopes to engage even more members this year, giving them hands-on roles in the grants and programming process.

“We’ve learned our members aren’t necessarily looking for just a happy hour. They want meaningful ways to connect — like educational programs or a book group,” she says. JWGF is planning one this spring at the newly renovated Jewish Library, along with other hybrid events to make participation easier for members near and far.

On a Moment She’d Relive

Jodi says she would return to Passover Seders at her great-grandparents’ house in Brooklyn. The small dining room was always overflowing with relatives, and the oversized table was filled with food, laughter and memories she treasures to this day.

On Her Ideal Sunday

In just three words: sleep, read, newspaper. Sunday mornings are for catching up with the paper edition of the New York Times — one tradition she still loves.

On Her Favorite Food

If she had to pick only one thing to eat forever, the answer is simple: chocolate.

On Whose Opinion She Values Most

Jodi looks to her husband as her most trusted sounding board. After 34 years of marriage, his perspective matters most.

On Skills She’d Like to Learn

She’s comfortable with the basics but admits there’s plenty more she’d like to know about computers and technology. “There’s a lot I need to learn to keep current,” she says with a laugh.

On What She’d Teach

If asked to step into the classroom, Jodi says she’d teach sociology — her undergraduate major. “I’ve always found studying people and communities fascinating,” she says.

On How She Communicates Best

Email for details, text for quick logistics, phone for meaningful conversations. For her, the best method depends on the message.

On What She is Most Passionate About

Jodi is deeply committed to supporting women and girls facing challenges — from survivors of abuse to those affected by period poverty. “It’s heartbreaking to think girls miss school every month because they can’t afford sanitary products,” she says. Tackling issues like these is at the heart of why she volunteers and why JWGF’s mission resonates so strongly with her.

To learn more about The Associated’s Jewish Women’s Giving Foundation please visit associated.org/JWGF.