Meet Josh Finifter

Josh Finifter with his wifte and two daughters.

For Josh Finifter, it all started with the Diller Teen Fellows program. What began as a teen’s introduction to Jewish leadership and community has grown into a lifelong connection to Baltimore, Israel, The Associated and the programs that continue to shape the next generation. Today, he co-chairs the critically important Teen Engagement Campaign.

A Baltimore Beginning

Josh grew up in Owings Mills, where he attended public high school and religious school at Chizuk Amuno Congregation. It wasn’t until he participated in the Diller Teen Fellows program that he developed a deeper curiosity about his Jewish identity. That would lead to greater involvement in Baltimore’s Jewish community, and eventually, 4Front and The Associated.

After high school, Josh participated in Young Judaea year Course in Israel before attending the University of Maryland, College Park, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and management. His involvement in Jewish life continued on campus as a member of the AEPi fraternity, where he served on the fraternity’s executive team and supported recruitment efforts. He also became involved with Hillel and served as president of the Jewish Student Union.

During college, Josh met his wife, Ilana, who grew up in Los Angeles and was also involved Jewishly on campus. After graduating, the two lived in Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and Virginia before moving to LA and spending several years building their life together on the West Coast. But when the pandemic hit, Baltimore called him back home. In October 2020, they moved back to Baltimore, where they have since put down roots and are raising their family. Josh and Ilana live in Lutherville with their daughters, Sophie (5) and Maddie (2).

Shaping Jewish Leadership and Identity

Looking back, Josh credits the Diller Teen Fellows program with shaping who he is today and leaving a lasting impression during some of his most formative years. He says the program gave him three things that have stayed with him: Jewish leadership, Jewish identity and Jewish community.

Diller also gave Josh something else: lasting connections. His friendships continued long after the program ended, and his experience inspired him to stay involved as an alumnus, including organizing and fundraising an alumni trip to Israel.

But Josh’s connection to Jewish teen programming didn’t end with Diller. Over time, his involvement in Baltimore’s Jewish community continued to grow. As both a professional and a lay leader, he has become increasingly involved across The Associated network, serving with various agencies and working with the Jewish Community Investment Fund (JCIF).

Turning Passion into Action

Most recently, Josh was named co-chair of the Teen Engagement Campaign, which includes funding for 4Front. The Associated seeks to ensure the long-term sustainability of programs like 4Front, which is celebrating its 10^th anniversary. “I’ve gotten a lot from The Associated,” Josh says. “I feel a duty, obligation and excitement to contribute to that.”

His connection to teen programming is especially personal.

“I feel a deep personal passion for the programs that I participated in,” he continues. “Programs change and times change. But the concept of leadership development and identity confidence for young teens in the Baltimore Jewish community, to give them the tools, resources and confidence to be a strong Jewish representative in whatever they do in college and beyond is really important to me. These teens are the ones who will become the next generation of leaders within Baltimore and beyond. At a time when the Jewish community and the future of that Jewish community is being threated, I believe there is no cause more critical than our teens. It is our responsibility to ensure they are given the same opportunities that I was provided with to foster that love for Israel and Judaism, and then the tools to carry that forward as leaders and community advocates.

Josh believes these programs help open doors for teens, preparing them for the real world as they navigate challenges ranging from antisemitism to mental health and cyberbullying.

Baltimore has a strong bench of younger lay leaders, and Josh sees the campaign as an opening for more of them to step in. He welcomes conversations with anyone — at any giving level — who want to be part of such an important and timely need.

What’s Great About Baltimore

A native Baltimorean, Josh says his favorite thing about his hometown is the people. He values the close-knit friendships and connections he has built here, along with the sense of pride that comes with being from Baltimore, especially when it comes to cheering on the Ravens and Orioles. Now that he has a family of his own, he also appreciates Baltimore as a place for his daughters and the next generation of his community to grow up.

When it comes to coffee…

Josh keeps it simple and consistent with a flat white. He may not consider himself a coffee snob, but he certainly is a coffee drinker.

If Josh could invite anyone to his Shabbat table,

Jon Stewart and Jimmy Kimmel. As a fan of late-night talk shows, he thinks either would make for an entertaining night with interesting conversation.

Fun Facts

Josh is a compulsive learner — business/M&A, company histories, and the kind of random facts that make him the person you want on your trivia team. He’ll happily lose an evening to a good documentary or a deep-dive podcast like Acquired.