Becoming Leaders In Our Community


Past Young Leadership Council (YLC) participants discuss how their involvement has shaped their entry into becoming a Jewish leader.

All three of these participants in the graduating class of 2021 felt the experience helped them learn deeply about the community’s support systems while connecting with peers with similar interests are just a few of the benefits of becoming a participant of The Associated’s Young Leadership Council (YLC). We spoke to Max Reamer, Chavi Abramson and Estee Fader to hear about their experiences and why they think it was beneficial to them.

Max Reamer – Former YLC participant

What YLC means to me is a “win-win.” YLC provided me the opportunity to reconnect with my Jewish roots while honing my skills as an upcoming leader in the community. I attended Beth Tfiloh until high school but ever since then I felt disconnected from the community in a sense. YLC has reengaged my passion for the community by educating myself, along with my classmates, on how rewarding it is to be a part of something bigger.

YLC lifts the proverbial hood of the car and shows you how The Associated utilizes its resources to better the Jewish community as a whole, which is both humbling and inspirational. While YLC educates you on how The Associated is run, it simultaneously provides invaluable leadership skills which can be used in any facet of life – personally or professionally.

Between learning from some of the most influential community leaders to sitting on a board of my choosing, the leadership skills that I have obtained through YLC is going to stay with me for the rest of my life. YLC has done a remarkable job of reconnecting me with my Jewish heritage while providing the skills necessary to be a part of the next generation of community leaders to ensure we grow even stronger – a true win-win!

Chavi Abramson – Former YLC participant

The opportunities offered to me during my two-year tenure with YLC has been impactful on the
way I view Jewish Baltimore and in my appreciation for the breadth of involvement of The
Associated on a communal level. Each member of my cohort expanded my understanding and
connection to the broader Jewish community in Baltimore.

Where else would I have the ability to sit around the table with individuals of different affiliations and discuss Jewish pride, Jewish philanthropy and commitment to communal involvement? In fact, our inherent similarities far outnumbered our external differences, further unifying us in our mission to give back to our
community.

I feel fortunate to have grown up here in Pikesville, but knew little about how crucial the work of the Associated is, and how its agencies directly affected me. YLC sessions offered the opportunity for me to gain insight into The Associated’s mission, and how instrumental they are to providing necessary resources to every demographic. The more I learned, the greater my sense of pride deepened.

It is an incredible experience to gain perspective on how wonderful our community is on a macro level. YLC is a conduit for intensifying my desire to make a difference in my community and to utilize my unique strengths to give back. Through YLC, I realized every voice makes a difference and I am proud to be able to offer my voice to the discussions and programs that can make Jewish Baltimore a truly
remarkable place.

Estee Fader – Past YLC participant

As a newcomer to Baltimore, YLC was a fantastic way to meet other young people who care about their community and want to work towards positive change. However, after joining I realized that YLC would turn out to mean so much more than that. It helped open my eyes to the issues facing not only Baltimore’s Jewish community but Baltimore as a whole. I now see that YLC was a launching pad for my future involvement in The Associated and Baltimore’s Jewish community.

Each meeting over the course of the first year was devoted to deep learning about a different issue. This process helped me understand the myriad organizations that live under The Associated’s umbrella and introduced me to key stakeholders tackling each of these issues. The Associated is massive and its impact is widespread – YLC served as a helpful guide to understanding how each of these organizations are linked. Having professionals and volunteers break it all down for the group was immensely valuable.

Moreover, YLC gave me a seat at the table. I loved sitting on the board of Na’aleh my second year. It was fascinating to see first-hand what goes into building a great board and a great organization, and these are skills I will take with me through any of my philanthropic involvement in the future.

Thank you YLC for making this all possible and for a fantastic two years filled with great insights and terrific friends.

YLC is a two-year leadership development program for young adults (ages 22-39) who aspire to hold key positions within the Baltimore Jewish community. Through fundraising, educational programs, community-service projects and agency observation experiences, participants learn the importance of philanthropy and gain a deep understanding of The Associated and its family of nonprofit partners.

Applications are due by June 15, 2021 and interviews will be held virtually in June.


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The Associated is a home for everyone in the Baltimore Jewish community. We offer several email lists to help people find a community, engage with their peers and support Jewish journeys around the world.

Join Our Mailing List