Tag: jewish identity

I was reading through the results of our recent Impact Index Pulse Survey, a community-wide survey we helped launch earlier this year to better understand how people across our region are experiencing Jewish life—what’s working, what’s missing, and where we can lower barriers to connection. The survey asked 1,349 D.C.-area Jewish community members about their level of satisfaction with the Jewish community (54% satisfied, 15% unsatisfied, 31% neutral).

There is plenty to parse in the data, but one thing stood out to me: The key to increasing people’s engagement with Jewish life isn’t about creating desire but about creating opportunities and removing barriers standing in the way of greater participation.

The desire to become more involved in Jewish life cuts across denomination, age group, income level, region, synagogue affiliation, and length of residence. Roughly 50-60% of all demographic groups want more engagement. Even those whose engagement declined in the past year still reported wanting to be more involved in Jewish life. This is remarkable and instructive.

At Federation, we are proud to work closely with a network of partners who offer and facilitate meaningful Jewish experiences. But the work of building Jewish community rests not solely with institutions, but with each of us. Indeed, community is built from individual connections that help people feel seen and part of something. All of the grants and strategic approaches in the world will never replace the power of personal interactions.

Enter Shabbat dinner. Whether you gather with family members, close friends, or new acquaintances, coming together for Shabbat dinner is one of the most powerful ways to kindle and strengthen Jewish life. Many of us know this to be true from our own encounters with Shabbat, and it is also borne out in the data. Among those who sometimes or regularly attend or host Shabbat dinners there is a greater level of engagement with and satisfaction in Jewish life as compared to those who rarely or never attend Shabbat dinners.

I can hear the data folks reminding me that “correlation is not causation,” but when it comes to Shabbat dinner, there is no downside. It is a positive indicator and effective gateway to greater engagement. It also enriches our own Jewish lives. We’re fortunate to work with so many organizations and community members who help people find their way to one another, at Shabbat tables and in countless other moments of connection.

So, as the weather gets colder and we burrow inside, I want to encourage you to bring others along with you. Invite people over for Shabbat dinner. Welcome people you know and people you would like to get to know. Even if you’ve never hosted a Shabbat dinner before, give it a try. It does not need to be fancy or fit some image of what a Shabbat dinner is “supposed” to look like. There are many online resources standing by to provide you with tips and ideas. This is a resource guide from OneTable, one of our partner organizations, that helps those in their 20s and 30s host Shabbat dinners—but the information works for all ages.

The Impact Index clearly shows people want to be more engaged in Jewish life. The desire is there. We meet it by connecting with the people around us and basking together in Jewish ritual, joy, connection, and belonging.

At a cozy coffee shop near George Mason University, Jordyn Barry spends much of her day meeting Jewish students and others in their college age and stage—one latte, one story, one connection at a time.

As a new member of the George Mason Hillel team, Jordyn is helping expand Jewish community well beyond campus, ensuring Jewish students and young adults across Northern Virginia feel seen, supported, and connected.

“My favorite part of my job right now is sitting at a coffee shop and meeting three people in a row for coffee,” she says. “Just having different conversations, asking, ‘Tell me about yourself. What are you looking for?’ And if we can’t find it, let’s create it.”

Finding Jewish Life in Northern Virginia

Jordyn first came to the region in 2018 to work at the Pozez JCC of Northern Virginia. When the pandemic shifted everything, she leaned even more deeply into the community, working with teens at Temple Rodef Shalom and discovering what makes Jewish life in this area so special.

“It is so diverse and so spread out, and you can find your own place within it,” she explains. “There are all these little pockets of Jewish life, each a little different and unique.”

After time spent travelling, working at Jewish summer camp, reconnecting with family, and joining a JDC trip to Poland, Jordyn realized she belonged right back in Fairfax County.

“It truly showed that my calling is to be here,” she says. “I missed where I was.”

Now, she’s leading a new Hillel initiative that supports Jewish graduate students, law students, and those in their college age and stage studying at Northern Virginia Community College and beyond—creating Jewish spaces that meet people where they are.

“We understand not everyone is coming to campus on Friday nights,” she says. “We are creating community where they are, in ways that work for them.”

A Jewish Journey Rooted in Family and Curiosity

Jordyn’s passion for Jewish community comes from her family and a deep love of learning. Her father converted before she was born, and her parents emphasized “choice through knowledge,” encouraging both children to explore their heritage.

A family trip to Israel for her brother’s bar mitzvah helped everything click. “Everything I learned in religious school became real,” she says. Later, studying abroad and living on a kibbutz deepened her connection to Jewish history and daily life.

She went on to study religion and history at Muhlenberg College and earned a master’s in Jewish-Christian Relations from Seton Hall University.

“My grandfather is a Holocaust survivor,” she shares. “Creating Jewish community feels so important. I love doing it as my job and for myself.”

Creating Space—and Finding Her Own

Even after seven years in the region, Jordyn says she is still discovering what “Jewish home” means to her.

“I find my Jewish experience in different places,” she says. “Sometimes it is Shabbat with friends I met through the JCC, or just taking a moment outside on a Friday night after working at Hillel. There are options. Some of them I do not even know exist yet, and I work in this world.”

That sense of openness and curiosity drives her work, helping others explore what Jewish life can look like for them.

Outside the Coffee Shop

When she is not building community, you’ll likely find Jordyn exploring local trails with her dog or discovering the best new latte in town.

Her coffee order changes by café: a turmeric chai at Northside Social, or a date oat milk latte at Tatte.

Her bagel order is delightfully bold and a bit controversial: a cinnamon-raisin bagel with tuna and tomato or scallion cream cheese. “I get made fun of for it,” she laughs, “but there is something about the sweet and salty that I love.”

She’s loyal to coffee ice cream (with plenty of mix-ins), root for the Mets, and feels most at home near a lake in the mountains. Istanbul tops her list of favorite travels, with Thailand next on her bucket list.

Jordyn’s story is just one part of a growing, vibrant Jewish Northern Virginia.

For Dr. Aiman Tohid, medicine is about more than just treatment—it’s about inclusion, empathy, and equity. As the Director of Makom’s new specialized health clinic for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), she is helping build something rare: a space designed from the ground up for people who too often face barriers to care.

“This is one of a kind,” Aiman says. “Only a handful of clinics like this exist in the entire United States, and too often, people with IDD are denied care because providers aren’t trained to meet their needs. We wanted to change that.”

From Karachi to California to Montgomery County

Aiman’s journey began in Pakistan, where she attended Dow Medical College, then moved to the United States to complete her board exams and a preventive medicine residency at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. After years on the West Coast, she and her husband moved east during the COVID pandemic to be closer to family and new opportunities.

Soon after arriving, she came across Makom. “I saw an opening online,”[at1]  she recalls with a laugh. “It wasn’t even the right fit for my background, but I applied anyway because I really wanted to be part of the organization.” When Makom’s leadership reviewed her résumé, they quickly realized her expertise aligned perfectly with their vision for a new clinic.

Building a First-of-Its-Kind Clinic

After three years of planning, Makom’s clinic officially opened to the broader community this fall. The clinic provides physical, occupational, and speech therapy; nutritional counseling; and behavioral and mental-health services. Initially created to serve individuals in Makom’s residential programs, it now welcomes clients across Maryland and DC, with plans to expand into Virginia once licensing is complete.

The clinic also partners with leading institutions, including Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, George Washington University, and the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, giving medical and dental students hands-on experience with IDD patients. These partnerships are reshaping how health professionals think about care for people with IDD. “We want to create a new generation of providers who are confident and compassionate in serving this population,” Aiman explains. “That’s how lasting change happens.”

A Mission That’s Personal

Aiman’s interest in IDD medicine grew gradually but deeply. During her rotations in mental health, she found herself drawn to working with patients with developmental disabilities. “I’ve always been interested in mental health,” she says. “And having close friends and family with similar diagnoses made it personal. Once I began working with this community, I knew it was where I was meant to be.”

That personal commitment extends to education. She shares a story from a conference that still motivates her: “A board-certified neurologist asked me if adults with developmental disabilities even exist,” she recalls. “That was shocking. People think of autism or Down syndrome as only affecting children. We need more awareness and empathy. This clinic helps open those doors.”

Partnering for Greater Impact

Aiman credits The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington for playing a vital role in Makom’s growth. “The space Federation helped make possible gave us room to build a real clinic,” she says. “The partnership also helps us spread the word. Federation’s name and network give people confidence in the work we’re doing.”

Although Aiman is not Jewish, she says her time at Makom has deepened her understanding of Jewish life and traditions. “As a Muslim, a lot of it feels familiar—the values, the sense of community, even some dietary practices,” she says. “Over the past three years, I’ve learned so much and feel connected in a very natural way.”

Finding Home in the Capital Region

Now five years into East Coast life, Aiman says the DC area has grown on her quickly. She loves the changing seasons—especially fall—and the accessibility of nearby cities and family. “It’s such a diverse community,” she says. “It’s a great place to raise kids, with strong schools, good universities, and people from all backgrounds.”

At home, she and her husband are busy raising three children, ages 11 months, 6, and 7. “Our youngest is a Makom baby,” she laughs. “They threw me a baby shower at work.”

Beyond the White Coat

When she’s not seeing patients or mentoring students, Aiman enjoys quieter moments with tea or coffee and a good book—or watching documentaries, especially about health, history, or inspiring real-life stories. She’s a city person at heart, loves South Asian food (“the spicier, the better”), and never turns down a trip to Europe.

In classic East Coast style, she prefers apple cider over pumpkin spice and calls herself an early bird, thanks to her children. “They start jumping at 6 a.m.,” she jokes. As for desserts, she’s firmly team vanilla, and when it comes to bagels, she keeps it simple: “Just a plain one, with coffee. I’m more about the coffee than the bagel.”

Her favorite DC landmark? “The Washington Monument,” she says without hesitation. “It reminds me how tall we can stand when we build together.”

The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington is proud to support partners like Makom that expand access, equity, and belonging—ensuring that everyone in our community can thrive.

Learn more about Makom and its groundbreaking clinic for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities at makomlife.org.

At a Federation program earlier this week, Dr. Tal Becker from the Shalom Hartman Institute urged us not to ask if the glass is half full or half empty in this moment but rather how do we add water to the glass?  All of our participation counts, the way we choose to be involved in Jewish life helps fill the glass and increase our potential for strengthening our society and our community.

In this way, to give to Federation is to be part of a community-wide effort to strengthen and secure the Jewish future and fill our communal glass. It is also a way to make an urgent difference in the here and now. SNAP benefits expire tomorrow. The government shutdown continues. Thousands of workers are furloughed. Others are facing layoffs. Our friends, neighbors, and people across the region are going to need a helping hand. We can and must be there with arms extended.

We also know from decades of research and experience that meaningful Jewish experiences have lasting effects on someone’s life. Jewish learning opportunities, Shabbat dinners, sleepaway camp, youth groups, day schools, Israel trips, and so on help Jews of all ages explore and find the joy in what it means to be Jewish. To give to Federation is to support the creation of a vibrant Jewish community by enabling more people to experience meaningful Jewish experiences.

There are just two months left in the year—and $8 million still to raise in unrestricted funds to support our partner agencies and strengthen vibrant Jewish life across Greater Washington. Make your gift today to help us carry the momentum through the end of the year.

At a time when so much feels out of our control, a favorite quote from Jewish novelist Isaac Bashevis Singer comes to mind, “We must believe in free will. We’ve got no choice.” So much is up in the air, but we still get to decide how to move forward and be there for one another.

Stake your claim in what comes next by giving to Federation and investing in community. Help us fill our communal cup to the brim.

As Executive Director of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Washington, Sara Brenner is building a culture of giving that’s collective, values-driven, and deeply personal.

“I want this to be a place where people can realize their dreams and connect to their Judaism more deeply,” Sara says. “Our role is to help donors amplify their impact, deepen the connection between their Jewish values and philanthropy, and advance their goals with deeper purpose, in whatever ways feel most meaningful to them.”

A Jewish Journey of Learning and Connection

Sara grew up in a New Jersey town where Jews were few and far between. Her synagogue became her second home. “I started Hebrew school in kindergarten and went through 12th-grade confirmation. I loved it, it was just in my heart and in my soul.”

She was the friend who encouraged others not to drop out and who rallied them back when they left. Though she didn’t attend day school or Jewish summer camp, that community shaped her Jewish identity. A high school trip on March of the Living, and later a year studying abroad in Israel during the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, deepened her connection.

“I had such a strong will to stay in Israel, even during that time,” she recalls. “It was a very difficult period, but it only strengthened my connection.”

Her lifelong love of Jewish learning led her to minor in Jewish Studies and, later, to weave her Jewish values into her professional life.

Bringing Her Values to Work

Before joining Federation, Sara spent more than 25 years helping communities across the country thrive—strengthening education, housing, workforce, and health systems, while advising philanthropists and community foundations on how to invest for long-term impact.

“I always felt my Judaism showed up in my work,” she explains. “Repairing the world is part of who I am.”

When the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington launched the Jewish Community Foundation, Sara saw a chance to bring her professional expertise home. “I had been helping community foundations across the country shift toward more impact-focused work. This was an opportunity to do that in a community I lived in and loved for more than 20 years.”

A New Model of Jewish Philanthropy

Under Sara’s leadership, the Foundation is creating more accessible, collaborative, and intergenerational ways to give. She is particularly proud of programs that help families explore their philanthropic goals together. “We’re creating opportunities for younger generations to be part of the conversation,” she explains. “People can give together, learn together, and amplify their impact together.”

Today, the Foundation supports several collaborative giving funds focused on shared priorities like Jewish education, disability and inclusion, women’s empowerment, and Jewish talent and leadership. “When we give collectively, we can do so much more,” Sara explains. “It’s how we move from fragmented giving to systemic change.”

For newer or younger donors, she’s made sure there are inclusive ways to participate. “You don’t need $10,000 to get started,” she says. “Kol Yahad, our Next Gen collaborative fund, let’s people give at lower levels and still be part of something powerful.”

Guiding with Compassion After October 7

The events of October 7 reshaped both Sara’s outlook and the Foundation’s role. “Israel became the focus of so much of our work. In the past two years, more than five million dollars went out through donor-advised funds for rebuilding and relief.”

But this moment isn’t just about emergency response.

“After October 7, many people wanted to re-engage (or engage for the first time) in their Judaism,” she says. “I find myself listening more, helping people reconnect to their Jewish identity, and guiding them to make meaning through their giving.”

Sara has also prioritized deepening relationships with allies outside the Jewish community. “Our integration with the broader world, not isolation, is vital,” she says. “I’ve doubled down on those relationships. It’s hard work, but it matters.”

Looking Ahead, Building Together

Nearly three decades after moving to DC, Sara continues to find inspiration in the diversity and vibrancy of Jewish life here. “This is such an incredible community,” she says. “The culture, the learning, the opportunities to connect, and the chance to be part of something that’s making a difference locally, nationally, and globally.”

Through the Jewish Community Foundation, she and her team are helping donors bring greater intention and clarity to their giving. “It’s not about changing what inspires you. It’s about helping you achieve your goals in the most thoughtful, effective way.”

Whether she’s guiding families through legacy giving, launching new collaborative funds, or welcoming first-time donors, Sara is helping build a Jewish future rooted in connection and purpose. “We’re here to help people bring their values to life. That’s how we strengthen our community. That’s how we build the future together.”

Outside the Office

Sara loves being near water, whether she’s swimming laps or vacationing in a place like St. Lucia, Hawaii, or Fiji. A black Russian bagel with light cream cheese and cucumbers is her go-to Sunday morning. Sushi is her favorite. Her mom’s chicken soup, minus the matzo balls, is magic. When she’s back in DC, you might find her at Planet Word, one of her favorite museums for its celebration of culture and language. And when pressed to pick chocolate or vanilla? “Twist,” she laughs. “Always twist.”

Learn more about the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Washington and explore how your giving can make a lasting impact at jcfgw.org.