Tag: audience – real estate

On July 1, during Federation Day at the Nova Music Festival Exhibition in Gallery Place, Jackson Siegal of In-Rel Properties showed up with purpose.

He didn’t come alone. He brought his team: five maintenance men, straight from the job site, pockets full of screwdrivers and flashlights.

At the security checkpoint, they handed over their tools. A small, routine act. But upstairs, those everyday objects stood in quiet, haunting contrast to what lay on the tables.

Phones. Backpacks. Jewelry. Sandals. Not items people forgot, but belongings of those who were hunted, kidnapped, and murdered on October 7. Artifacts recovered from the site of the massacre.

Jackson’s team moved through the exhibit slowly, together. At the table of artifacts, a volunteer who had helped clean and catalog each item spoke with quiet steadiness, explaining what had happened on October 7. She had washed away the blood so the victims’ families wouldn’t have to see it. But she left the dust on the shoes. Just as they were found.

Dust from the earth where people danced, where thousands fled, where hundreds were murdered.

At one point, Jackson and the volunteer slipped into Hebrew. One of the younger workers leaned in to translate into Spanish for an older teammate. No one asked him to. He just did.

That kind of instinct—across languages, generations, and lived experience—is exactly what Federation Day was made to hold. A moment to show up. To witness. To carry memory together.

Jackson, who recently joined Federation’s Real Estate Network, didn’t say much. But the way he moved through the exhibit—asking questions, staying present—set the tone for his team.

Moments like this have defined the exhibit since it opened here in Greater Washington. Earlier in the run, a survivor spotted something he never expected: his hat.

Not just any hat. The one his friends always borrowed for pictures. The one that made people smile. The one everyone said made him look like Bruno Mars.

He left it there. Because it wasn’t just his anymore. It was part of the story now.

Something shifted for Jackson’s team, too. They didn’t just visit. They paid attention. They stayed with it.

They arrived with the tools of their trade. They left with something harder to name—but just as real. A story to carry. A truth to hold.

This is what it means to show up for one another. This is how memory becomes action.

Bringing the exhibit to Washington made space for moments like this—quiet, human, unforgettable. The kind that help us hold the truth and carry it forward, together.

“Our greatest resource is community.” – Albert Small

At Federation’s Real Estate Breakfast on Tuesday morning, that message landed with power and purpose.

More than 100 Jewish real estate professionals filled the room—and it wasn’t just for the strong coffee. It was a morning of insight, connection, and momentum. The energy was unmistakable. Conversations flowed, handshakes turned into new relationships, and across the room, one thing was clear: this community shows up.

Marc Duber and Dana Jacobsohn, two of the industry’s most respected voices, shared reflections on career growth, luxury development in their field, and the power of mentorship. And again and again, the conversation returned to relationships—the people you trust, who show up when it matters, who help you build something lasting.

Their foundation, they shared, has always been the Jewish community.

That idea—community as a constant—resonated well beyond the stage. You could hear it in the conversations around every table.

The morning also marked the launch of the Builders Society, a new giving level for Jewish professionals in real estate. With its first dinner set for later this month and strong interest already building, it’s clear this isn’t just a network. It’s a movement.

There were plenty of firsts in the room: first-time Federation participants, first-time donors, first-time conversations that sparked new ideas. And behind all of it? A growing belief that being in the room—and showing up together—matters.

The message was clear: This community creates real opportunity. Professional, personal, and philanthropic.

Thanks to the vision and leadership of Jenna Jacobson, Albert Small, and the Real Estate Committee co-chairs, the morning delivered not just a conversation, but a clear step forward for this community of builders, leaders, and changemakers.

Want in? Contact Sarah Green at sarah.green@www.shalomdc.org to learn more.

That’s the question we posed to our esteemed panel at our first-ever Northern Virginia-focused Federation Network event for Jewish business professionals on Friday, March 28. Set against the backdrop of Northern Virginia’s rapidly growing landscape, nearly 50 local professionals gathered to explore what it truly means to build spaces where community can address the challenges we face today.

The following panelists joined us to frame the conversation and provided valuable insights into the intersection of business growth, community engagement, and the challenges we face:

• Katie Cristol, CEO of Tysons Community Alliance
• Stacy Bell, AVP for Business Development & Real Estate at Inova Health Systems & Professor at George Mason University
• Dahlia Palchik, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors

Solving for Loneliness

Katie Cristol, CEO of the Tysons Community Alliance, shared her unique perspective on community development, describing it as a “third leg of the stool” when it comes to land use and economic development. Cristol emphasized that community development isn’t just about solving the housing crisis or tackling the climate crisis—it’s also a vital solution to the growing loneliness epidemic that many are experiencing. “What does community development help us have to say about our cities as solutions?” Cristol posed. “Not just for the housing crisis and the climate crisis, but also the loneliness epidemic that we’re experiencing?”

Her words sparked a deep reflection on how our cities and neighborhoods can serve as not only economic centers but also as hubs for connection, support, and belonging.

Touch Points That Build Community

Stacy Bell, an adjunct professor at George Mason University, brought a personal and practical perspective to the discussion. Bell spoke about how community development revolves around the connection points between people.

“It can be sports, it can be hobbies, it can be a book club,” she explained. “For me, community development is about the touch points, how to create them.”

Bell stressed that how we connect with others often depends on life stages—whether it’s through work, children’s activities, or hobbies—and that fostering those connection points is key to strong community development.

The idea of connection resonated with many in the room, as Bell underscored that community isn’t just about physical spaces, but the emotional and social ties we form with others.

Beyond the Building: Where Community Comes to Life

A particularly thought-provoking moment came from a reflection by Dahlia Palchik, who serves on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She highlighted the importance of built spaces like synagogues, schools, and community centers.

“A lot of it is the people, the food, the culture. But then as we think about those built spaces, whether it’s a formal space like the J(CC) or a shul, or whether it’s a school, how do we raise our families and build?”

As both a civic leader and anthropologist, Supervisor Palchik, reminded the audience of the role physical spaces play in bringing our values to life. These conversations left a lasting impression, reinforcing that community development is not just about creating infrastructure or economic growth; it’s about creating spaces—both physical and social—where people can thrive together.

Thank You to our Hosts and Leaders

Federation is grateful to David Schneider and Joel Regignano, who co-chaired this event, and to Holland & Knight and Lerner for their hospitality in hosting this wonderful networking event.

Want to Get Involved?

If you’re a Jewish business professional in Northern Virginia and want to participate in these meaningful conversations, we invite you to join our Federation Network. Visit our website or contact Sarah Green, Director of Donor Engagement, for more details.