What started as a casual conversation about how to give back has now grown into a movement. Five years ago, Pikesville resident Laurie Rosen decided to do more for her community. But instead of going it alone, she rallied a group of like-minded moms and launched Moms on a Mission, a volunteer group under the Macks Jewish Connection Network that has since become a powerhouse for change.

Inspiration for Action

Having previously volunteered as a PJ Library connector, Laurie was looking for opportunities to stay involved in the Jewish community.

She learned about the VolunTeams with the Macks Jewish Connection Network where a group of individuals join forces to support a particular organization but wanted to see if there was a way to allow for even more flexibility in approaching volunteering.

“I realized that not everyone is comfortable with certain roles, like working at a soup kitchen or volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House,” she said. “That’s why we decided to offer a range of volunteer opportunities throughout the year, allowing moms to choose activities that align with their interests and availability.”

In The Associated’s newest episode of Around the Table, Beth Goldsmith sits down with local parents, Mindy, Amy and Ryan, to talk about the most pressing issues facing today’s teenage children.

Around the Table with Beth H. Goldsmith is a series where we focus on what is important to the members of our Baltimore Jewish community. Take a listen to the most recent episode by clicking the button below.

As the sun began to set one year after the October 7 attacks, people from around Baltimore filed into Beth El Congregation in Pikesville for a community-wide commemoration of that horrific day. Outside, posters of the many hostages taken by Hamas served as a stark reminder of the lasting effects of the attacks. Near the entrance, people placed rocks with messages of love and unity into a memory garden dedicated to the lives lost.

As approximately 1,400 attendees made their way to the sanctuary, they were adorned with small yellow ribbons and stickers depicting Anemone flowers — symbols of peace and support for Israel. An additional 800 viewers joined on the livestream.

Shortly after 7:00 p.m., the program began with opening remarks by Beth El’s Rabbi Dana Saroken. “In the book of Genesis, God sees Adam in the garden alone, and realizes it’s not good for man to be alone. It’s not good for anyone to be alone. This life is too hard to do alone,” she said as she addressed the crowd, emphasizing the importance of community and togetherness, especially in the face of tragedy.

Thread will host a free screening of the new documentary “Join or Die” followed by a filmmaker Q&A on October 23.

In the midst of another contentious election season, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed about the state of our nation. If you’re looking for practical solutions to counter the issues dividing us, join Thread for a free screening and discussion of the new documentary Join or Die: a film about why you should be “a joiner” and how your actions can strengthen American democracy.

This special evening, “The Power of Joining: Weaving Connection Across Communities,” takes place Wednesday, October 23, at 7 pm, at the historic Stavros Niarchos Foundation Parkway Theatre. Stick around for a fireside chat with Rebecca and Pete Davis, Join or Die co-Directors and Producers, and Sarah Hemminger, Thread Co-Founder and CEO.

In this feature documentary, follow the half-century story of America’s civic unraveling through the journey of legendary social scientist Robert Putnam, whose groundbreaking “Bowling Alone” research into America’s decades-long decline in community connections could hold the answers to our democracy’s present crisis. Flanked by influential fans and scholars — from Hillary Clinton, Pete Buttigieg, and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to Eddie Glaude Jr., Raj Chetty, and Priya Parker — as well as inspiring groups building community in neighborhoods across the country, join Bob as he explores three urgent civic questions: What makes democracy work? Why is American democracy in crisis? And, most importantly… What can we do about it?

The impact of joining goes beyond the health of our nation, it even affects our personal health. Dr. Vivek Murthy, the US Surgeon General, released a report in 2023 on the epidemic of loneliness and isolation, stating that the adverse effects of isolation are greater than those of smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. 

Thread, a Baltimore-based non-profit, is working to end social isolation in our community by connecting volunteers and young people from diverse backgrounds to help each other achieve their goals, break down barriers, and create opportunities for everyone. Join or Die explores the importance of building community for our personal health, the health of our communities and our nation. 

Tickets are free with registration. Register today!

Great Talk Inc and The Alexander Grass Humanities Institute JHU present a free event – The Phenomenon of Past Lives in Children’s Memories: The Science & the Skepticism. Altered States of Consciousness and Cognitive Psychology. This panel discussion will take place on October 16 at 7pm, Johns Hopkins University, Mason Hall, 3101 Wyman Park Drive, Baltimore, MD. Registration is free for both in-person or Livestream. Parking vouchers will be provided at the Talk.

PANEL OF EXPERTS

MATTHEW W. JOHNSON, Senior Investigator at the Sheppard Pratt Center for Excellence in Psilocybin Research and Treatment.

Dr. Matthew W. Johnson is an experimental psychologist conducting human research on psychedelics and behavior change. From 2004 to 2024 he conducted seminal psychedelic research at Johns Hopkins, playing a role in the modern-day revival of psychedelic research. In March 2024 he joined Sheppard Pratt to expand his psychedelic research. He has published research on psychedelics in relation to mystical experience, personality change, tobacco smoking cessation, cancer distress treatment, depression treatment, and psychedelic risks and safety guidelines. In 2021 he received as principal investigator the first grant in about 50 years from the US government to administer a classic psychedelic as a treatment, specifically psilocybin for tobacco addiction. He is also known for his expertise in behavioral economics, addiction, sexual risk behavior, and research with a wide variety of drug classes. He has been Interviewed by Anderson Cooper on 60 Minutes, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, NPR, Fox News, BBC, the Lex Fridman Podcast, the Huberman Lab Podcast, Big Think and Michael Pollan.

Profile as Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at JHU.
Profile as senior researcher for the Center of Excellence for Psilocybin Research and Treatment at Sheppard Pratt’s Institute for Advanced Diagnostics and Therapeutics.

Speaker Disclosure:
Matthew Johnson serves as consultant to several companies that are developing psychedelics as FDA approved treatments: AJNA Labs, Beckley Psychedelic Ltd., Clarion Clinics, MindMed, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, and Reunion Neurosciences.

JAMES G. MATLOCK, Research Fellow at the Parapsychology Foundation & Author.

James G. Matlock received a B.A. in English from Emory University in 1977 and a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Southern Illinois at Carbondale in 2002. He worked at the American Society for Psychical Research in New York City and at the Rhine Research Center in Durham, North Carolina. Matlock is presently a Research Fellow at the Parapsychology Foundation. His chief research interests are the history of parapsychology, anthropology of religion, and reincarnation. He teaches a 15-week online seminar course on reincarnation research and theory. Read more in-depth on Matlock and his research.

Matlock’s book Signs of Reincarnation: Exploring Beliefs, Cases, and Theory, published by Rowman & Littlefield (2019), provides the first comprehensive look at the belief in reincarnation and the evidence for past lives from historical records, anthropological studies, and contemporary research. Matlock discusses various ways the evidence may be interpreted and shows that although reincarnation entails a rejection of the materialist notion that consciousness is generated by the brain, it does not require the acceptance of any radically new concepts or the abandonment of well-established findings in mainstream psychology or biology. This book offers students, scholars, and anyone interested in the possibility of reincarnation an essential grounding in beliefs, cases, and theory, while opening doors for future research into the extension of consciousness beyond our present lives.

See more on Memories of previous lives.

TOM SHRODER, Author and Editor.

Tom Shroder is the author of Old Souls: Scientific Evidence for Reincarnation From Children Who Remember Past Lives (1999); Acid Test: How a Daring Group of Psychonauts Rediscovered the Power of LSD, MDMA and Other Psychedelic Drugs to Heal Addiction, Depression, Anxiety and Trauma (2014); The Most Famous Writer Who Ever Lived), A True Story of My Family (2016) and co-author of Fire on the Horizon: the Untold Story of the Gulf Oil Disaster (2011).

His ghost-written books include The Operator: Firing the Shots that Killed Osama bin Laden and My Years as a SEAL Team Warrior by Robert O’Neill, which spent seven weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and Exposure: Poisoned Water, Corporate Greed, and One Lawyer’s Twenty-Year Battle against DuPont, by Robert Bilott, the true story behind the movie Dark Waters, starring Mark Rufallo.

At Tropic Magazine in 1988, he edited the work by Dave Barry that won the Pulitzer Prize for Distinguished Commentary, and as editor of The Washington Post Magazine between 2001 and 2009 he oversaw staff writer Gene Weingarten’s two Pulitzer Prize-winning feature stories, Fiddler in the Subway (2008) and Fatal Distraction (2010).

A 25th anniversary edition of Old Souls with a new afterword was published in July. View all of Shroder’s books on Amazon.

See Tom Shroder’s website.

MODERATOR: FREDERICK KAUFMAN, Professor of English & Journalism at CUNY’s Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism.

Frederick Kaufman, Ph.D., is Professor of English and Journalism at the City University of New York. A contributing editor at Harper’s Magazine, his nonfiction has appeared in The New York Times Sunday Magazine, The New Yorker, Harper’s, Foreign Policy, Fortune, The Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, Lapham’s Quarterly, Literary Hub, Scientific American, Salon, Slate, Nature, Wired, Vice, British Medical Journal, and numerous other publications.

He is the author of four books, most recently The Money Plot: A History from Shells to Bullion to Bitcoin. Other books include Bet the Farm: How Food Stopped Being Food, and the award-winning A Short History of the American Stomach. He hosted and executive produced a Webby-nominated documentary film for Vice Reports, and has appeared on MSNBC, Bloomberg TV, Fox Business News, Democracy Now!, C-Span, National Public Radio’s Radiolab, On the Media, and the BBC World Service, among numerous other broadcasts and podcasts. He has lectured throughout the United States and abroad, including addresses to the National Press Club, PEN, and the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Frederick Kaufman’s profile at CUNY School of Journalism.

Sophia Trakhtman always knew what it meant to be Jewish. But despite her heritage, Sophia didn’t fully connect with Jewish culture and community until high school. Now, years later, she is a proud member of The Associated’s Young Adult Division’s Volunteer Committee and making a positive change in Jewish Baltimore.

Growing Up a First-Generation Jew

Though her family celebrated the major Jewish holidays like Hannukah and Yom Kippur, Sophia was never strictly observant. However, she did learn about her family heritage through her parents’ accounts of what they experienced before immigrating to the United States in 1990. In the Soviet Union, they couldn’t freely practice their Judaism due to fear of persecution. She knew that she was incredibly lucky to live in a place where she could talk about her heritage with pride.

“I’m fortunate to be able to wear my Jewish star and talk about being Jewish. And to have so much pride in it and celebrate it means a lot.”

As she began exploring her culture and religion more with her peers at school, she learned about some ways to get more involved with other Jewish teens. Through her friends, she discovered NCSY and ended up going to Israel for a month-long trip her senior year.

As we gather this Rosh Hashanah to bring in the new year, it’s important to remember this is a unique and vital opportunity to quietly observe and assess the well being of our older loved ones. The Associated’s AgeWell Baltimore has tips on the signs to look for and how to start a conversation about next steps.

Physical and Cognitive Signs to Watch For

According to Jasmine Demos DNP, MSN, ANP-BC, RN-BC, NPFA, GCN, Doctor of Nursing Practice and Clinical Lead with Geriatric Surgery at LifeBridge Health, family visits during the holidays are a perfect time to evaluate any concerning shifts in your parents’ physical or mental state. She suggests watching for the following signs:

Meet Jenny Schloss, a lifelong Pikesville resident, and her 110-pound Rottweiler, Lucy. Together, Jenny and Lucy volunteer each month at the Jewish Library of Baltimore. The program? Mitzvahh Mutts, an initiative designed to help young children with their reading skills.

This duo brings joy and comfort to everyone they meet. Whether it’s helping hesitant young readers find their confidence or brightening the days of residents at North Oaks Senior Living Community, this pair is all about making a difference.

We sat down with Jenny, a preschool teacher at Beth Tfiloh, a devoted mother to two children and a passionate advocate for community involvement. Here are 10 things to know about Jenny — and Lucy too!

With decades of experience in law enforcement, David Folderauer is no stranger to protecting Baltimore communities. As the new security director for The Baltimore Jewish Council, an agency of The Associated, David prepares for a new kind of challenge and shares with us how The Associated is protecting its Jewish organizations.

A Legacy of Service

“I’ve been doing this just about my whole adult life. It is in my family. My grandfather was a city police sergeant, my great grandfather retired as a city police lieutenant and my great, great grandfather back in the 1890s was on the police force as well,” shares Folderauer. “Today, even my son is a police officer at the Franklin precinct.”

Joan Cohe, Executive Director of Jewish Community Services, joined her daughter Marley on an unforgettable March of the Living experience Poland. Read about their journey.

Several years ago, I saw a documentary covering March of the Living and since that moment I have always desired to participate in this experience. I knew that my daughter Marley was the perfect fit to join me on this unforgettable trip.  

For those of you who are not familiar with March of the Living, it is an educational program that brings thousands of individuals from around the world to Poland and Israel to study and experience the history of the Holocaust and to examine the roots of prejudice, intolerance and hate. The actual March begins in Auschwitz and ends in Birkenau death camp highlighting Jewish survival and solidarity. Each year Holocaust survivors join this March. 

As time has moved on and our Holocaust survivors are reaching milestone ages, at some point in the near future, they will not be able to partake in this important experience. This fact propelled me to believe “if not now, when.”  

For children of all ages, summertime usually means a long vacation from schoolwork. While this is true, summer doesn’t (and shouldn’t) mean the end of learning!

At Reading Partners, we know that summer reading is crucial for children’s academic growth. Reading is a universal skill and continuous habit that guides us through our daily lives. The summer break from school should not be an exception to that habit, but a time to experience reading in new and exciting ways!

We’ve pulled together six tips for parents and caregivers to encourage reading this summer, especially for those young learners still growing into lifelong readers.

1. Reading Adventure Map
Design a map with reading goals and milestones. Each destination represents a book or a set reading time. Turn the map into a treasure hunt where each completed goal leads to a reward or a clue for the next part of the adventure.

2. Reading Picnic
Pack a picnic and head to a local park with a blanket, snacks, and a variety of books. Enjoy reading sessions in the fresh air and invite your child’s friends for group storytime to make it more social and enjoyable.

3. Book-themed Arts and Crafts
After finishing a book, create a related craft project with your child. If the book is about animals, create animal masks or build clay figures for a mini zoo. This helps kids express their understanding of the story and keeps the reading experience alive through hands-on activities.

4. Storytelling Campfire
Have a family campfire night, even if it’s just pretend in the living room. Take turns reading short stories aloud or making up stories. Combine this with traditional campfire activities like roasting marshmallows for a memorable experience.

5. Book Swap Playdates
Organize playdates where your child can swap books with friends. Include time for reading and discussing the books together, or even create a new game based on characters in one of the books. This encourages social interaction and exposes kids to new books recommended by their peers.

6. Summer Programs
Many libraries, nonprofits, and even local businesses offer summer reading programs with activities, reading challenges, and prizes. Sign up for these programs to keep kids engaged and excited about reading.

Research has shown that summer reading is critical to a child’s ability to retain information and develop new knowledge and critical thinking skills. Parents can play a crucial role in preventing the “Summer Slide,” the loss of knowledge gained during the school year. This “slide” often occurs during the summer break. It’s up to us to close the gap and make reading a fun and integral part of summer activities!

To support your child’s literacy journey and help other children gain access to reading resources, visit Reading Partners at www.readingpartners.org. Together, we can ensure all children have the literacy opportunities and resources to reach their full potential.

The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore honors the outstanding dedication and contribution of eight amazing leaders at its 2024 Leadership Awards held at the Gordon Center for Performing Arts.

This year’s awardees include: 

Zelda Miller Award:

Chana Friedman
Jake Lieberman

Fred Walpert Young Leadership Award:

Jessica Gorsky Halle
Justin Harvey

Harry Greenstein Young Leadership Award:

Rebecca Fruman
Harel Turkel

Carol Sibel Outstanding Fundraising Achievement Award:

Searle Mitnick

Julius Rosenberg Memorial Award:

Lindsay Klatsky

Click here for full article.

The surge in antisemitism on college campuses didn’t take Ruth and Jay Lenrow, active volunteers with The Associated, by surprise. Now, the pair is adamant that staying silent about antisemitism is not an option.

Get to know Ruth and Jay as they talk about their upbringing, antisemitism on college campus, The Associated and how they are addressing antisemitism. 

Let’s start at the beginning. Growing up Jewish.  

Ruth: I grew up in Upper Montclair, a Northern New Jersey bedroom community of New York City. There were not many Jewish families in our town. When I was in sixth grade and my sister was in kindergarten, there were perhaps four to five Jewish kids in our elementary school. I remember arriving at Goucher for college and thinking that I never so many Jewish women in one place – except for at Temple. 

Yet, Judaism was always an important part of my life. Our family was Reform, and I grew up at the temple two towns away where we were a third-generation family. 

Jay: I also grew up in Northern New Jersey, and my grandparents were the founders of a local conservative synagogue. As a teen, I was involved with our synagogue youth group, president of the local chapter of AZA and president of Young Judea.  

We moved to Bergenfield, N.J. when I was five. I became friendly with four boys my age who lived on my street. It was here that I was first exposed to the Holocaust. One of their moms was a camp survivor; another mother was raised in a French convent, where she was placed by her parents. They were later killed in the camps. 

CLICK HERE FOR FULL ARTICLE.

Asella Medina-Smith is working with The Associated’s Young Adult Division as a 2024 ambassador for Camp Nai – a Jewish summer camp experience for adults. Her job? Get other young people as excited about camp as she is!

Becoming A “Jew By Choice” 

Asella was studying abroad in the throes of the pandemic, living in London and working on her Masters degree in Musical Theatre. While the majority of her peers moved back home to ride out COVID, she remained in England alone, feeling isolated.  

“I was just living in London on my own, and it was very hard obviously, and I was feeling this need for a spiritual connection,” she explains. “So I started reading about Judaism again, which I had been interested in back in high school. I realized I needed some kind of community that no matter what I could have and hold on to.” 

After taking some time to process her feelings and talking to a few rabbis, Asella made the decision to convert. “I was like, wow, this is exactly what I’ve been looking for… our theology, our laws, our practices, our traditions — it all felt right for me.” 

Click here for full article.

The Associated’s Young Adult Division’s (Almost) Summer Soiree is right around the corner! In just a few weeks, on May 16, spend a night to connect, unwind and show the strength of community.

May 16, 7pm – 10pm
Mt. Washington Mill – Dye House
1340 Smith Ave
Baltimore, Maryland 21209United States

You’re invited to an unforgettable soiree that promises to be the highlight of the season! Get ready for an evening filled with fun, as we celebrate the joys of being Jewish and our strength and unity during both good times and challenges. Throughout the night explore with us how we all play a part in addressing antisemitism.

Let’s connect and unwind, and together, we’ll show the strength of our community

Click here for full article and more details.