IT° Life.
THE
May the coming year be filled
with health, happiness and prosperity
for all our family and friends.
Dr. Jeffrey and Laurie Fischgrund
Michelle, Marcy, Mark
Andrew and Melanie
N
On A
Fast
Track
New YAD
director
striving to
draw young
adults together.
Jennifer Levine at work in the Max M. Fisher
Federation Building in Bloomfield Township.
Robin Schwartz
Special to the Jewish News
:
ennifer Levine, 32, of Pleasant
Ridge says she's afraid of
heights — but she's certainly
not afraid of a challenge. Levine stepped
in as the new director of the Young
Adult Division of the Jewish Federation
of Metropolitan Detroit amid a frenzy
of activity in July. The conflict between
Israel and Hezbollah was intensify-
ing and so was Federation's Israel
Emergency Fund campaign. It's been
non-stop action since she walked in the
door.
"I just jumped right in — sink or
swim," Levine said. "I think sometimes
•that's the best way to start a new posi-
tion:'
Levine took over for the previous
YAD director, Jonathan Goldstein of
Huntington Woods. He left the position
after five years for a job with an invest-
ment-advising firm in Southfield.
Levine is no stranger to the non-
profit world. For 10 years, she served
as executive director of the Bingham
Farms-based Autistic Children's
Treatment Network. The group raises
money for an early intervention center,
a clinic, a home-based program and
a camp for autistic children. Levine
helped build the organization from
the ground up, but she was ready for a
career change when she learned about
the opening with Federation.
"I feel to work in the non-profit world
you have to work for a cause you're pas-
sionate about;' Levine said. "This is defi-
nitely something I'm passionate about."
Levine is within the exact target age-
range of people YAD is . trying to reach.
She grew up in Brighton and gradu-
ated with a degree in psychology from
Western Michigan University. She's one
of the young Jewish professionals who
stayed in Metro Detroit and is making
a life here. This past year, she married
Matthew Levine, an attorney who grew
up in Livonia. The couple belong to Beth
j
May the coming year be filled with
health and happiness for all our family and friends.
L'Shanah Tovah!
May the coming year be filled with
health and happiness for all our family and friends.
L'Shanah Tovah!
— Leo & Suzanne Knight —
We wish our family & friends a very
healthy, happy and sweet New Year.
Sheryl & Patrick O'Keefe
Evan & Cydney Seigerman
94
September 21 -
2006
Shalom Synagogue in Oak Park but they
never really participated in YAD pro-
grams until now
"I want to make YAD more well
known to the entire community at
large," Levine said. "I'm a 30-something,
I live in the area, we have several Jewish
friends — but I always thought YAD
was just for singles:'
Now she's learning about the many
programs the organization offers for
couples and young parents. Levine
recently attended her first couples corn-
mittee meeting. She is also immersed
in the planning for an Art Seen event
in October at the Detroit Institute of
Arts. The annual gathering, sponsored
by YAD and the DINs Founders Junior
Council, is popular with couples.
Levine is well aware of the need to
attract and keep Jewish young people
in the area — something she hopes
to focus on as she settles into her new
position.
"I think it's a huge concern and it's
definitely something I want to work on
with the leadership here Levine said.
"We have friends who've left the area
and have gone to New York or Seattle. •
We need to find a way to keep them
here."
That challenge is one of the many
reasons Levine is excited about her new
job. She's also a fervent Israel supporter.
She and her husband have family mem-
bers there. One of her first goals, though,
is simply to meet as many people as
possible. That should be no problem
with the seemingly endless string of
meetings and events on her calendar.
"I'm meeting a lot of people. I've
never done so many coffee and break-
fast meetings in my
she said.
"Everyone has been extremely friendly
and very helpful." E
Contact Jennifer Levine at
(248) 2031471 or jlevine®
jfmd.org . For information on
upcoming YAD events, go to
.www.jfmd.org/yad.