metro >> po rted prom Detroit Meet Stefanie Tuzman, NEXTGen Detroit's new director. Becky Hurvitz I Special to the Jewish News I f she looks familiar, and you just can't place her, there's a good chance she served you your Greek salad and pita at Leo's in the 1990s. NEXTGen Detroit's new director, Stefanie Tuzman, is no stranger to the Jewish community in Metro Detroit. But she'll be the first to tell you a lot has changed since she left after college. Tuzman's triumphant return to the Motor City says something. Actually, it says several somethings. It wasn't so long ago that people were saying, "Detroit's biggest export is its young people:' While the 2007-2009 economic cri- sis was devastating for many Detroiters who had established careers, it also left a genera- tion of recent graduates unable to begin their careers. And so a mass migration of young Detroiters left for greener pastures in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and every- where in between. But while the national and local economy thankfully made a comeback, it wasn't enough for many young expats to give their hometown another shot. After starting adult lives, careers and families elsewhere, why come back? Well, community for one. NEXTGen Detroit, the young adult division of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, has been at the forefront of turning Detroit into a vibrant hub of young Jewish life — a place boom- ing with social, spiritual, professional and cultural opportunities. Since its launch in 2010, participation in Federation's events and programming for young adults has grown from about 1,500 to more than 5,000 individuals, a number that increases by the day. It's a sign of the times (and a lot of hard work) that Tuzman and thousands of others are moving back in record numbers. So where has she been all these years? After graduating from Western Michigan University, Tuzman joined her parents, who had moved several years earlier at the onset of the recession, in Las Vegas for bet- ter career opportunities and significantly warmer weather. She began working for a poker website, which came to an abrupt end, on Yom Kippur 2006, when a law was 34 December 3 2015 passed that made online gambling illegal. And thus, her journey to becoming a Jewish communal professional began. A friend told her that BBYO in Vegas was hiring. While Tuzman had been active in BBYO in Detroit, she never thought of working for the organization as a profes- sional. After doing some research, and dis- covering that the position embodied much of what she was passionate about and a skill set that she possessed, she applied and soon was hired. "I always say that I fell into Jewish communal work:' Tuzman says. "I wasn't looking to do it; I never thought I would end up here. But I happen to be good at it, and I happen to love it even more. You can teach specific skills to someone, like how to engage with people or how to work on a campaign, but you can't teach passion and commitment. You really have to feel it to want to do it. And I do:' LAS VEGAS FEDERATION Tuzman worked for BBYO for nearly three years, until she was approached by the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas, whose leaders had taken note of the success she had growing and strengthening the BBYO program. Wanting new energy and a fresh set of eyes, they offered her a position run- ning their young adult program. "I started working for the Vegas Federation in 2009, overseeing the young leadership program JewEL (Jewish Emerging Leaders). I worked for young leadership for more than two years, imple- menting leadership development oppor- tunities, social programs and networking events:' she says. "Then I was promoted to director of Women's Philanthropy, one of the larg- est divisions that make up the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas. A little over a year before my last day there, I added `director of campaign' to my title and oversaw the Jewish Federation's campaign efforts, including affinity groups, Women's Philanthropy and overall campaign strat- egy and development:' A few years short of a decade, the buzz about Detroit trumped the bright lights of Las Vegas. "What hadn't I heard about NEXTGen Detroit?" Tuzman asks. "First of all, this approach to being everything to everyone and going to where the 'customer' is — it's really a different mindset. And it's work- ing. We're reaching out to people and offering them experiences that they can't get anywhere else. We're providing young adults with an opportunity to connect to Judaism and to the community in what- ever way is meaningful for them:' With its deep roots, history and a com- mitment to passing on traditions to the next generation and giving them the freedom to make them their own, Detroit is pretty much every Jewish communal professional's dream come true. "I'm so impressed with our level of lay leadership and the NEXTGen Detroit Board:' she says. "The individuals in this community who have taken on a leader- ship role or have made the choice to get involved are really dedicated, commit- ted and passionate young adults, and it's incredibly inspiring:' TRIBEFEST PRIDE Tuzman had kept tabs on all the wonder- ful change and renewed interest in the Jewish community happening here with occasional visits back to Detroit and from staying in touch with high school friends. But seeing it first-hand at the Jewish Federations of North America's TribeFest made it crystal clear, something special was happening in her hometown, and she knew she wanted to be a part of it. "I remember watching the Detroit del- egation walk into TribeFest in 2013. They were the biggest delegation; everyone wore matching sweatshirts and there was just so much pride. Pride to be from Detroit. Pride to be representing their city. Pride in being Jewish:' she says. "Suddenly, I wanted everyone to know that I was from Detroit, too. And I knew that meant some- thing, something really important:' Welcome home, Stefanie. Welcome home. "I always said, partly joking but partly not, that if I ever went to work for another Federation it would only be Detroit:' Tuzman says, "so it's funny that the reason we actually came back to Detroit was more about my husband:' Tuzman's husband, Jonathan, who is originally from New York, moved to Vegas for his career in the hospitality industry. After working for MGM Resorts in their corporate office for several years, the company offered him an opportunity to transfer to MGM Grand Detroit, and the Tuzmans jumped at it. The Tuzmans, along with Brie, their beagle, made the move in July to their new home in West Bloomfield. The director of NEXTGen Detroit since August, Tuzman is settling in and energized for what lies ahead. She and Jonathan are enjoying check- ing out what's new Downtown, trying out restaurants and taking walks along the Riverfront and through Campus Martius Park. She says the roundabouts are a bit con- fusing, and she's convinced her blood has thinned in the Vegas heat and she's going to have a rough time braving a Michigan winter; but all-in-all, Stefanie Tuzman is ready to begin a new adventure in the place where it all began. "I smile from ear to ear when people talk about all the great things Detroit is doing. I can't wait to represent Detroit at national conferences and tell our story. And I'm excited to implement some new ideas to keep things fresh and exciting. I'm so happy to be home and ready to be part of Detroit's future:' * This story first appeared on Federation's myjewishdetroit.org.