18 | DECEMBER 16 • 2021

OUR COMMUNITY

W

hen Elana Weinstein moved back to
Metro Detroit early in 2021 for a job
at JVS Human Services, after previous
career moves to Chicago and Denver, she felt her
life had gone full circle. Not only was she working
at the agency where, in 2009, she had her first
experience of working in the Jewish nonprofit
world, but she was also heading the same program
that had given her that first start.
Weinstein, 33, is now program coordinator for
JOIN, an acronym for the Jeannette and Oscar
Cook Jewish Occupational Intern Program. The
paid summer internship for Jewish college students
considering a career working in the Jewish com-
munity has been instrumental in guiding a gen-
eration of young people into careers. Local rabbis,
educators, communal leaders and board members
have all graduated from the program and work to
benefit the Metro Detroit Jewish community.
Recruitment for the 2022 program has just
started with applications being accepted until late
January.
“My time at JOIN was life-changing,
” says
Weinstein, a social worker and graduate of Eastern
Michigan University and University of Michigan.
“I was placed with Kadima, the mental health
organization, and I got my first hands-on expe-
rience of working for the Jewish community as a
budding social worker.
”
Weinstein’s time at JOIN involved case-manage-
ment, taking clients to appointments, managing
care and accompanying clients on field trips. “It
was an incredible experience and confirmed for
me that working in the nonprofit world, for the
Jewish community, was where I wanted to be.
”
Weinstein was working as a high school student
counselor and social worker in Denver when she
heard about the opportunity to become JOIN’s
program coordinator. She recognized she had big
shoes to fill: Debra Silver, who jump-started the

JOIN summer internship
program gets new
leadership.

ALISON SCHWARTZ
SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

Hands-On
Learning

COURTESY OF JVS

JOIN at Yad Ezra

2021 JOIN interns
working on a project