46 | AUGUST 11 • 2022

NEXT DOR

J

ackie Yashinsky always knew she
wanted to work with the Jewish com-
munity, but the question was how.
The associate director of the annual
campaign at Frankel Jewish Academy
says the “aha” moment came during her
years at Michigan State University, when
she realized that working
with the Jewish community
was a career path she could
easily pursue.
“It took me a little bit of
time to realize that people do
this for a living,
” she says of the
field she’s currently in. “I real-
ized I was spending all of my time focused
on programming in my involvement with
MSU Hillel or spending my time brain-
storming camp programs.
”
These opportunities, Yashinsky explains,

felt more exciting than most of the work she
was doing in the classroom as she studied
for her degree in social work and Jewish
studies. The real-life experience showed her
how impactful her efforts could be.
“That’s when I realized this was a career
path,
” she says.

BUILDING A CAREER IN
THE JEWISH COMMUNITY
Now in her role at Frankel, Yashinsky, 33,
of Huntington Woods, manages the annu-
al campaign by helping with fundraising,
galas and crowdfunding. The other half of
her role is focused on alumni engagement
and building relationships with former
students.
“The most rewarding thing so far has
been talking with alumni and hearing even
15-20 years later the impact their high

school experience had on them,
” she says of
Frankel. “Especially the oldest alumni who
helped to really build the school.
”
Yashinsky, who began her role in
March, says it was a natural comple-
ment for her interests. “I’ve always
been impressed by what Frankel Jewish
Academy has done,” she explains, “and I
wanted to be a part of it. I saw this role,
and it seemed like a good fit.”
Yet this isn’t Yashinsky’s first foray into
Jewish life in Metro Detroit. She previously
worked as director of teen programs at
Tamarack Camps’ she remained with the
organization for six-and-a-half years and
created important summer programming
for teens. She also helped organize teen
missions to Israel in conjunction with the
camp.
Before that, Yashinsky worked at the

Frankel’s associate director of the annual campaign
knew the Jewish community was where she wanted to work.

The Ultimate Career Path

Jackie
Yashinsky

ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Goldie, Joey,
Jackie and
Elizabeth
Yashinsky

VOICE OF A
NEW GENERATION