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