48 | MARCH 23 • 2023 

A

s a NEXTGen Employment 
Specialist at Gesher Human 
Services, Madeline Apple has 
a unique role where she works with 
not one, but two, Metro Detroit Jewish 
organizations.
Apple, 26, of Birmingham, is one of the 
newest employees to work with NEXTGen 
Detroit, an arm of Jewish Federation of 
Metropolitan Detroit that focuses on 
building a vibrant community for young 
Jewish adults.
“Half of the week, I’m at Gesher 
providing counseling services for people 
who need job assistance and are on the 
job hunt,
” she explains. “The other half 
of the week, I’m at Federation planning 
NEXTWork events.
”
NEXTWork is an event series put on by 
NEXTGen Detroit that offers professional 
networking opportunities for young Metro 
Detroiters and a chance to hear success 
stories from local Jewish business owners. 
Apple, meanwhile, works behind the scenes 
to help make this popular event series a 
reality.
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 
she meets with Gesher clients to discuss 
career paths and job opportunities. On 
Tuesdays and Thursdays, she meets with 
NEXTWork event chairs and sets the 
networking events into motion.
“Every day is completely different,
” Apple 
says. “It’s really interesting because I’ve 
never worked in two organizations before. 
It’s a nice switch-up.
”

JOB PLACEMENTS
Currently attending Wayne State University 
to pursue a Master of Arts degree in 
vocational rehabilitation counseling, Apple 

is not only a Gesher employee, but also is 
completing her internship in counseling at 
the Jewish organization. She began the role 
in September 2022 and is slated to graduate 
from Wayne State later this year.
Although Apple works with clients of 
all ages at Gesher, her work at NEXTGen 
Detroit makes her well-suited to help 
young adults, in particular, find meaningful 
careers. “
A lot of people want to be 
employed in the Jewish community,
” 
she explains. “I meet with different 
organizations to find out what employees 
they’re looking for.
”
From there, Apple will do outreach and 
keeps a database of Jewish community jobs 
to reference. She also checks local Jewish 
Facebook groups to see which businesses 
are hiring and to find people in Metro 
Detroit who are looking for new careers.
“I really partner with everyone,
” she says.
The most rewarding part of the role, 
Apple says, is working one-on-one with 
people to help them find meaningful 
employment. “I’ve had a lot of success and 
a lot of successful clients,
” she says. “Every 
time my clients get a job placement, it’s 
amazing.
”
Although Apple is still figuring out 
where she’
d like her career path to 
ultimately go, she knows no matter which 
direction it takes, she wants to help people. 
In fact, this passion runs in her DNA. Her 
grandfather was a psychoanalyst, while 
her grandmother worked at a school for 
children with emotional struggles.
“I grew up in a therapeutic setting,
” she 
explains.

FAMILY FIRST
Still, like many other young adults, 

she wanted to test other fields before 
determining counseling was her right path. 
After graduating from the University 
of Michigan in 2018 with a Bachelor of 
Arts in American culture and history, she 
packed up her bags and moved to New 
York City.
“I wanted something new,
” she recalls. 
“
All of my friends were in New York, and I 
lived in Michigan my entire life.
”
Apple completed an internship in 
fashion in New York City, then landed in a 
tech marketing role. However, she realized 
it wasn’t for her. 
“I really didn’t think I could go the rest 
of my life without living in the same place 
as my family,
” she says.
Faced with a choice — staying with her 
friends in New York City and building a 
life there or taking a “leap of faith” and 
moving back to Michigan to be with her 
family — the choice was obvious for Apple.
“I chose family,
” she says.
Now, Apple looks forward to graduating 
from Wayne State University in the spring 
and is already working on the next step 
in her education. “I’m applying for Ph.D. 
programs,
” she explains. “I’ll see where I get 
in and then make a decision from there.
”
However, one thing is for certain: 
Apple always wants to work one-on-one 
with clients. “I don’t think I’
d ever give 
up having clients because it’s so fun,
” she 
says. “Talking to them, helping them 
and engaging them is so rewarding on a 
personal level.
” 

This series is about young adults who left the state 

and have decided to come home and plant their 

roots in Metro Detroit. If you or someone you know 

want to be featured in this series, send an email to 

jheadapohl@thejewishnews.com.

NEXT DOR

NEXTGen Employment Specialist Madeline 
Apple links people to meaningful careers.

Back from 
the Big Apple

ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSK CONTRIBUTING WRITER

HOME IN MICHIGAN

Madeline 
Apple

