Just as the community went into quarantine in early March, the Federation’s newest staff team was coming together as a joint Engagement & Education Team.
This new department, staffed by existing professionals, is led by Margo Fox, Senor Director of Engagement and housed in the Center for Jewish Engagement and Learning (CJEL). In addition to Margo, the team members are: PJ Library Coordinator Robbie Alder; Maurer Jewish Community Library Coordinator Marcia Goldstein; Holocaust Education and Program Coordinator Amber Maze; Youth Philanthropy and Connection Director David Heilbron; and NEXTGen Director Matthew Kramer Morning. Together, they have been hard at work, pivoting programs to meet the new virtual reality and preparing for holidays like Passover and Shavuot through sharing online resources and creating pathways to local offerings.
Once late spring and summer settled in, the group took time to get to know each other better and visit their mission. The team has a goal to be a resource and facilitator for initiatives that foster a vibrant, diverse, and inclusive Jewish community. This includes a variety of modes: innovative engagement; community building; and Jewish educational and learning initiatives, both formal and informal, that address multigenerational needs and gaps.
The Indianapolis Jewish community is blessed with wonderful educational institutions and educators who care deeply about meeting the needs of all ages and demographics in the community. The Federation’s Engagement & Education Team is working to amplify those voices, support educators, and engage in the exciting work of connecting members of the Jewish community to opportunities that meet their needs. With online programming and resources being more important than ever, the team developed the Connect with Purpose section on the Federation webpage (www.jewishindianapolis.org/connect-with-purpose) and also holiday and festival specific pages. With these resources, community members can find local and national opportunities to support living vibrant and meaningful Jewish lives.
The Engagement & Education Team has and will continue to highlight many of the offerings from PJ Library Story Hours to ATID’s young adult leadership development programs. There are many opportunities to connect and grow.  This team looks forward to continuing these programs and future opportunities that allow people to connect to each other and the Jewish community.