Allison (Alli) Berger, 30, thought she would live a very different life than she does today.
Berger, a Canton resident, grew up in Clarksville and attended college at University of Central Florida as a film major. After college, she moved back to Maryland and took a job in advertising, where she worked for two years.
“I needed a change,” she said. “I was out on the job hunt, just looking for whatever might be next, and very happily got a job in the Jewish community.”
Berger explained that she was looking to do more mission-driven work. “I wanted to have more interaction with people and I thought that nonprofit culture might be a better fit for me.”
“I just kind of happened into the Jewish nonprofit space. It wasn’t something I was dreaming about or intentionally striving for but I’ve stuck around because the people are so wonderful and the mission really resonates with me,” she said. “It’s been a great place to work.”
Today, Berger serves as assistant director for Jewish experiences for the Jewish Connection Network, an agency of The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore. She began working in Baltimore’s Jewish community in 2019, when she took a job at another Associated agency, the Jewish Volunteer Connection. Three years later, the program evolved into JCN.
“I stuck around through that very happily,” she said. “Lots of great opportunities have come my way since then, and I’m really grateful to be in the role I’m in now.”
Growing up in Howard County, Berger participated in services at Temple Isaiah and attended Camp Louise for 12 summers. “[Camp Louise] was a really important part of my Jewish identity. I think that was where I did ‘Jewish’ more than at home,” Berger said.
“My family celebrated the major holidays together,” she added. “It was always a great reason to see everyone and enjoy a meal and connect.”
Berger explained that her current role is to help members of the community participate in Jewish life in Baltimore — specifically the volunteering aspect — “in the ways that feel comfortable and right for them.”
“Volunteering is a great way for people to connect to each other, make new friends,” said Berger. “It’s a great way to connect to local organizations and to express your Jewish values and identity.”
Although her current career is not what Berger pictured for herself when she was younger, her work still hits close to home.
“I have a younger brother with autism, and a piece of the work at the Jewish Connection Network is around disabilities and inclusion and making sure that families that have a family member with a disability or a special need can participate in Jewish life and access the resources they need,” explained Berger. “It has been interesting, kind of blending my lived experience in my household growing up with the work of our agency.”
Her connection to the work runs deep, but Berger said it’s the culture within her team that continues to energize her.
“I think what I like most about my job is the team that I work with. I work with very dedicated, mission-driven professionals. We have a wonderful culture. We approach everything with intentionality. It’s a very creative atmosphere,” Berger said. “It’s a real startup culture that allows us to just throw things at the wall, see what works best, and everyone has opportunities to contribute and lead.”
Outside of work, Berger says she likes to walk with her friends through Patterson Park or along the Canton waterfront. She also said one of her goals is to travel more, having already visited Greece, Mexico, the Bahamas and Israel.
