Some 60 years ago, a newlywed husband named Pete Sachs and his wife decided they ought to make a contribution to the Jewish community in Baltimore. They set aside some money and donated it to The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore.

Now, six decades later, Sachs is the chair of the board for The Associated, an organization he has been involved with since that first donation and that he loves very dearly.

“I’ve seen changes, how things have moved from one thing to the next. The needs change to some degree from decade to decade, but we still need to take care of those that we feel are in need of our services in many different [ways],” Sachs said.

Sachs, who lives in Pikesville and attends Har Sinai-Oheb Shalom Congregation, took over July 1. He takes charge after tenures in positions including chair of Jewish Community Services and president of The Associated Jewish Charities of Baltimore.

“I’ve always wanted and always enjoyed giving back to the community, being a part of the philanthropic interests of the community and The Associated is a great organization. We do a lot for Jewish Baltimore and Jews around the world, and it just came at the right time in my life to take on that responsibility,” Sachs said.

Though Sachs’ tenure began July 1, he was ramping up his involvement prior to that in preparation.

“You get involved a bit before that to get an idea of what your role is going to be and some of the things that come up,” Sachs said.

Sachs said something the chair of the board is typically focused on is raising funds, which is as crucial today as it ever has been. The Associated’s security budget has ballooned to more than $2 million in the last few years in the face of the threat of rising antisemitism. But that’s not all.

“There continue to be additional needs in the community at all levels, and that could be for teens, that could be for older adults, that can be on the social service side; those that you know have needs that we’re able to help,” Sachs said. “So one of the things that I will continue to be focused on, and learn from others on, is how can we continue to increase what we’re raising, but also — and some people would say more importantly — make sure that we continue to have the base of giving in this area that we’ve had for so many generations.”

Sachs said as people move out of town as older adults, they might not feel as inclined to continue to give.

“You want to keep those families involved, so it’s an ongoing job of how to continue to keep the base and to increase it over a period of time,” he said.

But it isn’t just about obtaining more money, it’s also doing better with what The Associated already has.

“The other thing that I’m working on is how we can continue to be more efficient,” he said.

One way that The Associated is looking to do so is by embracing artificial intelligence. Sachs said as popular a topic as AI is, many might not think about it within the context of an organization like The Associated. Even so, it could serve to play a key role in its operations.

“I think whether you’re an older adult like myself or my grandkids age, it’s changing your thinking. We all have to be aware of what it’s about … we are looking every day how it can make us more efficient, and we’re finding some really interesting ways as far as record keeping, taking notes and other ways that it can really make us more efficient,” Sachs said. “On the other hand, you’ve got to be careful that it doesn’t take over what you’re doing, and that there’s still the human element.”

Born and raised in Baltimore, Sachs has seen a lot in his hometown over the course of his years. Knowing how things used to be, as well as what they are now, helps him have a better idea of where they can go from here.

“I think that helps in some of the things, because people say if you’re not from Baltimore, it’s a little different. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing a lot of changes,” he said.

For The Associated, a new board chair means a new era of leadership. For Pete Sachs, it’s just the continuation of a journey that started with a donation more than 60 years ago.

aguckes@midatlanticmedia.com