Sarah Jacobs, 27, always knew she wanted to become a Jewish professional.
Jacobs grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, in a small Reform Jewish community. She attended URJ Camp Coleman and participated in NFTY, the Reform Jewish youth movement.
At Duke University, she became active in the school’s Hillel chapter.
She also enjoys doing community theater in Fells Point and is involved with Moishe House programs, including the adult Jewish camp as a song leader, and she recently received her scuba diving certification.
Jacobs lives in Canton.
What do you do for The Associated?
I am on our annual campaign team, the development team, and I work with our business and professional divisions, including groups like Jewish professional women, lawyers, doctors, real estate networking groups and some women’s philanthropy as well.
What made you want to go into the Jewish nonprofit world?
I love Jewish peoplehood. I’m very passionate about it, and I knew I wanted to do something with my life that was dedicated to the continuing of the Jewish people and making sure that as many people as possible felt connected to their Jewishness, whatever that looks like for them.
How did you get started at The Associated?
I was graduating college during the pandemic and looking for jobs in the Jewish nonprofit world. I had no idea that Baltimore had such an incredible Jewish community. It was really not on my radar at all, and then I found this job at The Associated and started to learn more about it, and learned how incredible and historic The Associated is, and it was a great fit.
I’ve been with The Associated for almost five years, and I started out in our community planning and allocations department in our Israel and global work, and then transitioned to the development department a year and a half ago.
What is your favorite part of your job?
I get to meet so many people that have such incredible stories and connections to Jewish Baltimore, and everyone I get to meet cares so much. That just gives me so much hope for the future of the Jewish people, that we have this community that cares about each other and feels so strongly about wanting to help each other.
What would you say is the most challenging part of your job?
The most challenging part is just being Jewish in the world. In our work, we’re very tuned into a lot of good things that are happening in the Jewish world, but unfortunately, all of the bad things we have to be aware of. So, it gets very heavy sometimes, and especially with the war and all of the rise in antisemitism around the world — especially this year — it is really tough, and it’s not easy to be surrounded by that all of the time.
However, I feel very lucky, because I can’t imagine being in a workplace that wasn’t aware of that and all the feelings that come along with that. So, on the one hand, it’s hard, but on the other hand, we all really support each other, and at the end of the day, that’s why we’re doing what we’re doing, to counteract all the bad things that happen.
