Jillian Manko loves the Baltimore Jewish community. While growing up in Baltimore, Manko, 34, began to appreciate the comfort of the Jewish community. However, it wasn’t until she moved to Israel for a year and met people from other communities that she really solidified her need to work in it.

After growing up in Pikesville and graduating from Pikesville High School, Manko went to Israel for a year through a Young Judea gap year program. She then went to Stevenson University to study psychology. Now, Manko works as the director of engagement for Baltimore Hebrew Congregation.

Jillian Manko and her husband, Gene, live with their three daughters in Sparks, Maryland.

What does a day in your life look like?
I laugh with my friends, family and everyone all the time about the fact that I pretty much have my dream job. Every day is different. Whether it’s right now, we’re getting into high holiday season, back to school. I work with our E.B. Hirsh Early Childhood Center and their partnership with the JCC.

What’s your favorite part of your job?
The people I love, the people in our community. I love the people that I work with. They make coming to work fun and exciting. We all have the same goals which is to build community and make Baltimore Hebrew Congregation a place that people want to come to and want to be part of, whether it’s here in the synagogue for programming or around town with some of our partners. We put people first and that’s always been something that’s important to me. [Additionally,] through Na’aleh, I’m going to be part of this NYU certificate in relationship-based community building that I’m excited for and proud of because it’s with a lot of other Jewish professionals that I’ve worked with for a long time. I’m excited to learn and grow together with them.

Did you ever think you would go into this work?
When I was in high school and college, I knew I loved people, and I knew I was fascinated by people and wanted to understand them. I needed something a little bit faster pace than going straight into psychology. I really liked business psychology and the attachment theory [which is] learning how people work within organizations. [Within my role as] director of engagement, I really have my hand in every different area. It’s pretty much making sure that people feel like they’re really part of our community and like they belong. If they need anything, they can always come to us.

Outside of work, what do you do for fun?
Outside of work, I have a few different volunteer opportunities. I really enjoy spending time with my kids and their friends. I like hearing about all the small communities that they’re building around themselves. It’s so fascinating to hear the 11-year old’s differences between the 8-year-old and then my 2-year-old who’s coming home with a whole other world of different connections. My oldest daughter is on a club lacrosse team, so we do a lot of traveling for that. My kids are my friends.

What’s it like working in the community that you grew up in?
It’s amazing because the Jewish Baltimore community had a huge part in raising and uplifting me when I was younger and when I was a child. It gave me the confidence to be proudly Jewish. It really hit home for me when I took my gap year in Israel. I met people who didn’t have the same advantage of growing up in a strong Jewish community that’s deeply rooted in Jewish values. I got to meet a lot of people who really opened my eyes to living in other places and showed me how wonderful Baltimore as a community is. When I moved home, I knew that all I wanted to do was help be part of strengthening this community.

How would you describe your relationship with Judaism?
My Judaism is all about doing the work and helping build the community, growing our branches while extending our roots. It’s really funny thinking of business psychology where there’s an organizational development of how we’re learning in these huge corporations that we should be building. Judaism has always had these little check-ins built into it. I like when I look into Judaism, how much I can apply it to what I’m doing and to my work.

What’s your favorite place to explore in Baltimore?
I love short trails and hikes and things like that. We live close to the [National Central Railroad Trail], but I really love Oregon Ridge because it’s easy for my kids at all ages. We have a huge Rosh Hashanah program there called Rosh Hashanah Under the Stars. It’s really cool that throughout the year, we can go there and hike and explore. Then, on Rosh Hashanah, I can go there [with lots of] people and pray together and be in
that space.