Volunteering With Jennifer Grossman

May 1, 2017 Rochelle C. Eisenberg

A little over 10 years ago, Jennifer Grossman reached out to The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore to become more involved in her community. She quickly realized how interested she was in the work of Jewish Volunteer Connection (JVC). In 2007, she became chair of JVC’s signature event, Community Mitzvah Day, and served in that capacity for three years.

Since then, she’s made JVC her passion – serving in a variety of roles, including chair of the board. She’s engaged her family; husband Andy and children Matthew, Alexa and Kate, involving them along the way.

This May, Grossman will move on after 10 years of volunteering with JVC.

Your first involvement was Mitzvah Day?

I became chair in 2007. The idea of mobilizing a large group of people with one goal in mind intrigued me. We had people of all ages, from all parts of our community, coming together to help those in need. We made sandwiches, prepared and delivered winter care packages, served meals to the homeless and brought gifts to children less fortunate. To be so hands-on was incredibly empowering.

I know you always involved your children on Mitzvah Day.

It was important to Andy and I that we open our kids’ eyes to the larger community and ways they could impact it. One year we delivered the winter care packages. The streets were empty except one very frail gentleman who had just received a bag. He reached into it and pulled out the hand colored card before even checking what was inside and smiled. What an incredible lesson for the kids to see, to realize about giving things with dignity and the power of humanity and kindness.

Volunteering and Israel?

Right before I became chair, I spent 10 days in Israel traveling the country through the lens of JVC. Two years ago, I visited again as part of the Baltimore-Ashkelon Partnership mission. One of the most powerful days was when we painted bedrooms for at risk children at Orr Shalom* and helped construct their playground. Watching their excitement when they saw what we did was probably one of the most gratifying times in my life.

My dream was to run a Mitzvah Mission to Israel for families and create these kinds of experiences for them. Last December, as a culmination of chairing JVC, I was given the honor with my husband to chair The Associated’s Family Mitzvah Mission.

What did you do?

For 10 days we traveled Israel and participated in different volunteer projects in each city we visited. We did everything from making chocolate in a factory created for youth at risk as a means to teach them vocational skills, to spending a magical day with foster families at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo, to refurbishing the grounds of a low income school in Ashkelon, making it usable again for hundreds of kids.

What’s next?

My work with JVC and The Associated rooted me in my Jewish identity and made me realize I want to continue to be part of the Jewish community and find ways to strengthen it.

I am currently in the process, with a longtime colleague of mine, of launching a non-profit organization focusing on improving the lives of Jewish children who have been negatively impacted by stressors in the home.

* Orr Shalom rescues Israeli children suffering from abuse, neglect or tragedy and provides them with a safe home and educational material and psychological support.

Learn more at jvcbaltimore.org.

Top Photo: Jennifer Grossman (middle) involves her family (left to right) Matthew, Andy, Kate and Alexa in her volunteer projects. (Courtesy photo)