by Derek Holodak Program & Development Associate
So you’re newish and Jewish, and you’re looking for ways to get involved in Greater New Haven as a young Jewish professional but you don’t know where to start. Well, you’re in luck because NextDor has your back!
Here are five easy steps you can take to “do Jewish” your way in New Haven as a graduate student or young(-ish) professional:
1. CONNECT WITH A JCLICK AMBASSADOR
The first step towards feeling at home in your local Jewish community is to find yourself a jclick ambassador with similar interests to your own.
Jclick ambassadors are your best resource for learning about all things Jewish in Greater New Haven, from where to get the best kosher pareve desserts (answer: Claire’s Corner Copia) to where you can learn Israeli folk dance and more!
And who knows? Your jclick ambassador might just turn out to be the first new friend you make in the area! Learn more about jclick in the article above, or by visiting jclickCT.org.
2. ATTEND A SHABBAT DINNER AT THE MOISHE POD
Now that you’ve got yourself a jclick ambassador, it’s time to get social, and if you’re at the younger end of the “young adult” spectrum (20s and 30s), the best place to start is a Moishe Pod Shabbat dinner.
The Moishe Pod is a peer-led, home-based Jewish community for Jewish 20- and 30-somethings. Their events are small and intimate by design, so they are an ideal first foray into the Jewish young professionals scene.
Want to learn more? Drop the current residents, Yoni and Naomi, a line at ynadiv@gmail.com or Naomi. scheinerman@gmail.com to get a full listing of upcoming events.
3. CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS WITH YJP NEW HAVEN
Finally starting to settle into the community and make some friends? Take things to the next level by attending a YJP holiday party or Shabbat Social.
Originally formed as a group of eight friends who celebrated Shabbat together, YJP has grown over the past four years into a powerhouse of Modern Orthodox social-religious programming, hosting 100+ person open-bar events for Hanukkah, Purim, Sukkot and more!
To learn more about upcoming events, visit facebook.com/groups/jppnewhaven.
4. GRAB SOME COFFEE AND HANG OUT AT THE SLIFKA CENTER
Did you know? The Slifka Center and NextDor recently partnered to start providing more programming for graduate students and young professionals in Greater New Haven: from Shabbat dinners to volunteer opportunities and everything in between!
Have an idea for a program? NextDor now has office space at the Slifka Center one afternoon per week, so let’s grab a cup of coffee and talk it out in Susman Hall (also affectionately known as “the Purple Couch Room”).
Learn more by joining the Jews in New Haven (JiNH) Facebook group: facebook.com/ groups/365933100144157
5. GIVE BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY AND STAY INFORMED ABOUT EVENTS THROUGHOUT GREATER NEW HAVEN WITH NEXTDOR
If you followed all of the steps above, you should be pretty well-connected into the community at this point. But how do you make sure you know about everything that’s happening from month to month? And how can you get involved in making more great stuff happen? That’s where NextDor comes in.
NextDor is the convener for all things young and Jewish in Greater New Haven. We’ll make sure you always know about upcoming Shabbat dinners, author talks, volunteer opportunities and more, regardless of who the hosts are, and we’ll also give you the resources and opportunity to create your own.
So whether you’re looking to take that next step and get involved with event planning and community building, or you just want a central destination for everything young and Jewish in New Haven, get in touch with NextDor by sending me an email at dholodak@jewishnewhaven.org.