Jewish Federation of Cincinnati

Jaynie Levinson — Connecting Jewish Young Adults

It is with great excitement and bittersweet joy that I am writing this blog to let you know I will be moving back to New York City on September 5th to pursue a new career opportunity, as the Director of 20s and 30s Programming at the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan. I have truly enjoyed working at the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, and I am proud to have contributed to making Cincinnati and Jewish Cincinnati a better place, not just for young adults, but also for all. I want to extend a special thanks to Shep Englander, Barb Miller, and the lay leaders at the Jewish Federation who took a chance on me to start this new initiative. If it weren’t for this job, I would have never found my current fulfilling career path, and never been able to make a leap to another great Jewish professional job in New York City. The community here has been nothing but warm, welcoming, and grateful, and I am honored to call this city my home. I am thrilled to watch what our Jewish community continues to accomplish, and I plan to make sure New Yorkers know that they can learn quite a bit about building a vibrant Jewish future from Cincinnati. 

When I was offered the job I’m departing almost two years ago, I was terrified to take a leap from the comfortable and happy life I was living in New York City to come back to Cincinnati. I’ve always had hometown pride, but I didn’t know whether Cincinnati was the place for me at this stage of my life. In the end, it was the buzz, passion, victory with the Streetcar, and dynamic community leaders who inspired me to give this city a chance and take a risk. I couldn’t be prouder that I did, and one of the greatest decisions I’ve ever made was to be in Cincinnati during this period of growth, both for the city, the young Jewish community, and myself.

So why are you leaving? How can you leave? If you truly love it, how can you abandon Cincinnati? The community wants and welcomes you here, and doesn’t necessarily in New York. These are all thoughts that have been swirling through my head since that day in mid-July when I was offered a big job in New York City, doing what I want to be doing with an institution that’s nationally recognized for its Jewish programming. 

Let me take a step back. Cincinnati has and always will be my home. Cincinnati has given me so much over the years, and I’ve tried to give as much as I can back. But the reason I even gave Cincinnati a chance a few years ago was because this was a city finally taking a risk. This was a city on the verge of something big by being on the edge of its comfort zone and by developing its urban core. 

Young adults left in droves in years past because this wasn’t a place where people took risks, started innovative businesses, lived in an urban area or accepted people of different races, religions, or sexual orientations. The city had started to fall behind.

Yet with the promise of the Streetcar, urban development in OTR and on The Banks, leaders being on the forefront of the national gay rights movement, better police and community relations, bike paths and a bursting startup scene, Cincinnati was starting to arrive. I came here because I was feeling stale in New York City and wanted to make a difference. 

And Cincinnati embraced me and my work and dreams. I grew confident again here, made it a point to develop different professional and social circles than those I grew up with, invested in OTR and arts organizations around town and worked with local organizations to see how I could get involved with gay issues in the city. I grew tremendously. 

The Jewish community here is truly a model, and I think the rest of the country is noticing. Growing and engaging our young adult population is a primary tenet of the Cincinnati2020 strategic plan, and I am proud to have contributed to this growing community.

Whether it be launching the Spark Behind the Change series to promote innovation, or reuniting with those who have moved to other cities (#cincyjewsreunite), or leading the first-ever Cincinnati Birthright-Israel trip with a robust follow-up program, to meeting with and connecting Jewish young adults to help make their life here amazing, it was an honor to work towards the goal of making Cincinnati a Jewish destination for young adults.

Thank you to everyone who supported me, uplifted me, inspired me and laughed with me over the past two years. This is a city on the rise, pushing its limits and finally living on its edge. That spirit has allowed Cincinnati to soar in the past few years, and I know the momentum will continue. 

And oh yea, I will make sure New Yorkers know this city is something special. Peace out!