Elana, Senior Grant Writer

What is your average day like at The Jewish Board?

It’s a mixture of meetings to stay up-to-date on program developments – we fundraisers are always on the lookout for agency news that might interest a particular funder – and communicating about The Jewish Board’s great work to funders through emails, grant proposals, and reports.

What is your favorite part about the work you do?

I like that my role requires me to be knowledgeable on all agency programs so that we can match potential funders to The Jewish Board programs most aligned with their goals. It keeps work interesting when I’m able to move among different topics, whether healthy aging in supportive housing, children’s bereavement, evidence-based models used in clinics – the list goes on and on! I also have so much respect for the staff who provide direct services to clients; they are all such important sources of support for New Yorkers who are trying to heal from and move beyond trauma and other very difficult challenges. I appreciate the opportunity to use the skills I have in support of their valuable work!

Why do you think the value “Embrace Each Other’s Differences” is so important?

Embracing Each Other’s Differences is the only way we can each be our full selves — understanding that someone being different from me does not make them or me “good” or “bad” in comparison.

What song or album do you listen to when you need a burst of energy?

I’m a music nerd, so I wish I could drop a whole playlist here… I’ll go with Ibibio Sound Machine’s 2022 album “Electricity,” which is very danceable.