Mission
J'Burgh is an initiative of the Hillel Jewish University Center of Pittsburgh with support from Shalom Pittsburgh and the Jewish Healthcare Foundation. It is designed to serve the needs of the approximately 2,500 Jewish graduate students and young professionals in their twenties living in Pittsburgh. Our mission is to bring together Jewish grad students, young professionals, and their friends to create opportunities for them to build a community together, celebrate their Judaism together, and network for professional opportunities and development. J'Burgh's goal is to provide a gateway for Pittsburgh's young Jewish adult population to explore and develop their personal Jewish identity within our city.
Staff
David Katz has called Pittsburgh home since August of 2005. Prior to working at J’Burgh, David served as the youth director for Congregation Beth Shalom. An Avid Ohio State Fan, and proud graduate of The Ohio State University, David would be more than happy to take you out for beer, coffee, a game of darts, or foosball and share with you how to become more involved in the greater Pittsburgh community!
Sara Heal is from Youngstown, Ohio and relocated to Pittsburgh in the summer of 2010 to become a part of the J’Burgh team! She earned her degree in Marketing and Retail Merchandising at Ohio University (Go Bobcats!) in 2009. Sara loves meeting new people and taking them out for coffee or Razzy Fresh (the best fro yo in Pittsburgh!) So if you want to hear more about J’Burgh and young Jewish life in Pittsburgh, you should definitely get in touch with her!
J'Burgh Strategic Plan
Our 2009-2010 strategic plan highlights our goals at recruiting and retaining young Jewish adults to the city of Pittsburgh. Learn about our metrics, the dynamics of the J'Burgh planning board and everything else J'Burgh.
Read the J'Burgh Strategic Plan >
Recent Press
In December of 2009 J'Burgh was awarded the greatnonprofits.org Jewish Choice Awards for best small nonprofit in the Northeast Region. Beating out other small nonprofits from D.C. to NYC, our Pittsburgh participants came out in droves to review the organization.
Article in Pop City - Pittsburgh's premiere online magazine paid J'Burgh a visit, and sat down with Director David Katz for an in depth discussion on the affect our organization is having on the Western PA region. Check out this recent article in their For Good section.
Testimonials
"I've had an amazing experience being involved in J'Burgh for the past year. I am mostly involved in the sports activities J'Burgh participates in. Win or lose its great to get together with young Jewish adults like myself. I think David Katz is doing a fabulous job with J'Burgh. From shabbat dinners to kickball on mondays there are so many activities for a variety of people."
"As a recent graduate in the pittsburgh area J'Burgh has proven a great way to stay connected with the young Jewish community while moving away from the university setting."
Meet The J'Burgh Board
Meet the members of the J'Burgh board as well as liaisons and representatives from other Jewish graduate student and young professional groups around the Pittsburgh area. Find out what their role is, and why they are involved.
Brittany Youngman - Social Chair
"My previous involvement with J’Burgh as an undergraduate intern at the University of Pittsburgh."
Josh Wigod - Sports Chair
Sophia Berman - Jew Eat?! Chair
"Participation on the J'Burgh board has given me the opportunity to participate more actively in the Pittsburgh Jewish community. It has helped me meet many wonderful people, both friends and professional contacts, and has enabled me to engage in social, religious, cultural and philanthropic opportunities."
Perry Erlichman - Cultural Chair
Guy Zinman - Israel on Campus
Yevgeniya Monisova - Outdoors Chair
Laine Guttman - Social Action Chair
David Finkler - Jewish Learning Chair
Katie Kline - East End Minyan Chair
Dan Gilman - Professional Development Chair
"Pittsburgh is such an incredible City with so many opportunities for young people to become involved. J'Burgh is a unique organization that provides young Jewish adults to grow within the Jewish community and to become leaders within our community."
Kiki Cohen - Israel Education Chair
Lauren Grinstein - Jewish Pitt Grads (JPG) Representative
Henry Goodelman - Jewish Pitt Grads (JPG) Representative
Jack Berman - Pitt Jewish Law Student Association (JLSA) Representative
"I wanted to make sure other Jewish law students were aware of the advantages they had as members of the Pittsburgh Jewish community."
Sarah Posner - Pitt Jewish Law Student Association (JLSA) Representative
Carolyn Slayton - Duquesne JLSA Representative
Alan Rosenbaum - Med Students (Maimonides) Representative
Diana Weiner - Med Students (Maimonides) Representative
Doug Phillips - CMU’s Jewish Graduate Student Association (JGSA) Representative
Robbie Voightman - Hillel Board Liaison
"To continue my growth from undergrad, to grad, to young adult. "
Katie Whitlatch - Hillel Board Liaison
"My prior Hillel experience and my desire to provide a good experience for young adults."
