The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia values and prioritizes career development at every stage of an individual’s journey—whether they are a longtime employee, new to the field or students interested in learning about Jewish communal work.
As part of an ongoing effort to expose young professionals to the influential work of a mission driven nonprofit, the Jewish Federation is excited to welcome six summer interns: IT Interns Jacob Berko and Nicolas Linsalata, Marketing and Creative Intern Dustin Braufman, Endowments and Financial Resource Development (FRD) Intern Benjamin Diamond, Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) Intern Jonah Shapiro, and Marketing Intern Erika Steinhart.
“Welcoming interns into our workplace is a wonderful experience for all involved”, said Jewish Federation’s Chief Human Resources Officer Melissa Gabillon. “Not only do our interns receive a great education in the meaningful work we do, but our staff are able to impart their knowledge and skills by assisting with their training and development. We are committed to sharing our expertise with the next generation of Jewish Communal Professionals and feel honored that our interns have selected the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia for their summer internships.”
Berko, Braufman and Steinhart will work at the Jewish Federation for seven weeks as part of the JEVS Human Services’ Franklin C. Ash Summer Internship Program, which connects college students with leading Jewish nonprofits.
In addition to the Franklin C. Ash Summer Internship Program, JEVS Human Services is a grantee of the Jewish Federation that touches the lives of thousands each year by focusing on individuals with physical, developmental and emotional challenges as well as those facing adverse socio-economic conditions, including unemployment and underemployment.
Meet Jacob Berko: IT Intern
“I wanted to find a place where I could further my academic pursuits while also incorporating Judaism,” said Berko. “As a computer science student, I'm eager to learn how technology seamlessly integrates into the workplace. Applying my skills in a professional environment will provide invaluable experience that I can't fully capture in a classroom setting.”
Berko currently attends Cornell University, where he is pursuing his Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science, with a minor in business. Berko has experience with various back-end development and productivity tools. He received the “2020 Winning Game” award as part of Google’s Change the Game contest. Berko is also the founder and president of Kappa Theta Pi, Cornell’s first pre-professional computer and information science fraternity. In his spare time, Jacob enjoys piano, running, tennis, sailing, game development and Rubik’s cube.
Berko will help with the day-to-day requests received by the IT help desk, learn the Jewish Federation's systems and processes, and will become familiar with the organization’s software platforms. He will also learn about software migration, complete an AV project, and assist with IT documentation and technical writing.
Meet Dustin Braufman: Marketing and Creative Intern
“I am most excited to gain real world design experience and develop professional relationships in the office,” said Braufman. “This opportunity grants me experience that will improve my design work and help me grow professionally. I wanted to intern at the Jewish Federation so that I could give back to the Jewish community and help a cause I believe in.”
Braufman is currently studying design and marketing at Lehigh University. He has experimented with different design disciplines, including graphic, product, branding, and illustration, and is most experienced in Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, and sculpting. In his free time, he enjoys connecting with friends, rooting for Philadelphia sports teams, riding his bike and cooking.
Braufman will work with the Marketing Department to grow his design fundamentals, develop basic video and photo editing skills, and learn how a brand identity is integrated visually and contextually into messaging and communications. He will also contact organizations to help build the Jewish Federation’s photo and video library.
Meet Benjamin Diamond: Endowments and FRD Intern
“I am passionate about helping the Greater Philadelphia Jewish community grow and thrive,” said Diamond. “I’m excited to gain valuable skills and experience in fundraising and endowments that I can use in my future career.”
Diamond graduated from Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy in 2023 and has committed to attend Suny Binghamton University this fall. He enjoys giving back to the community and has volunteered at the Afikim Center in the Talpiot Industrial Zone, teaching English to disadvantaged Israeli children.
As part of the Jewish Federation, Diamond will help the Endowments’ team prepare for their fall events, update the Tikkun Olam Society membership list, and perform site visits of the Weinberg Fund grantees. He will also assist with making phone calls to help close the 2024 Annual Campaign.
Meet Nicolas Linsalata: IT Intern
“Interning at the Jewish Federation is a great opportunity to assist and shadow IT technicians and actually place myself into real world scenarios,” said Linsalata. “I am most excited to get hands-on experience with Azure and a Windows Domain and to go behind the scenes and see and work in a the server room.”
Linsalata is currently in the Tech Impact ITWorks Program, completing numerous certifications. He previously worked for Color Reflections, where he was responsible for laminating and mounting various products. Linsalata also worked as a photographer for Rittenhouse Needlepoint.
Linsalata is interested in learning more about the day-to-day operations of IT and Cyber-Security. During his internship, Linsalata will help with the requests received by the IT help desk.
Meet Jonah Shapiro: Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) Intern
“I wanted to continue contributing to my Jewish community,” said Shaprio. “Having lived in Philadelphia my entire life, I aim to further enhance the community. The JCRC works to protect and assist Jews by combating antisemitism in Philadelphia and help them thrive through outreach to other communities in the area. I couldn't be happier to be a part of that. My hope is that my children can one day live here, free from hate, amidst a vibrant Jewish community with thriving synagogues, schools, and other programs that will make them proud of their Jewish identity.”
Shapiro currently attends the University of Pittsburgh and is majoring in international relations. He’s excited to learn more about the Jewish Federation’s work and how individuals - especially students - can gain more factually-based knowledge about the war against Hamas and the history of the conflict in the Middle East.
During his internship, Shapiro will research how communities are dealing with the local boycott, divestment, sanctions, and legislations and how states are using the new International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism. He will also shadow and assist with the Jewish Federation’s Israel advocacy and engage in efforts to combat antisemitism.
Meet Erika Steinhart: Marketing Intern
“Growing up Jewish, I always loved Tikkun Olam,” said Steinhart. “Recently, I realized I wanted a career that would enable me to give back to our community. I'm so excited to work in the Jewish Federation's Marketing Department to combine my love of brand creation and storytelling with my Jewish values.”
Steinhart attends Syracuse University, where she is studying marketing management, with minors in French and Jewish studies. She is an active leader within her campus’ Hillel, where she works at the front desk and as a community engagement intern. In her free time, she enjoys reading historical fantasy books and hiking.
Steinhart will work with the Marketing Department to write articles and event communication pieces, help to update the Jewish Federation’s brand guide, and support the end-of-campaign social media efforts.
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The Jewish Federation is committed to supporting young adults in their career development and uplifting the Jewish leaders of the next generation. To help support this work, consider making a gift by clicking here.