Developing Empathy and Understanding While Taking on New Professional Responsibilities

Hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, Jonny Rosen is a junior in the Joint Program between Columbia University’s School of General Studies and the Jewish Theological Seminary, majoring in Financial Economics and Talmud. After studying at Yeshivat Orayta, Jonny knew he wanted to continue his Jewish learning. He didn’t feel that Shana Bet at Orayta to YU was the right fit for him, so JTS/Columbia really offered the perfect opportunity for him to pursue academic interests while simultaneously continuing his Judaic studies.

This past summer, Jonny worked for Imadi, a nonprofit based in Baltimore and Silver Spring, Maryland. As an organization, Imadi strives to provide comprehensive care for children with chronic illnesses and genetic conditions, along with their families. This care is seen in more than just hospital visits; every kid and many of their siblings are paired up with engaged and active volunteers. Imadi welcomes children from all religious backgrounds, ranging from Orthodox and Yeshiva day school background to not having a robust cultural Jewish background, and everything in-between.

Jonny was specifically involved with Imadi’s summer program, where he served as the official chief operations officer, with a designated focus to the program’s finances and logistics. This ranged from helping with fundraising to some degree, budget planning, monitoring budget throughout the camp, and approving orders and purchases. Jonny also facilitated transportation and helped address campers’ medical needs alongside the camp’s nurse. Even though Jonny’s primary role was dealing with finances and logistics, he shared how “when you’re on a team that small [one of six people], you might have one official role, but everyone is really doing everything. Every team member is a real team player; we all helped out everywhere.”

Before he started working with the summer team, Jonny attended List College formal at the end of the semester. Like many, Jonny said this event is always the highlight of his spring semester because it is one of the only times when the whole community is having fun in one place.

When asked how he got involved with Imadi, Jonny shared how its founder and CEO, Tzvi Haber, used to teach at his high school, Beth Tfiloh. Haber introduced Jonny to Imadi, and almost immediately, he became interested in being part of the work Imadi does. He explains how Haber “makes [volunteers] feel equipped to be a successful volunteer and make a big impact on the children’s lives.” Even more than that, Jonny said he saw the impact that Imadi has on its kids from previous volunteer experience with them. He saw an opportunity to be part of that on a larger scale, and saying yes to that was so easy for him. The power and change that this organization has had on children’s lives was incredible to Jonny, and that is what drew him to it.

When sitting down with him, I asked Jonny if he’s taken away any values from working with Imadi that he sees play out in other aspects of his life. He explained how spending the whole summer with the kids and adapting various activities and events to their needs and capabilities gave him a different viewpoint, and he developed more empathy and understanding. From a professional standpoint, this is one of the largest opportunities of responsibilities that Jonny has been given. Managing a budget of that size and working with a team to start something new are things Jonny had never done before. On a logistical aspect, being responsible for kids with serious medical conditions taught Jonny how to deal with organization, stress, and teamwork all mixed together. 

On campus, Jonny is involved with the Columbia/Barnard board of the Yavneh minyan, where he is the Vice President of Chesed. This position lets him help the community by organizing different volunteer events. I asked him how his official position in the community relates to his work with Imadi and his general history of volunteer and chesed work. He said that he “wanted to run for this position for the same reasons I wanted to work for Imadi. I see a lot of value and a lot of opportunity to make that difference in people’s lives, to be a force for good.”

Especially working with Imadi and learning how to start a new program from nothing, Jonny has really incorporated that mindset into organizing different volunteer initiatives. He started a weekly tutoring program at a school in Harlem, where about 15 students go to volunteer and tutor students in various subjects. Additionally, Jonny continues the tradition of Lunch with Mikey. Mikey is an adult who has mental inabilities, and he’s been coming to Columbia to lunch for about ten years now. All the cafeteria staff and students know him, and it’s a real highlight of his week.

When he is not organizing Shabbat dinners or working in the JTS atrium, Jonny helped organize an opportunity for Yavneh members to run with an organization called Back on My Feet in the NYC half marathon. There are about eight community members signed up, and each one will be raising about $1000 dollars each. Jonny has been involved with them for the past few years. I’ve also been involved with their morning runs that leave at about 5:45 in the morning. The organization runs with people experiencing homelessness to train for the city-wide marathons. Showing up to and pushing yourself through these runs really helps them develop routine, and helps push themselves. Working out helps build confidence and sustain mental health. After members show a certain amount of commitment, the organization provides finance classes and life skill classes. They help the people experiencing homelessness get a job, resume workshops, interview prep, every step to get back on their feet.

Being a student in the Joint Program, Jonny obviously chose to continue his Judaic education at the collegiate level. So far, his favorite class has been a Talmud course that studied Masechet Shabbat. Finishing up his junior year, Jonny shared how he has seen JTS foster an environment where students feel encouraged to pursue volunteer opportunities and give back to communities.