Jewish Federation of Greater Portland Volunteer Coordinator Merit Pinker has been selected for the fourth cohort of The Catalyst professional development initiative for Federation leaders working in volunteer service spaces.

Pinker joins 10 other Federation professionals from across North America in this five-month program led by Repair the World, the nationwide Jewish service movement, and the Jewish Federations of North America.

“We’re going to be workshopping together new volunteer programs for our communities,” Pinker said. We’re creating unique programs to our own communities, but workshopping them together, and also increasing our own skills for engagement and service learning.”

In addition to their regular online meetings over the next five months, the cohort will gather in person before February’s FedPro national conference in Phoenix, Ariz. for a day-long service-learning intensive.

“We’re thrilled to welcome this exceptional group of professionals who are dedicated to strengthening their communities through Jewish service and learning,” Repair the World Chief Program Officer Shana Bloom said in a press release. “As proud partners with Jewish Federations, we’re equipping Jewish community leaders with the expertise and resources to engage the next generation of volunteers in Jewish service and make Jewish service a cornerstone of Jewish life.”

“Jewish Federations are committed to investing in the professional development of our staff, ensuring they have the tools to engage and inspire their communities,” Hannah Miranda Miller, JFNA’s Director of Volunteer Initiatives and Global Service, added. “The Catalyst program is a powerful example of how we can work together to build a more vibrant Jewish future grounded in service.”

Laura Jeser, the Portland Federation’s Associate Campaign and Engagement Director, participated in the third Catalyst cohort. Her experience helped her launch The Mitzvah Project service programs for young adults and its companion program, Mitzvah Makers, for young families.

“[Catalyst] taught me the power of listening to our community’s voice to create inclusive, meaningful volunteer spaces rooted in tikkun olam (repairing the world),” Jeser said. “Beyond the professional framework for organizing volunteerism, I gained a national network of peers who remain trusted colleagues and dear friends. I am thrilled for Merit as she dives into this transformative journey.”

Catalyst participants receive a grant of $7,000 to help bring a volunteer service initiative to life in their communities. Pinker hasn’t settled on a project yet, but the ideas are churning.

“There’s a missing gap [in volunteer service opportunities] for adults who are no longer young adults but aren’t yet seniors,” Pinker said. “We’ve also seen the success of service teams; groups that continue working on the same project over time instead of done-in-a-day programs, which has been the bulk of what we do with our volunteer program right now.”

Those interested in Jewish volunteer service programs can contact Pinker at merit@jewishportland.org.