As the Teen Engagement and Program Coordinator, Eliana will lead the Social Innovation Fellows, Peer Leadership Fellows, and J Camps CIT programs, beginning this fall. She will plan and facilitate programs for each cohort with content focusing on relational engagement, social entrepreneurship, Jewish identity, and leadership development. She will also work with alumni, teen peer mentors, who support the cohorts throughout their experience. In her role, she will create spaces where teens can build community, develop leadership skills, and have fun along the way.

Q1: Tell us a bit about your background and what brought you here. 

A: Growing up, I moved every five or six years, and no matter where I lived, the JCC was always my second home. It was the place where I attended pre-school, danced, performed in musicals, volunteered, became a camp counselor, and eventually a professional. After I graduated college, I knew I wanted to help create that same sense of home for other people. 

I spent nearly two years at JCC Greater Boston as a Development Coordinator, supporting fundraising events, marketing, and donor engagement. Wanting to better understand how strong Jewish communities are built and sustained, I returned to school at the Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program through Brandeis University, where I earned a Master’s in Jewish Professional Leadership and a Social Impact MBA.

Eliana graduating the Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program and Heller School of Social Policy and Management dual MA/MBA program at Brandeis University

While in graduate school, I interned with the Diller Teen Fellows program, and everything clicked. I loved watching a room full of strangers become a cohort, discussing big questions about our values, leadership and Judaism, and creating spaces where teens felt comfortable being completely themselves. 

Two months ago, my husband and I moved to Baltimore for his Internal Medicine residency at Johns Hopkins. I had met Diana Solomon at a conference a few years ago, so when I heard about the opportunity to join 4Front, it felt like everything had come full circle. I’m so excited to be part of a team that’s investing in the next generation of Jewish leaders, parents, and the youth professionals who support them. 

Q2: Why are you passionate about engaging Jewish teens? 

A: Some of the adults who invested in me when I was a teenager still shape the way I think and act today. They challenged me, listened to me, and made me feel like my voice mattered. There are a few conversations I had with some of my mentors that I still think about to this day. If I can help create those same experiences for someone else, even in a small way, that’s work worth doing. 

Q3: What has your involvement been in the Jewish community? 

A: I grew up Modern Orthodox, attending Jewish day school, going to synagogue every week, and spending Shabbat meals gathered around tables with family and friends. What I valued most about my Jewish upbringing was the consistent and deep-rooted community that was woven into everyday life. 

In college, I stayed involved through Hillel leadership and Jewish summer internships. Today, my Jewish practice looks different than it did growing up, but it’s still a central part of who I am. I love Jewish learning, traditions, food, and especially the way Judaism invites us to gather. 

Q4: What are your hobbies outside of work? 

A: Outside of work, you’ll usually find me hiking, loom knitting, trying a new recipe, or hanging out with our three cats. We recently rescued our third after he wandered up to our apartment building, and he has quickly become the sweetest (and most chaotic) member of the family. I also love to host shabbat meals! 

Q5: What excites you most about working at 4Front?  

A: What excites me most about working at 4Front is joining such a creative, kind and passionate group of professionals. Helping teens create community starts with the community we build amongst ourselves and so far, this team has been unbelievably welcoming and made me feel settled quite quickly. I am part of a group of colleagues who genuinely care about one another, and I think that spirit carries into everything 4Front does. 

Q6: What’s one thing you’re hoping to achieve in your new role?  

A: One goal that I am hoping to achieve in my new role is to create and facilitate fun and thought-provoking programs that help the teens form community and keeps them wanting to come back again and again.  

4Front is thrilled to welcome Eliana to the team! We are excited to see the impact she will leave on the teens in the Social Innovation Fellowship, the Peer Leadership Fellows, and the CIT’s in the next year and the years to come.

There is still room for a few more teens in this year’s Social Innovation Fellowship cohort! Learn more about the Fellowship on the 4Front Baltimore website. If you or your teen is even slightly interested in the program, be sure to email Eliana at [email protected] for more information.