Setting the Table (Literally)
I wrapped up the plastic tablecloth, folding it tactfully to prevent any leftover champagne or rosé spill from within the loose seams. The boxes that arrived full—with plasticware, snacks and plenty of napkins—now sat empty. Schlepping a dozen shopping bags to the 10th floor was tiring, but I was grateful for the 4 volunteers that arrived early and stayed late to help with the first official JIT mixer on New York's Upper West Side.
Just 30 minutes prior, the library on the synagogue’s penthouse level was filled with 55 Jewish professionals, students, entrepreneurs, investors and community members. Now it was spotless.
The event was over—a true success!
The last 2 hours were electric!
So many Jews in Tech! Who knew? From 7 to 9pm on a weeknight, a room full of strangers became a burst of new connections: networking, icebreakers, socializing, LinkedIn swaps, WhatsApp intros, unrealized communal potential.
As the early-20th-century elevator descended, scenes of tonight’s highlights rushed through my mind. The smiles, the hugs, the photos, the food, the wine!
What We Felt in That Room
JIT’s first in-person NYC meetup of 2024 was a display of strength—in numbers and in spirit. There was something tangible in the room that evening. It was a sense of desire among the attendees to reach their potential and to explore the possibilities of what being part of a community meant. It was a room full of Jews bringing their individuality, uniqueness, and personal flair simultaneously wrapped in 3,000 years of shared identity.
It was a room full of Jews bringing their individuality, uniqueness, and personal flair simultaneously wrapped in 3,000 years of shared identity.
For some it was their 3rd event of the week. Others hadn’t been to a professional event since before the pandemic. Yet for whatever reason, those 55 souls took a gamble—on a $10 ticket and mere possibilities. Imagine if each JIT member in attendance left the event just 1% better, stronger, and more proud to be a Jew in Tech? What a world to live in! That in itself, is what JIT is all about.
What a world to live in!
Jews in Tech is more than a Whatsapp group, a job board, or a newsletter. We are a family. We are a place to find a job, raise a round of investment capital, find an adviser for your startup, get invited to a shabbat meal, feel a sense of belonging, and be proud to be a Jew.
We are a network without borders that spans states, time zones, countries, languages and continents. With over 3,000 members and growing, we are volunteer-driven and our community is a reflection of our commitment to one another. We are a proclamation that our time, dollars and emotions are worth investing.
We are a network without borders that spans states, time zones, countries, languages and continents.
This Is Just the Beginning
The elevator bell rang, the 1st floor lit up, and the doors opened to a sea of dozens of JIT members still gathered in the lobby—deep in their conversations, refusing to let their night end. I glanced over at the security guard, half-expecting a warning. Instead, he just smiled and shook his head in disbelief.
It hit me then; our event wasn’t over. The spark we lit on the rooftop was still glowing downstairs—and would keep glowing, in Slack threads, DMs, new jobs, new ventures, and Shabbat invites. This is what we’re building: a community that lifts each of us higher as we chase what’s possible—together—in this wild, complicated, inspiring world of tech.
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