Since Oct. 7, Jewish professionals have been experiencing a grueling tug of war. On one end, the rising scourge of antisemitism and polarization squeezes the field, while on the other, surging demand for Jewish communal spaces is a revitalizing force for Jewish organizations, and those who run them, even as it demands ever more of them. At JPro2025, co-hosted by Leading Edge and the Jewish Federations of North America, which drew 1,300 to Baltimore this week, professionals unpacked that push and pull and sought ways to meet in the middle.

“Polycrisis. This word, the idea that we’re living in a time of not just one crisis, but many overlapping all at once.” said NJY Camps COO Sam Aboudara, opening the first plenary. “And yet, in the midst of this all, I come to understand that my professional purpose as a Jewish professional is in the pursuit of Jewish joy, not as an escape from reality, but as a direct response to it.”

With a combination of massage chairs, a comedy show and professional development opportunities, the conference provided support for professionals amid challenges impacting the field. While some skill-building sessions targeted common workplace struggles, like communication, procrastination and conflict, other options were more colored by the content of the current political moment, including a deep dive into the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, disrupting anti-Jewish ideas and how to approach communications in divided times.    

“We have woken up to the fact that we are on a very narrow bridge. If we’re not careful, we could fall off, or we can be pulled off to one side or the other, and somehow we have to hold the middle and stay the course,” said Rabbi Marc Baker, Combined Jewish Philanthropies president and CEO, during a panel discussion at Tuesday’s plenary. “I think we are holding this center, both kind of the center of the community, but also the center being this gap and trying our best to see it with a sense of positivity, opportunity, possibility. And when we do that, by the way, I think we are at our best.”

According to a spokesperson for JFNA, a core goal of the conference, which ended on Wednesday, was to establish a sense of belonging and support for Jewish communal professionals. So while scaffolding was provided to help professionals navigate polarized and politicized spaces, the politics themselves were intentionally not at the forefront. 

“The breadth of our diversity is such a beautiful thing and also part of our strength in the sector. And so we want this to be a space that is as broad as possible in terms of welcoming everyone and making them feel that they belong,” Shira Hutt, JFNA’s executive vice president, told eJP on Tuesday. 

The conference’s speakers ranged in backgrounds: Adam Neuman, Baltimore Ravens chief of staff and special advisor to the team’s president; Anne Neuberger, former deputy national security advisor; and Alex Edelman, Tony- and Emmy Award-winning Jewish comedian (who provided entertainment on Monday night). Ilay David, brother of Israeli hostage Evyatar David, spoke about the importance of the captives still being held in Gaza. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore delivered a virtual address, and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott took on a more somber tone, decrying fascism and calling for Black and Jewish unity — to wide applause. 

“We know that fascism and racism and hatred is nothing new. In fact, a few groups on this planet know the pain and the danger of oppression, like Jewish and Black people, that history binds us,” he said. 

Taking place months after Leading Edge acquired JPro in January, creating a “central address” for Jewish professionals, JPro25 drew attendees from over 380 different organizations in its largest gathering yet. Notable was the representation from early career professionals, Gali Cooks, founding president and CEO of Leading Edge, told eJP last week. 

“The majority of the folks who are coming are five to 10 years into their professional career, and have made a decision to continue with a Jewish professional arc, which is exciting,” Cooks said. “We have a fair number of executive leaders and funders coming as well, who are also part of this whole ecosystem. So we see it as building the Mishkan together in ways that are rare. We’re in a world that’s polarized and bifurcated too often.” 

The recent release of JFNA’s updated data indicating the continuation of the Surge also permeated conversation, with several speakers highlighting the importance of meeting the moment. 

“We are doing remarkable work, right? We have swung open our doors to try to make room for all the folks who have wanted to hop into Jewish life,” said Josh Miller, chief program officer of the Jim Joseph Foundation. “And there is absolutely more for us to be doing.”

On the sidelines of the conference, eJP also spoke with Michael Hoffman, president and CEO Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, and Danielle Minson, CEO for the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati. 

According to Hoffman, the Jewish population of Palm Beach grew significantly following the pandemic, and “the Surge”see has since compounded that growth. Accommodating that growth has been difficult, and his staff has increased by around 10%, but also a moment of opportunity, he said. 

“We’ve lived through so many periods of time where we’re worried about apathy and assimilation and people not wanting to engage,” Hoffman told eJP. “Today, whether it’s Cincinnati or it’s a community like mine where we’re seeing a transformation in Jewish life, we have an amazing opportunity.”

For Minson, rising antisemitism has required her team to expand their skill sets to better understand security measures, how to work with law enforcement and how to handle an increasing number of media inquiries. 

“That is a new demand on us, and sure, we’ve got the security professionals that understand that work, but now I and my team need to understand that work,” she told eJP. “It’s a whole different level of skill set and knowledge to gain.” 

Hoffman also noted that faced with political polarization, his federation has had to “duck” those conversations to stay focused on their broader goals. 

“We don’t delve into politics, and it’s really hard,” he said. “We stay focused on our mission, and so we’re not going to talk about politics. Our job is to feed hungry Jews and educate our next generation. I don’t care if you’re a Trumper. I don’t care if you voted for Kamala. You know, it doesn’t really matter.”