The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) National Young Leadership Cabinet is the premier leadership training program of the Jewish philanthropic community. Cabinet is known for international study missions, designed to provide first-hand experience with the humanitarian work done by Federation and its partners.
This year, participants traveled to Azerbaijan for a week in early April. Three members of Cabinet representing JEWISHcolorado—Lou Engleberg, Steven Paletz, and Rachel Silvestain—joined the trip. Silvestain joined Cabinet in 2024 and was traveling on her first Cabinet trip.
Recently, JEWISHcolorado talked with her about what she learned in Azerbaijan and how the experience informed her vision of global Jewish philanthropy.
I have been involved in the Young Adult Division (YAD) of JEWISHcolorado for a long time, and when I heard about Cabinet and talked with Jenna (Raimist, JEWISHcolorado Annual Campaign Director), I thought it might be the perfect next step in the leadership progression with JEWISHcolorado and JFNA.
I have always loved to travel, and this was a chance to do more travel with a Jewish theme to each trip. I also really enjoy meeting and learning from other young Jewish professionals who can talk about what strategies are working and what are not working in their cities.
Lou Engleberg, Rachel Silvestain, and Steven Paletz overlooking Baku
There were 120 people on this trip. The amount of talent in Cabinet is mind-boggling. Both personally and professionally, Cabinet participants are doing amazing things, and it’s inspiring to talk with them.
Our joke was that when it was announced we were going to Azerbaijan, everyone immediately Googled, “Where is Azerbaijan?” This country was never on my radar to visit. And the second thing everyone Googled was, “Are there Jews in Azerbaijan?”
Turns out there are 15,000 Jews in the country, but the majority of the population—95 percent—is Muslim. I thought I would see women in burkas and hear the call to prayer amplified, but there is none of that. It feels like a very secular country. And what is amazing is that in this country, led by an authoritarian president who has been in office for 22 years, Jews and Muslims live in harmony.
When we were planning the trip, we had discussions about bringing Jewish-themed jewelry and wearing a Star of David. People said they might not feel safe doing that. After day one, everyone was wearing their jewelry because it was obvious no one cared.
There is a group of Jews that live in a geographically concentrated area called the Mountain Jews. These Mizrahi Jews live in 11 different settlements around the city of Quba and trace their roots to ancient Jewish communities. They speak a Judeo-Persian dialect.
All of mission in Quba, Azerbaijan
The majority of the Jews live in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. Baku has three synagogues—one for Ashkenazi Jews, one for Sephardic Jews, and one for Mountain Jews. It was fascinating to see, so different from what I had expected.
Global philanthropy at work
We visited a group of older people who were being supported through JFNA’s partner, the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). They were getting assistance for food and heating, the kind of help you need to live day to day. We raised money to make Passover packages for them, so these seniors had food for Passover.
We didn’t speak the same language, but the second they put on music that was familiar from weddings or bar mitzvahs, everyone was singing and dancing. That happened at all the places we visited. No matter what language you speak, and no matter where you are, Judaism connects you.
Group with the camp counselors
We got to see the work of the Jewish Agency in action when we visited a training center for summer camp counselors. I was a camp counselor, so I share that same camp vibe—the energy and excitement. These counselors are in their early twenties. They train in Azerbaijan, and they will work at summer camps all over the former U.S.S.R., including Russia.
Also, we saw how the Jewish Agency is working with refugees from different countries, usually Russia, who are waiting for their paperwork to make Aliyah. We met a number of these people and saw how the Jewish Agency was helping them with Hebrew lessons and whatever they may need right now and after they arrive in Israel.
Rachel and Lou making Matzo at the School
One of my favorite experiences was visiting a school and making matzah with the kids. They were about 7 to 9-years-old and they were learning as many as five languages, including English, Russian, Hebrew, and Azerbaijani. One of the people on the trip pulled out photos of her own daughter making matzah at her preschool, so it felt like we had a worldwide connection.
We also talked to the teenagers at the school, and they told us there were no reported cases of antisemitism. We had heard that, but we doubted it until we talked to these kids. They talked about how they play soccer after school with their Muslim friends. Even in a post-October 7th world, everyone just gets along.
Two other experiences will stay with me. Eric Fingerhut, President and CEO of JFNA, took the time to meet with the 35 first-year cabinet members and talk with us. And when we were driving to and from Quba, the first-years were all in one bus with many hours to just get to know each other. It was unscheduled time, but it was special. You could take this trip as a tourist, but you would not get the experience of being with other Jews. Everyone gets deeply into conversation quickly. It’s not just, “How was your day?” It’s “What do you think of this?” Seeing things from so many different angles makes the trip special.
I left for this trip knowing nothing about Azerbaijan and the Jews who live there. Someone joked that when we were youngsters, a day at camp felt like a week in the real world. This was the same experience. I was gone for a week, but it felt like I was gone forever. I still haven’t been able to wrap my brain around everything I learned. But I will remember how everywhere we met Jewish locals, there was singing, dancing, and joy. And I look forward to seeing all my new Cabinet friends soon—actually, it will be in August when they all come to Denver for Cabinet Retreat.