Young Professionals, Boston
Rabbi Katz and his wife, Rachel, started out in Madison, Wisconsin as part of the original JEM team of six families. For two years they played a significant role in building JEM into a nationally recognized outreach program by involving 100’s of students in Shabbos and learning programs and sending hundreds of students annually on Taglit-Bithright Israel and other Jewish identity trips to Israel. After two years they moved to Boston where they founded the Jewish PULSE of Boston (aka JPULSE) and began working full time on programming in 2009.
In just over three years, JPULSE has grown into arguably the largest social and educational hub for Jewish young professionals in Greater Boston. JPULSE serves as both a launch pad to yeshivos and other Jewish identity programs in Israel and as landing pad for those returning from yeshivos. What started out as a mom and pop Shabbos destination has blossomed into a monthly Shabbos dinner with more than 100 in attendance, a weekly Fri night service, a plethora of weekly classes throughout Greater Boston, and an authentic Bais Medrash learning with a group that meets daily giving these career minded young professionals the opportunity to learn Torah, build skills and unlock their learning.
The outreach center is conveniently located in the heart of the Shabbos observant community and has four residents (in their 20’s) who have become upstanding members of the overall religious community. It has earned the title “Shabbos Shack” giving many young professionals who wish to keep Shabbos, the opportunity to do so in a supportive and noninvasive home away from home. The nightly learning programs and Shabbos events all take place in the center drawing 100’s of young professionals into the heart of the religious community in Brookline/Brighton.