Spotlight: Lisa Appelbaum

We sat down with Lisa Appelbaum, a powerhouse in sustainability and community building, to learn what attracted her to Greater Hartford and how she’s making a positive difference for young Jewish professionals.

Urban Dor: Tell us about what you like about the Greater Hartford Jewish community and when did you first hear about Urban Dor?

Lisa: I like how diverse and warm the Greater Hartford Jewish community is! I was initially googling Young Jewish Professional communities within a 2-3 hour drive from NYC and came across West Hartford. I dug deeper into the community with some online research to find the essentials for me - a kosher supermarket (The Crown), affordable rental housing, and programming that I could attend as a young professional at local Jewish groups. That's how I came across Urban Dor and the Jewish Federation's Emerging Leadership program. I submitted my info to the Urban Dor website and shortly after, came for a weekend. I had a wonderful shabbat and attended an Urban Dor event on Saturday night. The friendliness of the community drew me in and I couldn't be happier with my decision to become a part of the Greater Hartford community. 

Urban Dor: What do you do professionally?

Lisa: I work for a turnkey EV charging infrastructure installer. That means I work with customers to consult on their projects, design their site, guide them through equipment procurement, and aid in the filing of incentives. I am passionate about sustainability personally and professionally and have been working in the EV Charging industry for the last four years. I am proud to have been the catalyst for numerous EV charging sites throughout NY and PA and am working on many more projects with municipalities, car dealerships, transit authorities, convenience stores, retail centers, and many more as we speak. 

Urban Dor: We have attended OneTable Shabbat dinners at your home and also your successful First Friday Shabbat dinners for young professionals at Beth David - what motivates you to volunteer to bring young Jewish adults together?

Lisa: Nothing brings me more joy than bringing people together and creating community. I happen to be terrible at cooking for only myself and I enjoy being creative with my food to make delicious and nutritious meals. I'm grateful to my parents that I grew up in an environment where there was the mindset that there is always room for more at the table and that everyone was welcome. I inspire to bring people together and to share my passion for making new friends, food, and good times. 

Urban Dor: We heard you love to foster dogs to help them learn how to be comfortable in home environments before being adopted - how long have you been doing that and through what dog rescue do you volunteer with?

Lisa: Animals have always been one of my favorite things in life and I've been volunteering with them since 2015, although horses and dogs are my favorites. I have volunteered at two therapeutic horseback riding barns while in college in Binghamton, at an animal shelter in Florida, been a Puppy Raiser for a guide dog in training for Freedom Guide Dogs while living in Albany, and I recently had another guide dog in training briefly and I am currently a volunteer at Dog Star Rescue locally in Bloomfield, CT. I don't feel I'm at a place in my life to adopt an animal just yet and I enjoy being involved in my community, especially when it involves animals.

Urban Dor: When not saving the world one puppy at a time and creating a warm environment for young adult Jews to meet each other, what do you enjoy doing for fun in Greater Hartford?

Lisa: Exploring the area with a variety of outdoor activities and checking out some live shows. Being in nature is very enjoyable and I hope to go tubing down the Farmington River, do some kayaking, and to explore some hiking trails across the state. I've attended one fellow young professional Lily Fryberg's improv shows and am looking forward to attending more of her shows in the future. I'm also looking forward to seeing the comedian Modi and checking out the Monster Truck Jam when they come to town. In addition to those shows, I have marked down the CT Pickle festival, a renaissance festival or two, and some local farmer markets.

Urban Dor: How can people find out about your upcoming events? 

Lisa: I am proud to be organizing the First Fridays Shabbat dinner event series at Beth David Synagogue for Young Jewish Professionals. The upcoming events are the first Friday's of the month for May and June.

Ways to find out more about First Fridays!

1. Beth David Synagogue's website featuring First Fridays

2. Joining the Greater Hartford Jewish and young(ish) Folks! WhatsApp group - email shalom@urbandor.org to be introduced

3. Joining the Jewish Life in West Hartford Facebook group

4. You're also welcome to reach out to me via email at lisaappelbaum@gmail.com.

Join Urban Dor for a special community-wide fundraiser on Holocaust Remembrance Day — Thursday, April 24th. This meaningful evening features legendary musician Lee Oskar of the band War, known for hits like "Low Rider."

RSVP HERE.

Urban Dor is a 100% volunteer-led nonprofit organization for Greater Hartford young adult Jews and founded by Simon Lichter - connect with Simon on LinkedIn.

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