Tamy Jacobs has recently been hired as ALEPH’s Director of Development and Special Events. This new full time position will involve a division of labor; with half her time devoted to ALEPH’s fundraising initiatives, and the other half of her time spearheading large ALEPH events, such as Kallah and summer programs. According to ALEPH Executive Director, Shoshanna Schechter-Shaffin, “Tamy possesses a wealth of experience and skills, combined with a true passion for Jewish Renewal and the mission of ALEPH. We are so lucky that she has found a home with ALEPH as part of our executive team.”

Tamy Jacobs comes to ALEPH with over 30 years of Jewish communal work experience, bringing a range of talents and skills. Her professional and volunteer work life has included development, event planning, programming, membership, community outreach, marketing and strategic planning. She began her career as a early childhood professional, then worked as a day camp director, and  eventually moved up the ladder to become the director of an early childhood program.

Tamy’s career took a turn in the 1990s, when she became involved in the area of infertility and adoption. In addition to political advocacy that helped Illinois become the ninth state to legislate that health insurance companies must cover infertility treatment, she owned her own consulting business which helped adoptive and birth families create their own personalized adoption plans, ultimately touching hundreds of families.

15 years ago Tamy made the decision to come back into the Jewish communal world at the JCC’s of Chicago on a managerial track. She worked first in children’s programming, and ultimately became Regional Supervisor of Children and Family services. At the JCC, Tamy honed in on her skills as an event planner. Tamy was also part of a fundraising team, raising close to a quarter of a million dollars for the JCC’s.

As the Director of Early Childhood Education at Congregation B’nai Torah in Highland Park, IL., Tamy was responsible for running their cutting edge early childhood program. In her third year at B’nai Torah she was asked to also take on the responsibility of becoming their Executive Director, overseeing a $3 million budget, supervising both full and part-time staff as well as working directly with clergy.

Tamy’s bachelor’s degree is in Human Services from National Louis University. She has her Master’s degree in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago.

Tamy and her family are members of Aitz Hayim Center for Jewish Living in Glencoe, Illinois, where her husband Todd is the Executive Director.
Aitz Hayim was co-founded by Rabbi Irwin Kula, co-president of Clal, the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership.