Nicole Caine (Courtesy of Nicole Caine)
Nicole Caine originally wanted to work in disability rights policy implementation. But when she was in graduate school at Syracuse University, she took a class on funding development that opened her eyes.
One day in class, Caine learned about faith-based philanthropy and an organization called Amplifier, a network of giving circles inspired by Jewish values powered by the Jewish Federations of North America.
Today, Caine, a Mount Airy resident, works as a life and legacy community consultant at the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, a nonprofit known for its flagship programs like PJ Library and JCamp 180.
“I remember thinking, ‘wow, that is such a cool idea. Not only are we sustaining Jewish future through this, but we’re bringing people together and forming community, and I want to be a part of that,’” Caine said.
Caine is originally from Cleveland, Ohio. When she way young, her family moved further into the suburbs, where the closest synagogue was a Chabad. Despite being raised in a Conservative Jewish household, Caine attended Hebrew school at the Chabad, became a bat mitzvah, was a Hebrew School tutor and a camp counselor there over the summers.
“I still feel close to the Chabad community,” she said. “Even though it’s not necessarily a synagogue I belong to, I really love the way they look at Judaism, which has had a big impact on me today and who I am today.”
Growing up, Caine said she was also very active in BBYO.
Caine received a bachelor’s degree in global gender studies from the University of Buffalo. While in school, she remained active in the Jewish community, frequently attending the Chabad on campus as her home away from home, and was even active in the university’s Jewish studies department.
“Their department of Jewish [studies] had some really incredible professors and really helped me dig deeper into what Judaism means to me,” Caine explained. “I took so many religion classes to where I got an accidental — somewhat accidental — minor in Jewish thought.”
After graduate school, Caine went on to work in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan Hillel, where she served as a development manager and then became the director of development. While living in Michigan, Caine also became an advisor for the BBYO Ann Arbor chapter.
At Michigan Hillel, Caine oversaw student initiatives related to their student phone-a-thon, a fundraiser for the Hillel. “I really was able to not only get to know the students, but learn more about what drove them to be a part of the phone-a-thon, and the connections they felt to not only University of Michigan Hillel, but to their Judaism, and what inspired them to do the work,” said Caine.
For Caine, moving to Philadelphia was always a goal since visiting her cousins while she was in graduate school. “I remember going to a jazz club here, and then spending a night wandering around Fishtown talking to the owners of the different bars and restaurants. And there was just something about it that felt so warm and happy,” she said.
So when a job opened up Drexel University to fundraise for campus programming related to Jewish programming and veterans’ programming, she jumped on the opportunity.
Then, about a year ago, Caine transitioned into her current role at the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. She works with around 76 different Jewish communities across North America, including programs within those communities such as a Jewish community foundation or a Jewish federation. “We work to continue building on endowment building within each of the organizations in that community,” she explained.
“The Jewish community is something that’s always been there for me,” Caine added. “By growing up with that, it’s really shown me the importance of wanting to support others through the Jewish community, both now and for the future.