The Jewish Young Professionals community

By Cayla Schreier, JYP Coordinator

We hope everyone had a fun and relaxing summer. As Jewish Young Professionals of Naples who are very involved in our careers, we do not get to have a full summer vacation like we used to. We have, however, held numerous events and Shabbat dinners to cool off from the work week.

I have been very excited to jump into my role as the JYP coordinator these past few months.

During the month of June, we had numerous JYP members host wonderful Shabbat dinners, and I am proud to share that we had JYP members host Shabbat dinners every single Friday during the month of July. Shabbat dinners allow us to connect with each other, socialize, and connect to Judaism while eating delicious food and wind down from our long week.

Cheesecake bake-off

We held our first JYP Naples Shavuot Cheesecake Bakeoff on Sunday, June 9. Members celebrated Shavuot by baking a variety of flavored cheesecakes. We were grouped into pairs to bake a cheesecake of our choosing. Members had the opportunity to use different fillings and mix-ins, such as fruit preserves, brownie batter, pistachio butter, caramel and much more! Four cheesecakes were submitted to our competition: Swirly Whirly, The Nutty Professor, Classic Romantic and A Little Bit of Everything. Each member voted for a cheesecake they did not bake, which yielded a tie between The Nutty Professor and the Classic Romantic.

Kayaking

Along with our weekly Shabbat dinners, JYP Naples embarked on a kayaking expedition near Big Hickory Island on Sunday, July 21. We spoke about each of our own Jewish journeys while paddling along the bay. We kayaked through the beautiful mangroves and saw so much of the beautiful wildlife that thrives in our local Southwest Florida ecosystem. Everyone had a great time hanging out and relaxing before our upcoming work week.

Upcoming Bahamas cruise

I have an amazing opportunity to present to you all! Moishe House, the organization I work with in addition to Jewish Federation Naples, is an organization that provides funding to host Jewish programming for young Jewish adults, friends and the local community. They have funded many programs that Maya and I have organized for JYP Naples. Moishe House has invited us to join 120 other young Jewish adults from all over North America on a cruise to the Bahamas! Please see the details below:

The Nai Cruise is a 4-day (Dec. 6-9) experience on Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas. It leaves from Miami and travels to CocoCay, Nassau and the Bahamas. Not only will you experience everything the boat has to offer, but you will also have a unique opportunity to connect with over 100 Moishe House community members and leaders, creating lasting bonds and memories. Note, this cruise is strictly for young Jewish adults between the ages of 22-40. Singles and couples are both welcome.

Pricing varies, but you can book a room for as low as $470 per person (that is all-inclusive minus alcohol)!

Event details

Details about upcoming events will be distributed via email and the Facebook group chat.

Please reach out to Reneé Bialek (rbialek@jewishnaples.org) if you would like to be added to those group communications. We also have a Google form for members to fill out to receive members’ feedback and ideas on what type of JYP events they would like to see in the future.

As young professionals, we love to network and get to know others who have excelled in our chosen professions. We are looking to set up a mentorship program and event within the upcoming months to help our members navigate their chosen fields, learn from current and former professionals, expand their network, and gain a new perspective on their chosen careers. We have numerous members with different occupations, so the more expertise we can gain, the better. If you or someone you know would be interested in participating in a mentorship program with our local Naples JYP group, please reach out to Bialek.

I look forward to seeing everyone soon!