Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Jakubowski.
Alex, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
As a student, I thought I had a pretty good idea of where my life was headed. Law school seemed inevitable, even if I spent a couple years consulting or active in politics. When I went to study abroad in Bologna, Italy, however, everything changed.
Away from everything I knew, I challenged myself to start over. I started exercising, made new friends, and immersed myself into the Italian lifestyle (not the worst life… But what stuck out most about my time abroad were my experiences in the Jewish community.
Just before studying abroad I finished a 2-year process of converting to Judaism. When I got to Bologna–a city not known for thriving Jewish life–I realized that if Judaism truly was important to me, I would have to work a little harder to make it a part of my life. Luckily, I was a part of a network that changed the course of my entire experiences–the World Union of Jewish Students.
Realizing my luck, I reached out to some friends I had made through the organization to see if anyone knew any Jewish students or families in Bologna. No one did, of course, but they didn’t stop there. Though most had met me just once, they went out of there way to make sure I had everything I needed.
After some searching, a friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend finally found a local Jewish family in Bologna to take me in. While I found the family to be lovely, it was actually the network that fascinated me more. Nearly no one in that chain had ever met me, or ever would–they just knew I was a part of their Jewish family and wanted to help.
I took advantage of this network throughout the rest of my experience abroad, traveling the world to stay with families, volunteer, speak at conferences, and more. What I realized quickly was that despite knowing that there were thousands of other students just like me–Jewish students studying abroad–I never saw them while traveling. With some help, I started to do research to find out just how many there were out there–Jewish students studying abroad.
As it turns out, there are more than 25,000 Jewish students studying abroad each year. Before KAHAL started, fewer than 5% ever interacted with the community. So I had a decision to make: do I throw my hands up in the air and say, “oh well,” or do I do something about it? I chose to do something. Next year, KAHAL is set to serve more than 3500 Jewish students in more than 50 countries and 100 cities worldwide.
Since.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When we got started, I was an energetic 21-year-old with big ideas, but not much else. We had no funders, no prospects, and most importantly, no students. Since then, I’ve heard “no” more times than I can count, and certainly more times than I’ve heard “yes.”
What I realized, though, is that every obstacle is really a roadmap–a guide for how to improve in the future. We’ve built this mindset into every aspect of our business, from fundraising to programming. Failing forward is an important factor in our success.
Please tell us about KAHAL: Your Jewish Home Abroad.
KAHAL creates and facilitates transformational Jewish experiences for study abroad students. A robust resource and structured support network, KAHAL works with local communities in more than 50 countries and 100 cities around the world, providing Jewish study abroad students the resources, tools, and personal connections they need to meaningfully engage with local Jewish communities, augment their transformative abroad experience, and deepen their connection to the global Jewish people.
Since its founding in 2013, KAHAL has connected more than 4000 Jewish students to immersive Jewish experiences during their life-changing time abroad. By incorporating Jewish experiences and choices into this transformative environment, KAHAL measurably increases students’ attachment to the global Jewish people and increases the likelihood of their long-term Jewish choices.
What sets up apart most is our commitment to human-centered design, building every program around the unique wants and needs of our students. Twice every year we break down our program from the ground up, starting essentially from scratch, to make sure that everything we do is both intentional and impactful. Once again, we commit to failing forward.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I used to caddie at a local country club from when I was about 12. As anyone who caddied will tell you, the money is good–too good for a 12-year-old. So a friend and I started going to Bulls games. I think I went to about 30 one year, all with my own money. The best part wasn’t just going, though.
When we were 14 we got up the nerve to ask one of the security guards for a favor. He used to guard the entrance to the post-game “friends and family” event. After a few “no’s,” we worked up the courage to give him a Christmas card–inside was a $25 Starbucks gift card. For the next three years, he let us backstage at every game. It was nuts. We met all-stars, got priceless memorabilia, and learned a valuable lesson–you don’t get what you don’t ask for!
Contact Info:
- Address: 4700 N Ravenswood Ave, Suite B Chicago, IL 60640
- Website: www.KahalAbroad.org
- Phone: 847-212-8777
- Email: info@KahalAbroad.org
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/kahalabroad
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KahalAbroad
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/KahalAbroad
- Other: https://www.guidestar.org/profile/46-2977208
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
