Board Member Profile: Jake Friedman

with Eric Bressler

Thank you for serving on Bet Shalom’s Board of Directors, Jake! Let's help the congregation get to know you better with this interview. Please tell us about your family, your history in Minnesota, and when you joined Bet Shalom. 

My wife Julie and I have 2 daughters—Lily and Maya. Julie is an experienced middle school Earth Sciences teacher but now works as a special needs paraprofessional and a religious school teacher at Bet Shalom. Lily, 12, loves to play basketball and volleyball and plays the clarinet. Maya, 9, loves to dance and play the piano.

Our family moved to Eden Prairie from New Jersey in 2018 after I said ‘no’ to an internal transfer twice. They asked a third time, I had a short conversation, and we were in in Minnesota 3 months later. We have completely embraced all of Minnesota’s seasons and enjoy playing in the snow and hanging out at the beach.

Our first visit to Bet Shalom was during a weekend trip to find a home before the big move. We knew we wanted to be near a synagogue and a Trader Joe’s, so we plotted those on a map and went on our housing search. During that weekend trip we scheduled a meeting with Rabbi Locketz and knew we had found our Jewish home. Shortly after our arrival to Minnesota we started coming to services and quickly joined the congregation.

And your professional life?

My career started as a paralegal at a boutique consulting firm working in large-scale document discovery for large pharmaceutical companies. The business grew fast and needed technology to help manage projects, reporting, and billing. I was tapped to become a business analyst to help a software engineer build a proprietary tool for the company. This paved the way to where I am today, working in the technology industry as an Enterprise Agile Coach. I help teams work smarter, better, and iteratively to get working software to customers quickly. 

Tell us about your previous involvement at Bet Shalom.

My involvement started when I had a conversation with Rabbi Locketz about challah baking. Before I knew it, I was a member of the Ruach Ensemble playing darbuka (an Israeli hand drum) and was recruited to be on the committee for the cantor search. Shortly after that I was asked to be a member of the Board of Trustees, chair of the Kitchen Committee, and the Board’s Secretary. 

What has your experience been like on the Bet Shalom Board of Trustees?

I’m currently in my second term of the Board and have had a fun time being part of the synagogue's leadership. My favorite part is meeting with other leaders and seeing diverse views come together to make decisions about Bet Shalom's current needs and its future. I also have the privilege of representing the Board at Friday night services and at b’nai mitzvot. I love meeting members of our community and our visitors.

What do you do in your spare time?

Since our move to MN I have learned to snowboard, cross-country ski and paddle board. I love to bake breads---challah, sourdough, brioche, and whole wheat. I also built a smoker out of a 55-gallon drum and like to make smoked brisket. My favorite activity is traveling and experiencing new cultures, foods, and landscapes with my family.

Favorite Jewish Holiday and foods?

My favorite Jewish holiday is the one that comes next. Right now it’s Purim. I’ve been having a blast working with the Kitchen Committee and its volunteers to bake over 400 dozen hamantaschen for sale to the community. Have you ordered yours yet? Next I look forward to the Friedman family Passover seder which incorporates the best-of from various haggadot. As you’ve probably guessed, I enjoy the holidays and the various culinary delights they offer.

Final thoughts?

We have such a wonderful community here at Bet Shalom. I’d love to meet all of y’all at our events and services. You can meet me and other board members at Ruach services on the third Friday of most months. Come check us out some time! Even better, bring a couple of your Bet Shalom friends with you.