Two and a half years ago, Carly Gordon and Brad Gellman separately attended their first JHP Shabbat dinner without knowing many people. Carly was encouraged by a friend to get involved and Brad was persuaded by Jennifer Birch. Carly and Brad met at this Shabbat Dinner and started dating just days later.
As an undergrad, Brad was a very active member of the only Jewish Fraternity on his college campus. He specifically chose this Fraternity because of its Jewish reputation. Post-college, Carly and Brad were determined to find an organization where they felt comfortable and were surrounded by people with similar values. When they began participating in JHP, they found it was the perfect fit.
“JHP wasn’t forcing anything on me, it was just a bunch of young, similar-aged people getting together and having fun who share similar interests,” says Carly.
Carly and Brad remained active in JHP through attending Happy Hours and Shabbat Dinners and then, in 2010, the couple traveled together to Israel on JHP’s young leadership trip. Carly and Brad loved this trip, as it gave them the chance to explore Israeli culture and do more typical Israeli things that other programs do not offer.
After Israel, Carly became the community service organizer for YPN. She is an integral part of the YPN advisory board and has organized many Sunday morning trips to the JRA. You’ll see Brad – who is a professional photographer – behind the camera at many JHP events. Carly and Brad continue to attend Happy Hours and Shabbat Dinners, but now when they go they get to catch up with all their friends from the Israel trip!
Carly is in Graduate School at Drexel, getting her Masters in Global and International Education and also works full time for Global Arena. Brad runs Brad Gellman Photography, which does professional event photography. Both remain active in JHP.
