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Nick and I navigate slow-footed throngs of out-of-town tour groups off F Street before grabbing a corner booth in Le Pain Quotidien. We chat about the Hineni Circle, imposter syndrome, Flemish art, alternative life paths, and Nick’s journey toward comfort in the DMV Jewish community.
Samuel: What brought you to the DMV?
Nick: I’m from all over – primarily Tennessee, but I’m originally from Philly. We lived in Washington’s Crossing, and my whole [extended] family still lives there. We moved to Knoxville, then my parents and sister moved to the Tampa Bay area 15 years ago and that feels like home now.
I went to GW for college, left, did my Master’s in London in International Marketing. My Dad is Scottish and I have dual citizenship in the UK. I was going to do an Art History Master’s, but had a change of heart. Then I lived in London for a bit, lived in New York, and came back here [to the DMV] during Covid.
Samuel: What’s kept you here?
Nick: I’ve been with my husband since college. He went to Georgetown and I went to GW. We met senior year. We were both kind of doing our own thing – he was working on political campaigns, I was in New York, and then Covid helped us think about making a move. [My husband] loves DC and his family is here, so it made sense to come down here. I kind of always thought I was going to come back.
Samuel: Why’s that?
Nick: Wherever I lived, I was always talking about DC. It was always my frame of reference for a city. I don’t know why. I just knew I would. It’s great, and that’s the reason I stay. It feels like a small town but I get big city amenities.
Samuel: I’m fascinated by the Other Nick who studied Art History…what were you really into?
Nick: I was going to do my Master’s in pre-Raphaelite art, mostly mid-1800s British art. I also loved Flemish art. It’s very Italian, very Baroque, very Catholic. And mid-century figurative art, too. I love my art history – a dream would be to work at an art museum doing marketing.
Samuel: How does a degree in marketing change how you see the world around you?
Nick: I really like branding and art and graphic design within marketing. I feel like I have a good eye for things, for what looks good. Maybe I don’t. I don’t know. It’s at least what I like to do. The other main thing in my life that I’m obsessed with is airplanes and airlines. I’m a credit card points freak, travel freak, and my husband’s a pilot on the side. He loves planes and I love airlines. I love United’s marketing. Their brand colors and systems are really good and sharp and approachable, even through the design of the planes and the new interiors of their planes. It’s all very cohesive and professional.
Samuel: What’s your Jewish community like? How’s that changed as you moved here and away and back?
Nick: I converted – though I’ve always had a connection to Judaism. I always knew, oddly enough. My husband is Jewish, and then when we got engaged I was like: I need something to actually make me start the process, and we wanted to have a Jewish wedding, and that’s a good excuse to actually do the conversion.
So everything has developed since I converted – I’ve had to create a community from scratch. It’s a lot of putting myself out there. I go to Washington Hebrew Congregation; I did my conversion there, and have a good friend who works there, and the rabbi there married us, so I feel very connected and involved. Being involved in Shabbat Clusters has helped me develop new communities, [as well as] various classes I’ve taken.
Then, the Hineni Circle was great. It really helped me see more of Jewish community in DC – even simple things like learning about the kosher delis or other GatherDC-esque things in DC. It was amazing – everything was so fun, and Rabbi Amalia was amazing, and everyone in the cohort wanted to learn about different aspects of building a Jewish home or community. There were a lot of different interests, and that made what we learned diverse.
Samuel: We’re a couple months past The Hineni Circle ending. What’s stuck with you even though you’re not meeting anymore?
Nick: I just feel a lot more comfortable – because it was structured around community, I just learned about other rabbis in DC, people who are involved, organizations. Like, we met this one Rosh Chodesh group, and I didn’t know anything about that. It was cool! I started to amass all these frames of reference throughout the Jewish community in DC. It’s helped me feel more comfortable in hosting Jewish spaces or being in more Jewish spaces.
Samuel: What else feels alive for you Jewishly?
Nick: I try to do a morning prayer every day. I also host Shabbats on a monthly basis – I’m kind of a Shabbat Cluster leader now. That’s been big. I’ve also gotten more comfortable putting up Judaica, like a mezuzah.
Samuel: What does prayer do for you?
Nick: Judaism makes me more aware of the world around me. In terms of trying to have more empathy and awareness of others, a little mini-prayer in the morning just helps to remind me: Be good today!
Samuel: Okay, a few quick ones to close. What’s something you’re bad at?
Nick: Imposter syndrome. Thinking I’m not going to be good enough to do this or that. It sometimes gets in the way of doing things, for sure.
Samuel: What are you feeling proud about?
Nick: I’ve been putting myself out there in terms of Jewish social spaces. That’s something I’m happy about. Even the Hineni Circle, I would have been a little apprehensive to do. And leading the Shabbat Cluster, I definitely would not have been doing that a couple years ago. I was way too nervous.
Samuel: You can invite any three people to Shabbat dinner. Who are you bringing?
Nick: The author David Sedaris, who I’ve been following for years. Then, Lady Gaga. And my husband Max, who would absolutely love this pairing.
Samuel: Last one. Finish the sentence: When Jews of the DMV gather…
Nick: Community is built. Anytime Jews get together, it just warms my heart. Jews show up!
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