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Eli and I sit down at For Five Coffee in Navy Yard one absolutely sweltering afternoon earlier this summer to chat about his work as a ship designer and engineer, the Jewish community he’s building for himself, The Bachelor, mentorship, and why Jewish DMV life “fosters community and growth!”
Samuel: I know you’re from down in Florida…what brought you to the DMV?
Eli: I was at Florida Atlantic University, finishing up undergrad, when my employer came down and fortunately saw my design review for our final projects. I was able to get a job offer from there and moved up here in the beginning of September in 2020.
Samuel: You work in ship design and engineering. What’s something about that work that really engages you?
Eli: The first thing that comes to mind is general arrangements – that’s the architecture within the ship, how you lay out the spaces that you need to have for crew to sleep or that different systems, like machinery rooms, have to occupy. How do you optimize the flow so folks can go wherever they need to be?
It gets very intricate very fast; it’s essentially a really challenging puzzle, and I think it is fun to figure out how, from an engineering perspective, we make sure things stay where they need to be on the ship but also have the arrangements laid out in a way where people can do what they need to do. There’s always trade-offs. At the end of the day, you’re on a ship, so you’re never truly going to be super happy, but we try to make sure folks on board being comfortable isn’t an afterthought.
Samuel: Apart from work, what’s kept you in the area?
Eli: I really enjoy DC itself, and the variety of culture up here. Coming from South Florida, I was looking for something a bit different. I’d had a lot of the same experiences for a long time, and I’ve really enjoyed being exposed to all the varieties of things that DC and the surrounding areas have to offer. I have a good friend in Fredericksburg and we consistently go out to new restaurants, try different cuisines, check out museums, and things like that on the weekends. The DMV has a lot to offer.
Then, within the past four months, getting involved with Gather and the Jewish community has been really exciting to me, and that makes me want to continue to stay here, put down roots, and grow.
Samuel: What has your Jewish community looked like in DC? How has it changed from when you were in Florida?
Eli: My family lived in a suburb of Houston until I was 12 or 13, and we were involved in the Jewish community. But then we moved back to South Florida and weren’t involved with the Jewish community there. I had a pretty big gap between that time and when I moved up here.
Even prior to October 7th, I felt like there was something I was looking for, but I couldn’t figure out what it was, and I was starting to think about coming back and trying to get involved in the community in some way, shape, or form. Then October 7th happened, and that really was the catalyst for me to reconnect and get more involved.
I was super excited when I found GatherDC online. It made it easy for me. Coming from a situation where I hadn’t been involved in such a long time, it was a little bit intimidating to try and reintegrate back into the Jewish community. I liked that there was an opportunity to get coffee with Melanie and meet somebody first, so I’d feel more comfortable going to happy hours and events. I’m really happy I did that.
Samuel: As you’ve made this return, what’s really resonated for you?
Eli: It was about 10 years where I didn’t go to synagogue or anything like that, but I always felt connected to the Jewish people, religion, and culture; I didn’t feel like I ever lost any of that. Now, I’m figuring out what it looks like for me. I would like to do Shabbat every Friday in some way, shape, or form. It doesn’t mean I need to go to synagogue every Friday, but I really enjoy the social aspect, being with people, cooking for other people…so I’m trying to figure out what that looks like.
Samuel: Okay, a few quick ones to close. I understand you have a connection to The Bachelor franchise?
Eli: I went to high school with Tyler Cameron’s younger brother in Jupiter, Florida. I was two years ahead of him but we were both doing the ROTC program at the time and met. I never hung out with Tyler but, anytime I mention Jupiter, people always know it either because of Tyler Cameron or Tiger Woods.
Samuel: What is something you’re feeling proud about right now?
Eli: I’m in a situation in my workplace where I’ve been able to mentor a couple of the more junior engineers, and I’ve watched them grow over the past year and seen them take the potential they have and pick a direction that’s letting them utilize their skill sets in a way that’s most beneficial. I’ve seen them turn into leaders, and I have a sense of pride with that.
Samuel: What’s something you’re bad at?
Eli: I wish I was better at being more organized in my personal life in terms of structure and time management. I don’t want to say that I’m flying by the seat of my pants, but…I just go with the flow.
Samuel: You can invite any three people to Shabbat dinner. Who would they be?
Eli: One of the first people I’d invite would be my grandfather, on my dad’s side. He unfortunately passed when I was pretty young, so I didn’t have a chance to know him. He grew up in Morocco and then moved to Israel in 1948, so I’d like to hear what all those experiences were like. A second person who would be interesting is Golda Meir – she was a pretty tough lady and it would be cool to hear what it was like for her and how she steered [Israel]. The third person I’d invite would be Dan Levy. I think he’s hilarious.
Samuel: Last one. Finish the sentence: When Jews of the DMV gather…
Eli: It creates an environment that fosters community and growth. Coming into the community, I was very apprehensive – I wasn’t sure that I would fit in because I assumed everyone had grown up here, or that I’d feel like an outsider. That has been the farthest thing from the truth. Coming here and being welcomed by everybody is what comes to mind.
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