Meet our Dad Connectors
May 27, 2026 | People in Our Neighborhood
Finding community as a parent can be challenging, especially when life is busy. Our Dad Connectors are helping create spaces where Jewish fathers can build friendships, share experiences, and strengthen connections for themselves and their families. Meet three dads who are bringing people together and helping build a more connected Jewish community in Baltimore.
Meet Jacob Wolf
Meet Jacob WolfTell us a little about yourself and your family.
I live in Pikesville with my wife, 3 boys, ages 11, 7, and 4, and dog, Boh. Fun fact: My wife and I met at 15 in USY, the Conservative movement youth group. I am a mediator and lawyer in Lutherville. I love to share family cooking videos and the lighter side of divorce mediation on my social media accounts!
What are a few things you love most about this season of fatherhood?
I made an observation recently: for the first time in over 10 years we do not have toys all over the house! (Parents, it really does end!) Our kids play a lot of sports and board games, and do puzzles – its rewarding to do these activities together like having a catch or playing checkers and seeing how their minds and bodies are quickly developing. Holding a full, adult conversation with your child is a mindblowing and cool experience!
How did you first get connected with The Network?
As the world started getting back to normal after COVID I was searching for some good ways to get people together and make connections. I was especially interested in addressing men’s mental health– dads’ need (but don’t always seek) healthy and productive connections with other men. A friend referred me to the Network. As I learned about the opportunities with the Network, it was meant to be!
How has being part of The Network impacted your family or your Jewish journey?
I grew up in a Conservative and religious-leaning family – regulars at synagogue, keeping Kosher (at least in the home), going to Jewish summer camp. I surrounded myself with others cut from the same cloth. Through the Network I am able to connect with other Dads in all walks of Jewish life, including Dads who were not raised Jewishly but have chosen to raise Jewish kids. It’s amazing to connect in a non-judgmental, open way with people across the Jewish spectrum! Jewish life is full of variety, it’s amazing to experience.
Why do spaces for dads and families matter to you?
Dads need, but don’t always seek out, connections with other men. Biologically and societally, women are better at creating bonds with other women. Meanwhile, Millennial and Gen-Z fathers have taken a more prominent role in raising their children compared to older generations. We need to create spaces to allow for Dads to bond and facilitate those connections that are so necessary for us and our kids. The Network welcomes and encourages us to create those spaces with both professional and financial support.
Is there a program, event, or relationship that has had a lasting impact on you?
I invited a fellow Dad and his family to join my family at a Shabbat prayer service. This family is Jewish, but, outside of a tot-Shabbat here or there, and the obligatory Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur services, did not attend synagogue. Months later, my friend told me how much they loved going and had taken their family a few other times. It felt awesome to think that one simple, maybe vulnerable ask changed this family’s relationship with Judaism for the better.
What’s something your kids are currently obsessed with?
We play so many board games! And not just Candyland – We’re into Settlers of Catan and Ticket to Ride lately.
What’s a family tradition you hope your kids always remember?
We love to make Shabbat dinner and host other families. A few weeks ago, I picked my kids up on Friday and they asked who was coming for Shabbat. No one–just us! My kids were so upset… My 4-year-old was crying actual tears and told me it was SO unfair we didn’t have friends coming! Growing up, my mother always made Shabbat dinner, and our table was always full. I hope my boys carry on that tradition at their own tables.
Meet Max Cardin
Meet Max CardinTell us a little about yourself and your family.
My name is Max, and I live in Owings Mills with my wife Rachel and our one-year-old son, Asher. This time of the year is one of my favorites with the warm weather and longer days – we love to be outside, whether it’s heading to the playground, taking walks around the neighborhood, tending to our garden or getting out on the weekends for a hike. I first got connected with The Network after completing the Young Leadership Council program. After that experience, I knew I wanted to stay involved, but in a way that felt more direct and personal engaging with people in the community day to day.
What Made You Want to Become Involved in the Community as a Dad
For me, it comes down to two things: the value of a strong social circle and a sense of responsibility to the community I grew up in. I was fortunate to be raised in Baltimore and to have been generally aware of all this community offers. Not everyone has that level of visibility or comfort when they arrive here, so I wanted to be a resource and a guide for others, especially newer members of the community. Given my deep roots, I find myself in a natural position to build the framework for others to connect who might not otherwise cross paths.
How Being Part of The Network Has Impacted Your Family
Being part of The Network has pushed me to put myself and family out in the community more. I find myself saying yes to more events, more gatherings, more opportunities, and each one leads to meeting new people, deepening existing relationships, and becoming more embedded in the community. It is a virtuous circle: the more you show up, the more connected you feel and the more you want to keep showing up.
Why Spaces for Dads and Families Matter to You
Community rarely just emerges on its own. You have to be intentional about it. Dad and family-focused spaces signal that investment. They create a break from the rhythm of daily life and create an opportunity to get together, build deeper relationships, and create positive memories.
Advice for Another Dad Looking to Build Community
Put yourself out there. There’s always a little friction at first, but there are plenty of other people in the same boat or who have faced similar challenges. Community is built through small steps, repeated consistently over time. What might feel inconsequential in the moment, showing up to one event, introducing yourself to one person, compounds. It grows. It matures. Give it time and keep showing up.
Favorite Jewish Holiday to Celebrate as a Dad
Passover – Asher is still a little young to fully grasp the story of the Exodus; but as a father, I shifted from being a recipient of the Passover story to being one of its teachers. Sitting at the seder table with that responsibility is a significant and deeply rewarding change.
Meet Mendel Davis
Meet Mendel DavisTell us a little about yourself and your family.
My name is Mendel Davis, and I’m a single father of two incredible daughters, Ariella (5) and Ahuva (4). We live in the Baltimore/Pikesville area, where I grew up in the Jewish community. Professionally, I lead an insurance company based in the Cayman Islands, but my favorite role by far is being a father.
My background is pretty unique — I come from a Black and Egyptian Jewish family and was raised with strong Jewish traditions alongside diverse cultural influences. Family, community, and connection have always been central to who I am.
What are a few things you love most about this season of fatherhood?
I love watching my daughters become their own little people with unique personalities, opinions, humor, and interests. This stage of life feels so alive — full of imagination, endless questions, dance parties, bedtime talks, and little moments that somehow end up meaning everything.
I also really value being present and intentional as a single parent. Even in the chaos of schedules and responsibilities, there’s something deeply meaningful about creating stability, memories, and a sense of home for them every day.
How did you first get connected with The Network?
As a single dad, I was looking for spaces that felt authentic, supportive, and family-oriented. The Network created an opportunity for me to help build a community of other single parents who have gone through similar journeys — a place focused on support, connection, events, and meaningful community for one another.
What made you want to become involved in the community as a dad?
Fatherhood made community feel less optional and more essential. When it’s just you making decisions and building routines for your children, having healthy and supportive people around you matters.
I wanted my daughters to grow up surrounded by strong Jewish values, meaningful relationships, and examples of people showing up for one another. I also realized that dads need community too — not just kids.
How has being part of The Network impacted your family or your Jewish journey?
It reminded me that Jewish community can look different for everyone and still feel deeply meaningful. Being around other families and parents as a single parent helped me feel more connected during a transitional season of life.
It also gave my daughters opportunities to build friendships and create positive Jewish memories in a natural, welcoming environment.
What’s something about being a dad that has surprised you?
How much the small moments matter. You think the big trips or major milestones will be the things kids remember most, but sometimes it’s making pancakes together, dancing in the kitchen, bedtime conversations, or hearing “Daddy, watch this!” for the hundredth time. Those moments become everything.
Why do spaces for dads and families matter to you?
Because fathers need support and connection too. There’s a lot of focus on parenting in general, but dads don’t always have spaces where they can be vulnerable, ask questions, build friendships, and feel understood.
Strong families are built through strong communities, and dads are an important part of that equation.
What’s one Jewish value or tradition you hope to pass down to your kids?
Kindness and hospitality. I want my daughters to grow up understanding the importance of making people feel welcomed, included, and cared for.
Some of my favorite memories growing up involved people gathering around a table, sharing food, conversation, laughter, and connection.
How do you create connection or quality time with your children in the middle of busy schedules?
I try to stay very intentional with the time we do have together. Even simple routines become opportunities for connection — cooking together, bedtime routines, playground trips, music in the car, or little adventures around Baltimore.
I’ve learned that quality matters more than perfection.
What advice would you give to another dad looking to build community?
Don’t wait until life feels perfectly stable to reach out and connect. Community is built through consistency and showing up imperfectly.
Sometimes all it takes is attending one event, introducing yourself, or saying yes to an invitation. Most dads are looking for connection more than they realize.
Favorite Jewish holiday to celebrate as a dad?
Probably Purim. This past year, my kids wanted to dress up as grandmothers, so we fully committed with elaborate costumes and really played the part. Even our shalach manot had a granny theme.
We had so much fun at their school’s Purim party, walking around town, laughing together, and creating memories that will last a lifetime.
What’s bringing you joy right now?
Watching my daughters grow while living life more intentionally — focusing on getting 1% better every day, creating new experiences, and learning to appreciate the smaller moments instead of always rushing to the next thing.
Slowing down has taught me that some of the simplest things in life are free. Those are often the moments that matter most.
Why Dad Connectors Matter
Whether it’s hosting Shabbat dinners, creating opportunities for families to connect, or simply showing up for one another, these Dad Connectors are helping strengthen Jewish life across Baltimore. Their stories remind us that community starts with relationships, and sometimes all it takes is one invitation, one conversation, or one shared experience to create a lasting connection.
Interested in meeting other parents and families? Explore our Family Programs and upcoming events.
Interested in meeting with a Connector? We’ll help you match with a Connector