Jody Maizlish Gross

Utah

When I think of what it means to be a Lion, I think first of my mother. My mother set me on this path when she said, “I’m making you a Lion, and I want to take you to Israel for the Lion of Judah mission.”  

It was 2004, and I had just moved to Utah and had already being an active member of the Jewish Federation in Arizona and Florida since my early twenties. But that mission—and the impetus behind my first gift—was truly life-changing. My mother believed deeply in the responsibility to care for fellow Jews: if we don’t take care of our own, no one else will. That belief shaped my commitment.

I became actively involved with the Utah Jewish Federation, serving on the board, helping plan events, launching the Lunch and Learn program, and organizing the first Ben Gurion dinners. Eventually, I was honored to be selected for the national board, where I met extraordinary people who further inspired my journey.

For nearly 25 years now, I have been proud to be a Lion. No matter where I split my time—Utah, Arizona, or now Texas—I remain committed to being a Lion in each community I call home. My mother later chose to endow my Arizona Lion gift, and I followed by endowing my Utah gift. I feel deeply fortunate to be in a position to give back and to help those in need.