Isabel “Izzy” Cutler, engagement associate at Tribe 12 in Philadelphia, has found her niche with the Jewish social organization. Apart from allowing her to talk to people all day — which the self-labeled extrovert described as her ideal job — the position lets her embrace what she believes is a core tenet of Judaism.
“There’s no right or wrong way to be Jewish. Being Jewish can include things like having fun events like happy hours. There isn’t one way to do it, and that’s what I really love about Tribe 12,” she said. “We don’t do any screening for how Jewish someone is. It doesn’t matter if you went to a synagogue or not, or even if you know what a synagogue is. Anyone is welcome, and I think that’s really special.”
Cutler began working for Tribe 12 in May. Prior to that, she worked at a local organization that serves people on the autism spectrum. The Philadelphia native loved her time at Tulane University in New Orleans, but knew that she wanted to return home after graduating in 2023.
“Going so far from home showed me that there are pros and cons to living anywhere. I got to try new food and experience new weather and do all sorts of fun other things, but the con is that my family is still in Philadelphia,” she said.
Additionally, Cutler is pursuing a master’s degree in social work at the University of Pennsylvania. That led her back home, too, as it was the only graduate school she applied to.
Cutler grew up going to Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel in Elkins Park, but isn’t a member anymore. Now, her Jewish activity centers around the work she does at Tribe 12, which mainly consists of creating events for young Jewish professionals.
“The reason that this job is so special is that you get to connect people. Someone might come to an event and tell us, ‘This is so nice, I didn’t grow up with Jewish friends.’ Other people say they have never been involved with anything Jewish and found it intimidating. Sometimes people say how they just moved here and don’t know anyone and now they feel like they can make friends at these events,” she said.
Cutler grew up practicing Reform Judaism, and said that the job at Tribe 12 allows her to be creative while still surrounding her work with the themes of her religion and culture. In this role, Cutler has helped organize club meet-ups, game nights, speed dating and more. She said that she wants to create the same environment for others that she experienced as a girl — Cutler was lucky enough to frequent Jewish spaces as a girl, but not everyone else was.
“When I was a kid, I went to URJ Camp Harlem in the Poconos, and that informed so many of my Jewish experiences,” she said. “It brought me some of my most impactful experiences, and I want Tribe 12 to do the same thing [for others].”
These goals are aided by the fact that Tribe 12 has a team that Cutler describes as close-knit and hard working. She said that the coworkers around her create an environment that encourages dialogue and creativity.
“It’s a small team of six or seven people, but we have a special energy,” she said.
Outside of her professional duties, Cutler enjoys walking around Philadelphia and surrounding areas as well as reading and spending time with dogs. One of her favorite things to do is babysit, something she has done for years and finds enriching.
Whether it’s a baby she’s watching, a young Jewish professional new to Philadelphia or a professor at Penn, Cutler will put on a smile and engage in conversation. That’s what she loves doing.
“Even if I didn’t have my family nearby, I would feel so comfortable knowing that I could go to one of our events,” she said. “We have so much fun together.”
