Ross Beroff lives a very Jewish life. Whether he’s celebrating a holiday or working as a board liaison at American Jewish World Service or a matchmaker at Tribe 12, Beroff can often be found in Jewish circles. His time working at the American Jewish World Service, an organization that works to address poverty and human rights deficiencies in the developing world, has given him a view into parts of the globe that don’t often interact with any Jews at all.
“Our CEO said recently that he was on a tour in Mexico with an indigenous individual who was amazed and excited — he said, ‘American Jews know who I am? They care about me?’” Beroff said.
Beroff said that this quote inspired him, and reminded him why he loves working in the spaces that he does.
“I think that it’s great that we’re able to use our Jewish values to help those that might normally be invisible to the general American community and the American Jewish community,” he said.
Beroff grew up in New York, raised in a family that worshiped in a traditionally conservative sense. In high school, Beroff was very involved with the youth conservative movement, which led him to pursue his own definition of Jewish identity. He studied as an undergraduate at Northeastern University in Boston, where he attended events at both Hillel and Chabad. He was a fellow on the international board of directors of Hillel as a student representative, and was on the first-ever Hillel international student cabinet, too.
When Beroff moved to Philadelphia, it took some time before he found his niche in the Jewish community. Since starting work with Tribe 12, he has found that space.
“Jews have a long tradition of matchmaking — everyone knows ‘Fiddler on the Roof.’ When people think of matchmakers, traditionally they think of shadchan, but there is so much more than that,” he said. “There are all of the apps that have come about for one. Then there is this matchmaking program at Tribe 12 that is the first of its kind.”
Beroff said that the unique nature of the program is what attracted him to it. Tribe 12’s matchmaking services have nothing to do with religious identity.
“We work with all Jews, as long as they’re in the Philadelphia area and in their 20s or 30s,” he said.
With this method, Tribe 12 can link more people and create bonds within separate Jewish communities that might not otherwise be made. But Beroff said that, the way he thinks about it, it’s about even more than just linking people.
“Traditionally, it’s about finding a good match for someone and connecting them, but we also do more than that — we connect people to events, to other organizations, to programs that we think would be of interest to them,” he said.
None of Beroff’s matches have resulted in marriage yet, but more than a few relationships have started after he helped introduce two people through Tribe 12. He said that he thinks part of the reason the program has been a success is because they come up with events that young people gravitate towards.
Last year, Tribe 12 held an event called “Pitch a Friend Night” with power points. Basically, people presented slides with details on a friend of theirs as they pitched them as a potential partner. Beroff said it was a fun night and was well-received.
Other events that Beroff has enjoyed in which he has helped play a role are singles Shabbat and speed dating.
Between that position and his day job at the American Jewish World Service, Beroff said he feels his life and work are purpose-driven.
“It’s really just so great for me to be able to live my values in the work I do and the incredible work that my colleagues do,” he said.
Beroff said that the American Jewish World Service is particularly rewarding because right now is such a crucial time around the world for human rights.
“We’re [in these places] because we see the need to repair the world is so urgent right now, and I think it’s an area where Jews can stand up and play an outsized role,” he said. “We have fought to gain strong LGBTQIA+ rights in Thailand. We have done incredible work in India for women’s and girl’s rights and combating domestic violence.”
The American Jewish World Service ensures that its work is meaningful and quantifiable.
“We don’t just parachute into an area that we know nothing about,” he said. “We build relationships over the years and really listen to the people that we work with.”
This means supporting grassroots community groups and working with stakeholders who know the regions the AJWS goes to for enhanced local knowledge.
Beroff is powered by the meaningful work he does, his love for his wife and his family and his relationship with Judaism. In fact, he is already working on another Jewish activity to add to his docket.
“This new and growing group that meets in Mount Airy about once a month has been a great outlet for my semiprofessional and semipersonal Jewish identity. It doesn’t even have a formal title yet, but my wife and I had the first-ever aufruf of the house minyan,” he said with pride, before joking, “which isn’t saying too much since it’s been around for less than a year.”
For Ross Beroff, it’s just one more Jewish institution that he can learn from — and that’s a perfect match.
