You Should Know

Jessica Gorsky Halle

If Jessica Gorsky Halle could mother to actually be able to use change one thing about Bal- any of the benefits for her child. timore, she would make the The mother spent years trying harbor clean enough to swim in. to access the funds. Without

Gorsky Halle, 32, is an that money, the mother found associate attorney at Whiteford, it difficult to manage consistent Taylor and Preston, LLP. Her housing. The family was practice focuses on estate and constantly on the move. elder law. She and her husband, By the time the mother came Jordan M. Halle, live in Owings to me, the child was already in Mills, around where she grew his teens. She was desperate to up. They are expecting a baby get him into this certain school in February. that could assist with his special

The Halles are members needs, but she couldn’t afford a of Har Sinai-Oheb Shalom home in the area. Congregation in Pikesville I came up with a plan. It and participate on the board took several months and court of IMPACT, the young adult hearings, but finally I was able division of The Associated: to convince the court to move Jewish Federation of Baltimore, the funds into a special needs and are both co-chairs of the trust, which would grant the Couples Committee. family immediate access. The child turned and gave me Why do you enjoy your work? one of the biggest hugs I’ve ever When I chose to become a received. It was one of the most lawyer, I wanted to help peo- fulfilling moments of my life. ple, plain and simple.

My favorite part about my job As you work in elder law, is getting to know my clients. It what do you see seniors face? sounds simple, but I’m a people The biggest issues facing seniors person. My husband frequently stem from their vulnerability calls me a “yenta.” and the disparity in generational

My favorite anecdote is one of gaps. The Silent Generation the first cases that I worked on and the Baby Boomers grew by myself, from soup to nuts. A up during a time when trust single mother’s child had been was honored. Today, it’s difficult awarded a medical malpractice for seniors to grasp fraud. New award settlement at infancy. The scams are popping up every day. settlement award was bound by a significant amount of red Why do you like Baltimore? tape, so it was difficult for the I love Baltimore. It is beautiful

By Carolyn Conte

because of all its parts — it’s gritty, homey, historical, eclectic, always evolving and yet you can always count on certain things to never change.

When I was younger I definitely did not appreciate the “smalltimore” nature of Baltimore, where everyone seems to have at least six degrees of separation from one another.

What does your Jewish identity mean to you?

I grew up a first-generation American in a family of Soviet refugees. Both my mother and father grew up being raised Jewish in the Communist USSR. Their access to things like Hebrew school or services at an actual synagogue was nonexistent.

My family was only able to embrace the culture of Judaism [much later]. When they moved to Baltimore in the late ‘70s, my parents and grandparents had their first integration into an established Jewish community. By the time I came on the scene, my family’s assimilation, and education into the religious aspects of Judaism, was still new.

My husband, on the other hand, grew up with as much cultural Jewish influence as religious. So now that we have melded our lives into one, I feel lucky that he has been able to provide me with a religious Jewish awakening that I didn’t have growing up. JT

cconte@midatlanticmedia.com

Have a suggestion for a You Should Know profile? Nominate your interesting Jewish co-worker, cousin, camping buddy — anyone between 21 and 39 previously or currently living in the Baltimore area. Email cconte@midatlanticmedia.com.