Volunteer Spotlight July 2025: Will Etkin
Can you tell us about yourself and your background?
I grew up in/around the Twin Cities metro area. I currently work in Jewish education during the academic year and do text translation (between Japanese and English) in a freelance capacity whenever I can.
What volunteer role do you have with JFCS and what volunteer roles have you had with JFCS in the past?
I’ve volunteered to table at the J-Pride booth during Pride weekend two years in a row.
What does your volunteer role consist of?
For tabling at the Twin Cities Pride festival, we would generally greet people as they approach the table, offer basic information about J-Pride and/or JFCS, answer questions/refer to JFCS staff as needed for more complex questions, and of course, offer visitors a chance to spin a fun prize wheel for J-Pride/JFCS promotional items. I signed up for the last shift on Sunday this year, so I also got to help with booth dis-assembly and packing things into the car.
What motivated you to begin volunteering with JFCS and how long have you been volunteering with JFCS?
I have admittedly only been volunteering in this specific capacity for two years, but I thought it would be a fun way to enhance my engagement with the local Jewish community in addition to just being a participant in J-Pride events.
What’s your favorite part about volunteering with JFCS and how has being a JFCS volunteer impacted your life?
It has been so fun to meet people I probably would not encounter otherwise. Volunteering has been a great excuse to get out of the apartment more, and it makes me feel like a more active member of the community.
Do you have a memorable story about your JFCS volunteer experience to share?
This is not a specific single thing that happened, but I have gotten so much joy in meeting people who either recently moved to Minnesota or otherwise, discovering for the first time that J-Pride, and, by extension, a local Queer Jewish community exists.
What would you say to someone who’s thinking of volunteering with JFCS?
If you see a volunteer opportunity that looks fun or meaningful to you, don’t hesitate! You will probably have a good time.
Anything else you want to share?
J-Pride has been such a great way for me to meet people and make friends, which is something I have really needed especially in the past few years.
J-Pride creates community through Queer-focused Jewish programming for LGBTQ+ Jews and their allies throughout the Twin Cities. For more information on upcoming events and programming, “like” J-Pride on Facebook or follow us on Instagram. For even more information, and to sign up for our 2x monthly newsletter, check out our website. Please reach out to Hunter Wengersky, J-Pride Program Coordinator, at hwengersky@jfcsmpls.org with any J-Pride related questions or musings.
For more information on JFCS Volunteer Services, click here or contact Dana Shapiro, Community and Volunteer Engagement Manager, at dshapiro@jfcsmpls.org.