From Discovery to Belonging, Luisa’s Story
May 1, 2026
For Luisa Kaplan, Jewish life became meaningful not through obligation, but through connection, connection made possible by the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta and its network of partner organizations.
Luisa’s Jewish journey began in her interfaith marriage. Her husband is Jewish, and when they married, they were searching for a way to explore Judaism together in an open, welcoming environment. That search led them to Honeymoon Israel, a Federation-supported partner organization that brings young, interfaith-couples to Israel. “After we got back, I was so moved and so in love with Israel and Judaism that I converted to Judaism.”
And that experience changed everything. Luisa says Honeymoon Israel gave her “the space to kind of just look into, maybe accept more Judaism with a more open mind,” while also surrounding her with other interfaith couples navigating similar paths. “I 100% give that credit to Honeymoon Israel,” she said.
Two years later, October 7 shook the Jewish world. Luisa and her husband felt isolated and unsure where to turn. “We kind of felt alone with our non-Jewish friends,” she explained. “So the only people that we could turn to in our community and lean on were our Jewish friends.” Through Honeymoon Israel leaders, they were connected to Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta and quickly found both purpose and belonging.
They became deeply involved in the Young Leadership Division (YLD), volunteering, building relationships, and even traveling to Israel on a Federation Journey. “It has just been a life-changing experience with the Federation,” Luisa said. “Not just for the things that we do, but meeting other people that have the same mentality, that also want to help.”
Their dedication was formally recognized in 2025, when Luisa and her husband were honored together with the Abe Schwartz Young Leadership Award. The award reflected their deep commitment to building Jewish community. Luisa says it grew out of “a lot of hosting community Shabbat dinners and a lot of volunteer work,” all driven by a desire to strengthen Jewish connection in meaningful, personal ways.
As their lives evolved, Federation continued to show up. When Luisa became pregnant, she joined JBaby, Federation’s initiative for new parents. “It was one of the most amazing experiences,” she said. “I learned so much, and now have all of these friends—and my daughter will have these friends because we all had babies around the same age.”
That engagement naturally expanded to the JCC, Jewish daycare, and plans for Jewish camp and education. “They just keep giving,” Luisa reflected. “Federation had a huge part in the early days of our child’s life.”
Luisa’s story is a powerful reminder of what Federation donors make possible. Because of their generosity, Jewish journeys are supported at every stage, from interfaith couples discovering Judaism, to young leaders stepping up, to families building strong Jewish foundations for the next generation.