The Westwood building itself isn’t as overbearing as some of Lakewood’s newer office spaces that have sprung up like mushrooms in the Klondike atmosphere that seems to dominate Lakewood’s business parks, but it isn’t quite as corporate here either. It is professional, but also inviting, and if there is a word to describe the building and its distinct lobby, it’s one that most of its Gen-Z tenants and clientele employ rather liberally: It’s got a vibe.

The offices are put to good use, but so are the modern chairs deployed throughout the lobby and the coffee room that’s reminiscent of a yeshivah (just with brewed options). On the day that I visited, a meshulach from Eretz Yisrael whose hobbies apparently included some good guitar jam sessions, joined Mac Shlessinger of Powow Events on the cajón for an impromptu kumzitz right there on the floor of the lobby, much to the delight of the building’s tenants. It’s that vibe — the informality braided with ambition, the sense that the folks here care more about getting things done than about looking impressive — that makes it perfectly understandable why a project that effectuated a mindset revolution was born right here.

Shmuel Dovid, a 33-year-old resident of Manchester, New Jersey, explains how that night came about. In January 2021, Shmuel Dovid (who goes by “Sam” in the business world), moved on from property management and took an entrepreneurial leap, cofounding Epic Signs, a full-service signage studio serving commercial clients across the country. Since beginning his working career, he has maintained a presence on LinkedIn, the business networking site, and after opening his own firm, he expanded his social media footprint to drum up business for his nascent company.

Shmuel Dovid doesn’t brag about the clients he lands or any celebrities he may have bumped into last week, but instead shares with his network candid thoughts about getting a new business off the ground and operating in the trenches. His posts are practical, oftentimes slightly provocative (paying vendors on time are a favorite topic), and always peer-to-peer, and he makes sure to reply in kind to everyone who commented on them. He also doesn’t shy away from posting uniquely frum content. (A favorite and recurring post of his is the famous Yoni Gerstein cartoon of a fisherman waiting with his hook and anchor in the sea, with the word “hishtadlus” scrawled on them while an oversized fish, “bitachon” scrawled on its scales, jumps into the pail.) Consistent and candid posting is rewarded on LinkedIn, and Shmuel Dovid’s connections have swelled to around 30,000.

Around the time his LinkedIn profile was gaining steam, a friend reached out and asked him if he knew of any job openings.

“He had been working as a warehouse manager for about seven years, and his boss had just laid him off. He was a bit desperate and didn’t even know that I was active on LinkedIn, he was just making calls to see who could help him.” Shmuel Dovid didn’t know of any openings, but asked his friend to send him a small blurb describing himself and what he was seeking. The friend duly complied and the next day, his LinkedIn followers saw a post about his talented, go-getter friend, who was “looking for a new opportunity in the industrial logistics and operations space.”

Word spread in that echo chamber and soon enough, a business owner DM’d Shmuel Dovid that he was looking for someone to fill that position in his company. Shmuel Dovid connected the two, an interview was set up, and just like that, he had brokered his first job placement. That first led to a second, and then, a third.

“I didn’t see myself as being more involved in the job market than anyone else,” he reflects, “but here and there people would reach out and I was happy to help.” His stint as a full-time business owner and happy-to-help-with-jobs -if-I-can personality lasted about two years.

Then, 18 months ago, while visiting the oversized and uber-comfortable office of one of his clients, he saw another man who appeared to just be enjoying the office environment and in no rush to get anywhere. Shmuel Dovid’s client confided in him that it wasn’t by choice — the man, a father of several young children with a mortgage and tuitions and ever-growing grocery bills to pay, had lost his job.

“I felt like I’d been punched in the gut,” remembers Shmuel Dovid. “I did my posts on LinkedIn and shared a short bio on my WhatsApp status, but it just wasn’t getting traction.” Over the course of the next few weeks, he returned to the same office periodically, and each time was hit by the daunting reality of unemployment. “It was just unbearable,” he says.

Something had to be done. He’s not sure what inspired him to think specifically of a job fair, but something about the paperwork involved in the typical job procurement process — finding opportunities, sending résumés, following up — felt cumbersome, clunky, and old-fashioned.

“Why not get everyone into a room and let people actually talk face to face and make things happen? It’s like speed dating, just with jobs,” he says. He spoke it over with his partner at Epic Signs, Yisroel Greenspan, and they envisioned three categories of people: employers, job seekers, and volunteers happy to facilitate a connection between the two in a group setting.

LinkedIn was the first to hear of the idea. “There are unfortunately so many people looking for jobs,” wrote Shmuel Dovid. “I think a job fair would be an epic idea. Please let me know if interested. Tag or comment below for ideas and leads.” The virtual feedback was decidedly enthusiastic (insofar as  and  emojis can be considered reliable indicators of human emotion in the digital age) and several people offered to help. The Westwood owners offered to host and a few likeminded friends, all active in the employment scene, created a WhatsApp group to get planning. Just like that, an event was born.

In the LinkedIn version of “it’s official!” Sam Berkowicz’s network opened their feed to read his latest post in December 2024. “I HAVE GOOD NEWS TO SHARE!” he wrote in all caps. “I posted a few weeks ago about the unfortunate reality that many people are facing… job searching. Westwood Park was gracious enough to offer their venue for a job fair. The focus of this event will be solely helping people find jobs. Possibly some guidance for startups as well. Companies that are looking to hire are definitely welcome, but more importantly we need people who are connectors. If you are a people person and know people who know people — you are wanted at this event. It goes without saying that this is purely to help others and we are not looking for recruiters and/or individuals who are looking to profit from this. Tentatively the week after Chanukah. Stay tuned for more details. Tag anyone who might be helpful.”

A simple flyer was created advertising what was dubbed the “Job Fair Parnassah Expo” by the ad hoc “board” — with the time ( 8–10 p.m. on January 2, 2025) the place (the Westwood) and a message:   “Hoping to see you there!”

Several company owners and askanim in the Lakewood business community were recruited for the evening and a flurry of messages along with last minute instructions on Shmuel Dovid’s chat hammered out the details. The ad was shared on WhatsApp, and news spread, bein chat l’chat, and bein gavra l’gavra, of the forthcoming event. Shmuel Dovid laughs. “The afternoon before the event, I called a caterer to order some food and drinks for the evening, just so that it should feel b’kavodik.” The caterer asked Shmuel Dovid how many people he should prepare for. At the time, he shrugged. “Fifty?” he estimated. He was off by about 1000 percent.

A pre-event Maariv began at 7:45. At eight, the room was full. Packed, actually. By eight-fifteen, the food was gone as five hundred people inundated the Westwood One. The vibe was electric. Shmuel Dovid shows me the WhatsApp chat from that evening, describing the proceedings as they unfolded in real time.

“Anyone know of any financing jobs? 3 people looking.” “Yes. I have an opening — I’ll post his info.” “Met 2 people looking for an IT job. Both have experience, but not specifically in this field. Any leads?” “There is a guy here that is looking. Black sweater (no shirt). He’s near the back. Says he has a bunch of open positions.” “Anyone have something for a guy looking for a warehouse management position?” followed by a contact and a brief “yes — he’s looking to a hire a manager for his Jackson location.”

He scrolls through the chat. “It was wild and beyond anyone’s expectations. It was just chaos,” he remembers, “but it was good chaos. Some people had complaints afterwards, but if you were really looking, there were a lot of opportunities there.” There were a lot of opportunities, and there was a lot of chizuk as well. “Aside from the actual employment, it was also a big chizuk to people. Imagine someone who is out of a job for a few months, they feel down, and then they walk into a room with 500 people and at least half of them are looking for jobs just like he is. And these are all normal guys. Guys that had good jobs in the past, or guys that just wanted to grow, or find a better job because their job is a dead end.”

After that evening, Shmuel Dovid took to LinkedIn once again to share his thoughts.

“My phone is blowing up since Thursday evening. Candidates thanking me for helping them get one step closer to an opportunity. Companies looking to hire asking if I have someone for them. Random people messaging me that they gained tremendous chizuk from the event. I even had people reach out from Miami, Denver, Chicago, and Monsey asking what I did so that they can copy it!! The simple answer I gave and will continue to give is that I did (almost) nothing. I posted a simple post on LinkedIn saying that the time has come to do something about the job crisis. Many wonderful people reached out, asking how they can help. We posted an ad about an upcoming job fair. Some people were kind enough to share it on their LinkedIn or WhatsApp. The rest is history. I believe the success came because it was simple and sincere. No agendas, no motives, no hock. People are genuinely looking to help. The siyata d’Shmaya was next level!! I am proud to be part of such a wonderful community and I would like to thank everyone who joined and help spread this. IYH this will be a start to slowly but surely end the job crisis and we should all be matzliach in our jobs and parnassah!”

For the next two weeks, texts poured in. “Just wanted to let you know I hired a guy from your event.” “I met someone at Shacharis this morning who told me he has two interviews set up, based on leads that came in last night.” “Sam, B”H, I met someone yesterday who was able to make an introduction to someone who was looking to hire. We had a nice conversation and he should be making an offer today.”

An event in the greater Monsey area saw a huge turnout, which led to another two in that area. Baltimore also hosted an event. Shmuel Dovid himself has arranged another three events since his first one, a Labor Day event at 500 Boulevard of the Americas (or “500 BOTA,” as it’s colloquially known) that attracted over 1,000 people, and a more recent networking event focusing on younger men in the warm, friendly confines of the Westwood. All were successful in generating leads and jobs.

But more than the crowd, the chaos, the conversations, and the string of jobs that materialized, the evening and its aftermath crystallized a simple but often missed message. It showed that the power to help another Yid earn a livelihood isn’t reserved for askanim, committees, or people with nameplates on their doors. It belongs to anyone willing to step forward, post a message, make an introduction, or simply care enough to try.

“On the contrary” he says, “all those things will slow you down because it means you’ll have more people to answer to. There is also a stigma in going to an event that has logos and taglines attached to it, with job seekers feeling like they are being put on a pedestal and being used to prove a statistic.”

The events ran the past year were decidedly different. They were informal and unpressured, and it wasn’t even clear at first glance who was there looking for an opportunity and who had one to offer. But there were dedicated people on the floor who tried their best to connect the two, and ultimately, between the schmoozing and  the networking, people learned of leads and the realization that they can help out a friend.

“Baruch Hashem, we were able to create awareness and if there is one takeaway from the past year, it’s that you don’t need money, you don’t need to have the backing of any organization and you don’t have to be an insider at all. If you see a need, jump in and Hashem will help you see amazing results.” —

TIPS FOR JOB SEEKERS:

By his own admission, Shmuel Dovid isn’t a jobs expert. But he’s learned a thing or two over the last year. Here is what he says job seekers should keep in mind.

1. If you have a decent job, stay. A few years ago, the market was booming and employees were in high demand. When that happens again, by all means, seek out more lucrative opportunities, but for now, if it’s working where you are, stay.
2. Differentiate yourself. Every employer understands you’re there for the salary, but they need to see what value you’ll bring to them. Your first question can’t be about money and paid days off. Research the industry, understand what the company does, and walk into an interview prepared to tell the one hiring how you’ll be an asset to the firm.
3. Be realistic. If you walked out of yeshivah yesterday, you’re not making $100,000. People tell us they need “a minimum salary” of a figure that, in the real world, can take years to attain. You also may need to drive an hour and a half every single day for the first year.
4. Anything is better than zero. Even if the offer won’t cover your bills today, you’ve got to do something. If you’re going to sit around waiting for the opportunity, you’ll never get it. Once you’re in the company and they like you, they’ll either promote you, or when you come to someone and say, “I was in this company for six months and I did very well,” they’ll talk to you. If you start small, and are willing to hustle and grow, you’ll increase your value with time. But you have to be in it to get there.

& IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE LOOKING…

1. The easiest tip is for the person looking for a job to write a short description of what they are looking for, and then for you to post it on your status and family chats. Send it to five friends. It’s very simple. Send it out. You have no idea how many people got jobs just from me posting it on my status.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1090)