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I’ve been following the new CEO of Red Lobster lately, yes, really, and I’ve been fascinated by the impact he’s having on his company. In a recent interview, he proudly claimed that Red Lobster buys 25% of all lobster caught in North America.

At first, I laughed. Then I realized… he’s making a serious point.

His message was this: when you’re buying that much of a market, you’re no longer just in the game, you’re shaping it. You’re influencing pricing, sourcing, strategy, and perception. That 25% isn't just about lobster, it's about leadership.

Which brings me (in the most kosher way possible) to JGO.

For 14 years, JGO has been flying under the radar, quietly building Jewish life for grad students across North America. While the “Jewish grad student market” might not be featured on CNBC, it’s real, and incredibly important. These are the future leaders of our community, our synagogues, our boardrooms, and our families.

Estimates suggest there are appx 43,000 Jewish graduate students in North America. Last year, JGO engaged 10,500 of them.

That’s roughly 24.4% of the entire Jewish grad student population.

That’s Red Lobster-level market share.

And we’ve achieved this through a decentralized, scalable model: empowering student leaders on 156 grad campuses, training them, supporting them, and building a national network where Jewish pride and leadership can flourish.

But what’s especially remarkable is how this growth has happened: without major institutional funding from large Jewish foundations, but instead through the efforts of a lean team, entrepreneurial spirit, and passionate supporters who believe in the power of this moment. It’s a testament to how real the need is, and how much more we could accomplish with broader backing.

Our student leaders and partners on the ground are driven by grit, scrappy innovation, and the belief that Jewish grad students matter. That they deserve Jewish community, too.

Jewish grad students today are not just busy, they’re under pressure. They're navigating competitive programs, shaping their careers, and increasingly, facing real antisemitism on campus and in professional settings. Many feel isolated or invisible, without a community that speaks to who they are.

And it feels like this is just the beginning. We are actively thinking of ways to engage the other 75%. Because I'm hungry, not for lobster, but to continue to build Jewish grad student community around North America.  

We are serving up Jewish identity, community, and meaning, every single day.

P.S. Have an idea to further engage the other 75%? I’d love to hear it!