From Corporate Lawyer to Rabbi to Media CEO: How Justin Pines Found His Perfect Career Fit at 40

Justin Pines is the CEO of the Jewish Broadcasting Service, an international Jewish TV network.

Justin Pines, the CEO of the Jewish Broadcasting Service, embarked on a remarkable career journey that took him from corporate law to the rabbinate before finally landing in media leadership at age 40. His story offers valuable insights into finding a job that truly fits your passions and skills.

The Early Career: Choosing Safety Over Passion

After college, Pines initially pursued what he considered a "safe" career path by becoming a corporate attorney. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 2009 and joined the prestigious firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. While he appreciated the intellectual challenge and financial stability, he soon realized that the long-term prospects didn't align with his deeper interests.

The First Pivot: Leaving Law for the Rabbinate

At age 29, after three years in corporate law, Pines made a dramatic career change. He systematically researched six different industries, interviewing professionals in each field to understand the pros and cons. Ultimately, he chose to pursue his passion for Judaism by training to become a rabbi, completing a three-year vocational course at rabbinical school.

Finding Meaning in Education

After becoming a rabbi at 33 in 2016, Pines served as the director of character development at a Jewish middle school in New York's Upper East Side. He loved teaching children about Judaism but struggled with the financial realities of supporting a family on an educator's salary.

Justin Pines on the set of JBS.

The Second Pivot: From Education to Media Leadership

After three years in Jewish education, Pines transitioned to work at a Jewish think tank. Through this role, he appeared as a guest on the Jewish Broadcasting Service (JBS), which eventually led to a surprising opportunity. In late 2023, JBS approached him about becoming their new CEO.

The Perfect Fusion of Skills and Interests

At age 40, Pines accepted the CEO position at JBS, finding it represented the ideal combination of his diverse background: his communications degree, his passion for sharing Judaism, and his corporate experience from his legal career. In this role, he hosts a show where he interviews leading Jewish thinkers and oversees programming that features diverse Jewish voices from across the political and religious spectrum.

Justin Pines interviews stand-up comedian Modi Rosenfeld on the set of JBS.

Key Career Lessons: Finding Balance

Pines emphasizes that people often treat careers as ladders to climb rather than journeys with a North Star. His experience taught him that the real challenge lies in achieving balance between finding meaning in your work, maintaining financial stability, and pursuing what you love.

Through his unconventional career path, Pines discovered that finding the perfect job fit often requires multiple pivots and a willingness to combine seemingly disparate skills and experiences. His story demonstrates that career satisfaction comes from aligning your professional path with your deepest values and interests, even if that means taking unexpected turns along the way.