Rabbi As…

Rabbi Jordan Braunig`14

Rabbi as…Campus caregiver, Fermenter, Elul journaler, Teacher of active listening, Midrash maker.

Jewish Chaplain in Emory University’s Office of Spiritual and Religious Life

Since receiving smicha from Hebrew College in 2014, Rabbi Jordan Braunig has worked solely within the university setting, first, as a campus rabbi at Tufts Hillel and, now, as the Jewish Chaplain in Emory’s Office of Spiritual and Religious Life. He is honored to be a field guide, friend and teacher to members of the campus community. Whether he is offering support to a grieving staff member, studying Rebbe Nachman with a student on a hike, or cooking with a group of interfaith leaders, Jordan does his best to infuse Torah into all his work as a chaplain. You will find him riding his FreeRangeRabbi bike around campus from August through May.

Jordan lives with his partner, Casey and their three kids in Atlanta. He spends most of his downtime in the kitchen, cooking up dishes and dreaming of re-booting his short-lived, live-streamed cooking show, Rav Cooks.

Rabbi Frankie Sandmel`22

Rabbi as…living room teacher, Jewish homebuilder, ritual crafter, amateur caterer, spiritual journey guide, tradition translator

Rabbi, Base Bay

Rabbi Frankie Sandmel (they/them), runs Base Bay where, together with their partner Elaina, they are building a vibrant, rooted, and resonant Jewish community out of their home in Oakland.

In their free time, Frankie is a fellow with SVARA: A Traditionally Radical Yeshiva and they bake a lot of cookies.

Rabbi Adina Allen`14

Rabbi as…creativity connector, community weaver, crafter of cohorts, organization builder, artist of paint and new paradigms.

Co-founder & Creative Director
Jewish Studio Project, Berkeley, CA

Rabbi Adina Allen is a spiritual leader, writer, and educator who grew up in an art studio where she learned firsthand the power of creativity for connecting to self and to the Sacred. She is cofounder and creative director of Jewish Studio Project (JSP), an organization that is seeding a future in which every person is connected to their creativity as a force for healing, liberation and social transformation. Based on the work of her mother, renowned art therapist Pat B. Allen, Adina developed the Jewish Studio Process, a methodology for unlocking creativity, which she has brought to thousands of activists, educators, artists, and clergy across the country. A national media contributor, popular speaker, and workshop leader, Adina’s writing can be found in scholarly as well as mainstream publications. She and her family live in Berkeley, CA.

Rabbi Ayalon Eliach`18

Rabbi as…architect of the future, catalyst for transcendence, connector, wisdom transmitter, advocate.

Chief Ideas Officer, Lippman Kanfer Foundation for Living Torah, Brooklyn, NY.

Born and raised in NYC’s Modern Orthodox community, Ayalon’s life journey has taken him through Yeshivat HaKotel, Yale College, Harvard Law School, Hebrew College Rabbinical School, and 35+ countries. Jewish wisdom has been his compass, and the Oneness of all has been its north star. He’s passionate about keeping that wisdom alive, relevant, and accessible for others. He lives with his wife and two children in Brooklyn.

(Pictured: Ayalon with Hebrew College Dean Rabbi Kane Kanarek and Hebrew College President Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisefeld.)

Rabbi Hannah Orden`10

Rabbi as…Anti-racism warrior, risk taker, op-ed writer, joy spreader, sower of seeds.

Rabbi Emerita of Congregation Beth Hatikvah in Summit, NJ.

Rabbi Hannah Orden has a strong commitment to community building and social action, evident in her work with Summit Interfaith Council, where she is a past president and a founding member of the Interfaith Council’s Anti-Racism Committee. She writes an occasional op-ed column for the Jewish Standard/Times of Israel.

Before coming to New Jersey, Rabbi Orden was the rabbi and education director for Temple B’nai Israel in Laconia, New Hampshire and served on the adjunct faculty for Hebrew College in Newton, Massachusetts where she earned her rabbinic ordination and Master of Arts in Jewish Studies.

Rabbi Orden has an extensive background in education, served as a chaplain for Elder Service Plan in Boston.
Rabbi Orden is the author of a full-length play, a young adult novel, and two adult novels as well as a series of poems based on the books of Exodus and Leviticus.

Ari Lev Fornari`14

Rabbi as…Ritual Artist, Teacher, Healer, Community Organizer, Little League Coach.

Senior Rabbi, Kol Tzedek, Philadelphia, PA

Rabbi Ari Lev Fornari (he/they) is a white, queer, trans person, of Ashkenazi and Italian descent (he eats baked ziti on Rosh Hashanah!). He is a 2014 graduate of the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College.

He has worked as a Jewish educator, Hebrew School director, and prison chaplain. Ari Lev trained at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah (CBST) in NYC, teaching, preaching, and providing pastoral care for congregants of all stripes while developing programing for people 55+. He has completed two units of Clinical Pastoral Education, in both a Geriatric and Trauma Hospital. Ari Lev served on the faculty of SVARA: A Traditionally Radical Yeshiva and hopes to make the wisdom of the Talmud accessible to everyone at Kol Tzedek.

Ari Lev loves to cook, bike, meditate, tend his house plants and parent his two little ones. When he is not at Kol Tzedek, he can be found coaching little league. Ari Lev is deeply committed to the creation and embodiment of Torat Hayyim, a living tradition. This requires that our lives be deeply informed by ancient wisdom and practices, and that Jewish traditions learn and grow from our insights and lived experiences.

Rav Michaela Brown`24

Rabbi as…College club mentor, Pop culture liaison, Connection hunter, Jewish educator to Midwestern gentiles, Confidential campus listener.

Associate Chaplain, Carleton College and St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN

Rav Michaela Brown (she/her) serves as the Associate Chaplain for Jewish (and Interfaith) Life at Carleton College and St. Olaf College, both situated in the town of Northfield, MN. She serves on interfaith clergy/chaplain teams at both schools to attend to the spiritual needs of the college communities, with a particular focus on supporting Jewish life.

Even though it’s a 40 minute drive south of the Twin Cities, there is no synagogue in all of Rice County, so she has affectionately proclaimed herself as the Northfield Rebbe.

When not collaborating with colleagues and students, she calls Minneapolis home, where she enjoys the mentorship and friendship of 7 other Hebrew College rabbis. She recently adopted her first fur baby, Shmueli the Chihuahua.

Rabbi Jevin Eagle`19

Rabbi as…Educator, engagement professional, listener, Israel lover, first responder

Chief Executive Officer and University Chaplain, Boston University Hillel

Professor of the Practice, Strategy and Innovation; Executive Director, Social Impact Initiatives; Boston University Questrom School of Business

Rabbi Jevin Eagle is excited to leverage his entrepreneurial talent, spiritual depth, and passion for Hillel’s mission as the Chief Executive Officer of Boston University Hillel and University Chaplain. He also serves on the Faculty of Boston University Questrom School of Business, as Professor of the Practice, Strategy and Innovation and Executive Director of Social Impact Initiatives.

Rabbi Jevin received rabbinic ordination from Hebrew College Rabbinic School in June 2019. Prior to attending rabbinical school, Jevin Eagle was the CEO of DavidsTea, a senior executive at Staples, Inc., and a partner at McKinsey & Company. He was one of the executives responsible for Staples’ “Easy Brand” Strategy and the famous “Easy Button.”

Eagle says his career change from business to the rabbinate was the fulfillment of a life-long dream to immerse himself in Torah study and serve the Jewish people. Illustrative of his commitment to the Jewish community while working in business, Jevin served as Board Chair of Harvard Hillel and Dartmouth Hillel from 2002 to 2006.

Rabbi Jevin has an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he served as an executive committee member on the Jewish Students Association, and a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College, where he majored in religion and government and served as Hillel student president. Before Harvard Business School, he helped found Jewish Lights Publishing. He serves on the board of directors of Carter’s, Inc., the leading branded apparel marketer for babies and young children, and as a trustee of Hebrew College.

Rabbi Tamar Magill-Grimm `10

Rabbi as…Dreamer, Deep Listener, Hope Cultivator, Justice Champion, Spiritual Guide.

Rabbi,  Beth Jacob Congregation, St. Paul, MN

Rabbi Tamar Magill-Grimm is the senior rabbi at Beth Jacob Congregation in St. Paul, MN, just over the river from her hometown. She has also lived in Los Angeles, Jerusalem, New York City, Boston and the Quad Cities.

She earned a B.A. in Anthropology and Sociology from Brandeis University and worked in Jewish education for three years before beginning her rabbinic studies. During her rabbinical studies, Rabbi Tamar took classes in the Israeli program at Hebrew Union College, Machon Pardes, the Conservative Yeshiva, Machon Schechter and the Secular Yeshiva in Tel Aviv. She was a CIRCLE fellow (Center for Inter-Religious and Communal Leadership Education) during her time at Hebrew College, where she developed interfaith programming and relationships with students at Andover-Newton Theological Seminary.

Rabbi Tamar gained her first pulpit experiences as an intern at The Boston Synagogue and Temple Beth Shalom of Cambridge. Prior to joining the team at Beth Jacob in 2015, she was the rabbi at Congregation Beth Israel in the Quad Cities.

She particularly enjoys teaching Mishnah and Chasidic texts, Mussar, and anything by Abraham Joshua Heschel.

When not working, Rabbi Tamar enjoys hiking, biking, and xc skiing in the winter with her sweet family: her spouse, Andrew, and daughters Sophie and Rose.

Rav Talia Laster`22

Rabbi as…Educator, Cheerleader, Organizer, Listener, Agitator.

Campus Rabbi, Grinspoon Hillel at Cornell University

Rabbi Talia Laster (she/her) is the Campus Rabbi at the Grinspoon Hillel Center at Cornell. Rav Talia received rabbinic ordination in 2022 from the faculty of the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College, in Newton, MA, where she pursued her passions for spirited and playful tefillah (prayer), empowering Talmud study, and the unfolding of halakha (Jewish law).

Rav Talia is passionately committed to empowered lay-leadership, joyous ritual, and deep Torah learning. Before going to rabbinical school, she spent time farming in Italy, studying at UMass Amherst, working as a community organizer in the Boston area, and learning Torah as a Fellow at the Pardes Institute in Jerusalem and the Hadar Institute in NYC.

Rabbi Matthew Ponak`20

Rabbi as…Mystical Torah, Innovative Ritual, Embodiment, Author.

Founder of the Mekorah Institute, Victoria, BC

Rabbi Matthew Ponak is a teacher of Jewish mysticism, a spiritual counselor, and an author.

Ordained with honors at the neo-Hasidic Rabbinical School of Hebrew College, he also holds a Master’s degree in Contemplative Religions from the Buddhist-inspired Naropa University.

Rabbi Matthew lives in Victoria, British Columbia and is certified as a Focusing Professional to guide others to deeper self-knowledge and healing through their bodies. His first book, Embodied Kabbalah: Jewish Mysticism for All People is a translation of primary sources focused on the body-soul connection from the last thousand years of Kabbalah and Hasidut. His latest book, The Path of the Sephirot, is an experiential, reflective guide to counting the 49 days of the Omer utilizing the metaphysics of the Tree of Life.

To learn more about him, his offerings and speaking engagements, visit matthewponak.com.

Rabbi Adam Lavitt `12

Rabbi as…Companion in the questions, Cultivator of soulfulness and beauty, Rooted dreamer, Midwife of transformation and tenderness, Guide in the wilderness of becoming.

Director of Learning, Jewish Studio Project

Rabbi Adam Lavitt (he/they) is a spiritual companion, educator, and creative facilitator dedicated to guiding individuals and communities toward deeper connection and transformation. He is a 2012 graduate of the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College.

As Director of Learning at the Jewish Studio Project, he weaves together sacred text, creative expression, and embodied practice to unlock the creative potential within each person.

In his private practice, Adam offers spiritual companionship, creating spaces where seekers can explore their inner wisdom and navigate life’s complexities with authenticity and purpose. His work has been recognized by the New York Times and featured in publications like Evolve, Huffington Post, and The Wisdom Daily.

Adam lives in Philadelphia with his family.

Rav Ezra Balser `17

Rabbi as…soul doctor, Israel educator, Jewish party host, Hillel rabbi, just a man.

Senior Base Rabbi, Metro Chicago Hillel and the Luba and Bernard Friedman Base Loop (in Fulton Market), Chicago, IL

Over the last six years, Ezra has worked to create joyous and meaningful spaces for folks 18-40ish to have authentic Jewish experiences, both on campus, and at Base—where he and his wife, Laura (and their two daughters, Sima and Raaya), welcome people into their home.

Ezra serves on the senior team of Metro Chicago Hillel, oversees their Israel Education and is the point person to triage anti Jewish activity on campus.

Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman`14

Rabbi As…Neurodivergent-affirming coach, community builder, Instagram influencer and blogger, essayist and children’s book author, climate movement strengthener

Shoshana Meira Friedman is a late-diagnosed PDA Autistic rabbi, writer, coach, activist, and passionate creative.In addition to unschooling her child full time, Rabbi Shoshana is the founder and creator of The PDA Safe Circle™ LLC, which provides life-changing content and community for PDAers and our family members, and includes a small private coaching practice. Her in-depth and honest posts about Autism and PDA have gained 22K followers on Instagram.

Before diving into the neurodiversity movement, Rabbi Shoshana was a public speaker for Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action, and director of the The Artist Beit Midrash of Hebrew College & JArts, which ran from 2020-2024.

Rabbi Shoshana’s writing on parenting, the climate crisis, and Autistic identity has been published in many venues, including The New York Times, Tablet Magazine, YES! Magazine, WBUR’s Cognoscenti, and JewishBoston.com, as well as in the books Rooted & Rising: Voices of Courage in a Time of Climate Crisis (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019) and The Sacred Earth: Jewish Perspectives on Our Planet.

She has two picture book coming out in Spring 2025: The Tide Is Rising, So Are We!: A Climate Movement Anthem; and Playground Count-Along: For Young Children and Gestalt Language Processors, co-written by Brooke Ringler.

Learn more about her at rabbishoshana.com.

Rav Sarah Mulhern`17

Rabbi as…Teacher of Torah, Balabusta, Listening Ear, Shaliach Tzibur, Builder

Rabbi of Silverstein Base Lincoln Park, Chicago, IL

Rav Sarah Mulhern `17 is a Rabbi, educator, and community builder. She serves as the Rabbi of Silverstein Base Lincoln Park, opening her home and her heart to young adults and college students from across Chicago. She passionately believes that Torah matters and that Judaism can enrich human life and better society.

Rav Sarah is also a nationally-regarded Torah educator, frequently teaching in a wide variety of Jewish adult education settings, particularly on topics of ethics, gender, and Jewish practice. As a rabbi, some of her areas of focus include grief support, feminist niddah education, service-learning, and crafting joyful halachic egalitarian life cycle rituals.

She is at her most excited when she can share Judaism’s wisdom and beauty with someone who is discovering it. Rav Sarah is deeply committed to inspiring traditional prayer, and is a passionate shaliach tzibur (prayer leader). She can be reached at [email protected] or @Rav_Sarah.

Rabbi Max Edwards`21

Rabbi as…Teacher, Gentle listener, Contradiction lover, Whiteboard enthusiast, Connector.

Associate Rabbi, Temple B’nai Abraham, Livingston, NJ

Rabbi Max Edwards serves as Associate Rabbi at Temple B’nai Abraham in Livingston, NJ, where he brings a thoughtful presence to the roles of teacher, ritual leader, and pastoral caregiver. A graduate of Hebrew College Rabbinical School, Max also holds a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School, and loves to pair traditional Torah commentaries with academic scholarship.

He lives in South Orange, NJ, and is a proud 2021 alumnus of Hebrew College.

Rabbi Alison Adler `08

Rabbi as…seeker of hope and inspiration, outside the box thinker during world-wide crises, lifecycle weaver, healer of trauma and broken hearts, grant writer and fundraiser

Rabbi, Temple B’nai Abraham, Beverly, MA

In these challenging times strengthening our Jewish community is one of the most important things we can do. Since 2011, Rabbi Alison Adler has been striving to do just that with the hamish community of Temple B’nai Abraham in Beverly, MA. You might see her co-leading a musical Kabbalat Shabbat by the beach, speaking at local churches or community forums, welcoming babies or engaging elders in strengthening the community for all generations.

Rabbi Alison was part of the inaugural rabbinical school class at Hebrew College and received smicha in 2008. She seeks to help people of all ages find their own spiritual path while being part of a vibrant, caring community. She has participated in leadership programs with the Institute for Jewish Spirituality and loves to share the wisdom of texts and contemplative practice. She is on the Massachusetts Board of Rabbis Executive Committee and is a past-president of the North Shore Rabbis and Cantors Association. She served on the Beverly Human Rights Committee and is active in local interfaith groups.

Her greatest joys are her husband Chuck, son Leo and their two dogs Cypress and Zev. She enjoys hiking, yoga, gardening, and Chuck’s excellent mostly vegan cooking.

Rabbi Allison Lee Poirier`19

Rabbi as…Teacher, Connector, Spiritual Partner, Costume Coordinator, Pastoral Caregiver.

Rabbi, Temple Aliyah, Needham MA

Rabbi Allison Lee Poirier (she/her) is honored to be working in a congregation where she can share the joy and meaning of Judaism with congregants of all ages and backgrounds. Her rabbinic work is driven by the firmly held belief that we are all partners with HaShem in the ongoing stewardship of creation, and that each of us brings a unique gift to this divine task.

In her rabbinate, Rabbi Poirier finds deep fulfillment in learning with students of all ages, studying Torah in community, crafting meaningful ritual, and supporting congregants through all of life’s milestones.

Rabbi Poirier was ordained by Hebrew College in 2019, where she also earned a Masters in Jewish Education. She lives in Needham with her husband Matthew and their two inexplicably blonde children, Maya and Evan. She enjoys reading, gardening, and stand up comedy.

Rabbi Jenna Shaw `23

Rabbi as…Dreamer of new worlds, Narrative changer, Bridge between eco chambers, Accompanier, Protest davening leader.

Associate Rabbi, Sixth & I. Washington DC

Jenna (they/them) is a passionate connector, educator, and organizer. They were ordained in 2023 from the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College in Newton, MA.

Jenna grew up in Chicago and fell in love with political activism and how social justice interacts with their Jewish identity when they stumbled into a local mayoral campaign office. Their deep call to activism and Jewish learning pulled them to American University in Washington DC, where they discovered that Torah is one of the most powerful tools for working for justice. While in DC, they became involved in Jewish organizing and activism, particularly around Israel and The Occupied Palestinian Territories.

After college, Jenna moved to LA and taught teens and middle school students about the magical power of Judaism. In LA, Jenna’s genuine passion for organizing came to life during their year as a Jeremiah Fellow with Bend the Arc. Jenna has served as an educator and rabbi in a variety of Jewish educational settings across the country, including BBYO, Temple Israel of Boston, Hill Havurah in DC, Boston University Hillel, Temple Sinai of Brookline, and Prozdor at Hebrew College. Most recently, Jenna served as the Assistant Director of Schools K-12 at Adas Israel Congregation, where they oversaw curriculum and pedagogy for the synagogue’s religious school.

When they are not working, Jenna can be found biking around the streets of Washington, DC, trying new vegan recipes, and (most importantly) cheering on their beloved Chicago Cubs!

Rabbi Salem Pearce`18

Rabbi as…Circuit-Rider, southern Jewish life supporter, rabble rouser, justice seeker, torah (en)chanter, moment lightener

Director of Spirituality, Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life, Jackson, MS

Rabbi Salem Pearce (she/her) is Director of Spirituality at the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL). She was ordained by Hebrew College Rabbinical School in 2018 and previously served as Executive Director of Carolina Jews for Justice and Director of Organizing at T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights. She is a noted speaker and writer on immigration and the Jewish community, and her writing has appeared in JTA, Ha’aretz, Sojourners, and Sh’ma. While in school, she was a student fellow with Rabbis Without Borders, American Jewish World Service, and T’ruah. Rabbi Salem lives in Jackson, Miss., with her cats, Akiva and Tuvi.

Rabbi Josh Breindel`09

Rabbi as…Sci-Fi sage, Radio personality, Story-teller & crafter, Melody weaver, Nature-advocate & trail-guide

Rabbi, Congregation Beth El of the Sudbury River Valley, MA

Josh Breindel serves as the rabbi of Congregation Beth El of the Sudbury River Valley. He previously was the rabbi at Temple Anshe Amunim in the Berkshires, where he also guided the Pittsfield Area Council of Congregations.

Josh holds Masters degrees in Jewish Studies and Jewish Education from Hebrew College, where he was ordained in 2009. As “The Rabbi on the Radio”, he offers weekly reflections and music on Chagigah (WERS). As “The Sci-Fi Rabbi”, he blends ancient Jewish thought with modern speculative fiction in sermons, articles, an open Jewish F&SF book group at Beth El and seminars (most recently at Lehrhaus in Somerville, MA) . He can often be found singing Simon & Garfunkel as he hikes the cool, green hills of MetroWest with his wife and children.

Rabbi Rachel Tali Kaplan`21

Rabbi as….supporter of the brokenhearted, non-anxious presence, worthiness warrior, deep diver, permission granter.

Former Hospice Chaplain at Hebrew SeniorLife, Dedham, MA; Current Director of Student Life at Hebrew College

Rachel Tali Kaplan was ordained by Hebrew College in 2021 and completed her chaplaincy training at Hebrew SeniorLife in 2022. Rachel grew up in Maine, graduated with a BA in psychology from Grinnell College and spent a decade working on and managing organic vegetable farms in Connecticut, Georgia and Massachusetts.

When not working, Rachel loves exploring the outdoors, sharing time with loved ones, cooking, crafting, and running.

Rabbi Avi Killip`14

Rabbi as…national non-profit executive, podcast host, Torah writer, daf yomi learner, thought leader.

Executive Vice President at Hadar

A graduate of Hebrew College Rabbinical School, Avi also holds Bachelors and Masters from Brandeis University. She was a Wexner Graduate Fellow and a Schusterman Fellow. Avi teaches as part of Hadar’s faculty and is host of Hadar’s podcasts, Responsa Radio and Ta Shma. She lives in Riverdale, NY with her husband and three children. Avi is proud to have recently joined the Board of Trustees of Hebrew College.

Rabbi Yael Werber`22

Rabbi as pastoral caregiver, community builder, prayer leader, spiritual guide, cheerleader, ritual creator.

Rabbi, Congregation Beth Simchat Torah in New York City

Rabbi Yael Werber was ordained at Hebrew College Rabbinical School in May 2022. Rabbi Werber is deeply in love with Torah, and with finding new meaning in our ancient text. She is very grateful she gets to spend her days immersed in Torah study, prayer, and caring for the CBST community.

She also loves a good adventure and spent the past few summers living in an off-grid cabin. She’s hoping joining CBST as the assistant rabbi will be at least as good an adventure, if not better.

Rabbi Werber is an avid reader, swimmer, and walk in the woods-er (with her dog and best companion, Ebbie). Before Rabbinical school, she spent time doing many eclectic things, including farming (proud alumna of the Adamah program), and writing a children’s book (Spring For Sophie, published by Simon & Schuster).

Rabbi Sam Blumberg`20

Rabbi as…teacher for all ages and stages, holy witness, ancient wisdom translator, calm presence, community connector, listening ear, facilitator, motivator.

Rabbi, Temple Beth Am, Framingham, MA

Rabbi Sam Blumberg has served as the rabbi of Temple Beth Am in Framingham, Massachusetts since 2020 and was ordained from Hebrew College in 2021. A graduate of the Pardes Educators Program and former day school teacher, he is passionate about meaningful, accessible, and joyous Jewish living, and enjoys all aspects of synagogue life and the rhythms of the Jewish calendar.

Rabbi Laura Bellows`18

Rabbi as…movement builder, public ritual designer, Jewish climate content consultant, network weaver,  interfaith collaborator.

Director of Spiritual Activism and Education at Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action, Boston, MA

Laura Bellows works to build climate-resilient, justice-seeking, spiritually-rooted communities centered in Jewish wisdom. She serves as the Director of Spiritual Activism and Education at Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action, where she guides American Jews — from the climate-concerned to long-time activists — to anchor in joy, Torah, arts & music; metabolize climate grief and anxiety; and move to courageous action.

Before Dayenu, Laura served as an experiential educator, curriculum and ritual designer, and program manager in a variety of collaborative, pluralistic settings, including as Director of Teen Learning at Hebrew College, Director of Genesis and BIMA at Brandeis, Teva’s inaugural Director of Congregation and Community Programs, as a teaching fellow at BCI, and visiting artist or educator at campuses across the country.

Laura received her B.A. at Oberlin College and her M.A. and smicha at Hebrew College. A longtime climate activist and artist, Laura moonlights as a soferet (scribe) and freelance rabbi for congregations and couples in the Boston area.

(Photo: Bora Chung | Survival Media Project)

Rabbi Bryan Mann`18

Rabbi as…sukkah builder, queer activist, story gatherer, hevruta, counselor.

Rachlin Director for Jewish Student Life and Assistant Director of the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life and Contemplative Practices, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY

Rabbi Bryan Mann (he/him/his) joined Vassar in August 2020, coming from Tampa, FL, where he was serving as the senior rabbi of a small suburban synagogue. He is very excited to be back in the Northeast where he spent most of his life. He grew up in Penacook, NH. He received his BA in Jewish Studies from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. He received his Rabbinic Ordination, Masters in Jewish Studies, and a Certificate in Spirituality and Social Justice from the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College in Newton, MA.

As a queer rabbi, he is particularly interested in the ways spirituality informs queerness and queerness informs spirituality.

On-campus or off you will likely catch him hanging out with his dog Babka, enjoying something fantasy-related (book, movie, tv show, video game), and/or hiking somewhere in the Hudson Valley.

Rabbi Jessica Kate Meyer`14

Rabbi as…hope-cultivator, listener, sherpa, tuning fork, ensemble leader, complacency-resister.

Rosh Tefilla and Artist-in-Residence, Hebrew College

Jessica Kate Meyer is a prayer leader, storyteller, vocalist, and rabbi, who served as rabbi-hazzan at Romemu in NYC, and most recently, at The Kitchen in San Francisco. She has studied sacred Jewish music with masters from Ashkenazi and Mizrahi traditions and has performed as a vocalist with ensembles in the United States and Israel. In a previous life, Jessica appeared in film, theater, and television projects in Europe and the United States: most notably, as a principal role in the Oscar-winning film, The Pianist.

Rabbi Ben Barer`18

Rabbi as…Torah enthusiast, guide, listening ear, teacher, text person (a la Heschel,) mentor, role model, scholar, father, cheerleader.

High School Jewish Text Teacher, Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville, MD.

Raised in Vancouver, BC (go Canucks!), Ben’s Jewish journey has included Conservative and Orthodox day schools, being bar-mitzvah’ed at the largest Renewal congregation in Canada, a year spent in the south of Israel, and an all-boys ultra-Orthodox yeshiva high school. Pluralism has been Ben’s lived experience of Judaism, and he is passionate about making Jewish texts and traditions relevant, and accessible to all who seek them.

He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife Deborah and two kids.

Rabbi Ilana Zeitman`19

Rabbi as…tradition translator and transmitter, curriculum developer, sounding board, design thinker, ritualist, status quo pusher.

Director of Jewish life, Georgetown University

Rabbi Ilana Zietman (she/her) loves to create Jewish experiences and foster communities that are relevant, thought-provoking, and — most importantly — welcoming. As the Director of Jewish Life and Jewish Chaplain at Georgetown, Rabbi Ilana spends most of her time getting to know students, teaching Torah across campus, creating a center for vibrant Jewish life and community, crafting holiday experiences and engaging in interfaith dialogue with students and colleagues across faith.

Rabbi Ilana received her rabbinic ordination and a master’s degree in Jewish Education from Hebrew College in 2019. She currently lives in Washington, DC with her husband, Jack, their sons, Jesse and Gabe, and their furbaby, Ella.

Rav-Hazzan Ken Richmond`21

Rabbi as…Preserver and adapter of Jewish traditions, Songleader, Pastoral caregiver, Community builder, Klezmer fiddler.

Co-Senior Rabbi of Temple Israel of Natick

Rav Hazzan Ken Richmond (Rabbi Cantor Ken Richmond) is the co-senior rabbi of Temple Israel of Natick and has served as Hazzan there since 2006. He graduated from the Jewish Theological Seminary’s H.L. Miller Cantorial School in 2004 and received Rabbinical Ordination from Hebrew College in 2021. During his years at Temple Israel, he has enjoyed collaborating with clergy, staff, and lay leaders to shape the congregation and its culture of lifelong learning, participatory prayer, hospitality, and creativity.

Rav Hazzan Richmond was a member of the Rabbinical Assembly Mahzor Committee which worked on the Lev Shalem Mazhor. He has founded several klezmer bands, including the Klezmaniacs, Fish Street Klezmer, and the Richmond-Shazeer Family Band. You can find his original melodies for shabbat and holidays sprinkled through the music section of Temple Israel’s website. He and his wife Rabbi Shira Shazeer`10 are raising their children in a Yiddish-speaking household and attend Yiddish Week annually. Ken enjoys hiking, kayaking, and puzzle solving.