About Us
It all started in a small town.
Growing up, the ethos of small town Jewish community was instilled in me. As a 7th generation son of Albany, NY, I grew up on the shoulders of giants, individuals who came to this small town on the Hudson river, believed in the power of individual responsibility as a means of community building. In time, they gave way to generations of community leaders, down to my father- himself a community leader and educator- and now to me. What drove them, and drives me, is the responsibility to make for ourselves a community which reflects our values, and is sustainable for generations to come.
My journey of community service brought me to the University at Albany, where I studied Anthropology and Judaic Studies. My Honors thesis, entitled "The Intersection of Judaism and Secular Culture," explored the many ways in which young adults balance the interplay between their many identities, Judaism being one of them. After graduating Magna Cum Laude, I accepted a graduate fellowship at New York University, where I received an MPA in Nonprofit Management, as well as an MA in Hebrew and Judaic Studies. Currently, I am a Rabbinical Student at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. These educational experiences have grounded me in both the rich and nuanced field of Jewish Studies, as well as given me the practical tools needed for nonprofit management and community organizing.
It is my belief that Judaism and Jewish experiences are meant to be tangible and self-realized. For over a decade between college campuses, summer camps, schools, synagogues, and youth organizations, I’ve made it my mission to grow this vision outward and inspire those I meet to internalize it and spread it the same. I’ve been blessed with a passion for educational creativity; I don’t find myself confined by the educational models through which I was introduced to Jewish experience. With an eye ever towards pluralism, inclusion, and diversity, I’m proud to have shared my programming and curriculum with thousands of college students, campers, classroom students, and youth group participants. I am equally as proud to have cultivated mentoring relationships with those looking to dive into Jewish experience, serving as an honest and approachable resource on their journey. I’m eager to continue building meaningful relationships, pursuing educational creativity, and reshaping models of Jewish communal engagement.
