Driven by Jewish values, Rafi Glazer lends a helping hand as a social justice advocate, foster parent and nonprofit employee.
Glazer has volunteered with Jews United for Justice since 2016, joining the leadership council for Montgomery County in 2022. In 2023, he gave testimony in favor of rent stabilization in Montgomery County and The HOME Act, Bill 16-23, drawing on his experience as a foster parent.
“I have opened my home to many of those most vulnerable, and it breaks my heart that some children would be with their biological families if unsustainably high annual rent increases had not placed their families into unstable housing,” Glazer wrote in his testimony.
He is the director of operations for ShalomLearning, an organization that provides Hebrew school materials and training to synagogues around the world, a role he’s been in for three years. Before that, he held positions with Jewish National Fund and American Jewish Society for Service.
He lives in Rockville with his wife, Lauren, and their recently adopted 18-year-old son. The family belongs to Kehilat Pardes – The Rock Creek Synagogue, a Modern Orthodox community.
Tell me about your Jewish upbringing and background.
My family grew up in the Conservative [Jewish] movement in New Jersey; we were very involved in our synagogue, where my father was the rabbi. My mother was the principal of a [Solomon] Schechter [Day] School. We lived for a short time in Fairfax and I attended Jewish day schools, including Gesher Jewish Day School for a while. I was involved with the Jewish community when I went to University of Rochester. After that, I began working for Jewish organizations, where my value[s] and my identity led me to work.
Have you always known that you wanted to work in the Jewish community?
It’s not that I’ve always known that I wanted to work there; it’s one of the things that has called to me and the language that I speak, especially with Jewish education and Jewish identity. It is what has been important to me growing up. I want to make sure that I have the ability to help others with that same kind of journey.
How did you get started with ShalomLearning?
I found [ShalomLearning] through a job posting for a different organization. I reached out and spoke with Devin Schain, who said, ‘You might not be right for this position, but let me tell you about this organization I’m the board chair of’ for the [role of] director of operations. [It was] a bit of a happenstance.
What do you enjoy about your job?
I would say that working with all the different synagogues that we work with across the country, across the world, getting to know them and their needs and trying to figure out what works best, what materials and programs we can provide for the organization. It’s taking the same material and using it to fit the needs of their own.
I’m also a [United Synagogue Youth] advisor at [Congregation Olam Tikvah] in Fairfax, where my dad used to be the rabbi. That synagogue uses ShalomLearning, so I’m working with the director to implement ShalomLearning in their school. Also, she’s my supervisor for USY, so it’s a fun dynamic.
Tell me about your volunteer work with JUFJ.
I’ve been involved with [JUFJ] for about a decade now and it’s just a great way to be able to involve myself in working for a lot of progressive issues. I’m on the leadership council for Montgomery County, those who are helping to direct the bills and additional content that JUFJ is working on. I’m the co-chair of the [Montgomery County team for the] JUFJ [Campaign Fund, JUFJ’s 501c4 sister organization]; we do a lot of work endorsing Board of Education candidates for the past election candidates, talking about their values and [the] JUFJ [Campaign Fund]’s values and how those mix. It was really a great experience.
Why did you testify in favor of meaningful rent stabilization in Montgomery County?
I think that we live in a great county, and I think that there are a lot of people who would love to live in the county but cannot do so because of the rent prices. Having the rent prices go up a reasonable amount and not an unstable amount makes it more likely that more great, diverse families and individuals are able to live in this county and engage in the great things this county has.
Why is it important to fight for justice in your community?
It’s important to me because I am someone who grew up in a Jewish environment that focused on supporting those who aren’t able to support themselves. It’s really important to use those skills to support those who are less able to hold themselves up and support themselves.
I’m also a foster parent. Being able to support kids who don’t have the opportunity to support themselves because of their family situation is really important. Part of it comes from that Jewish value of being able to help others in need.
What are your upcoming goals?
Across the realms of things that I’m interested in, helping encourage other Jews to become foster parents really engages me. I’ve spoken with a few people; [my wife and I] were at an event at our synagogue, and we talked about the process and shared why [being foster parents is] important to us and why we chose to get involved. Being able to further that is one of my goals.
