Silver Spring’s Gila Efrati Connects Jews to Hebrew and Each Other
Throughout her life, people always asked Gila Efrati, “Are you a teacher?”
She attributes that question to the way she speaks and explains things. The...
Arlington’s Kate Hartman Guides Jewish Students Through College
Growing up in Orlando, Florida, Kate Hartman didn’t realize that there were Jewish professional jobs outside of synagogue life.
“I knew that people were rabbis...
DC’s Rabbi Jake Singer-Beilin Fosters Sense of Belonging at Bet Mishpachah
Through youth groups and Jewish camps, Rabbi Jake Singer-Beilin discovered a type of worship that spoke to him. It was participatory, open, experimental, supportive...
DC’s Izzy Arbetter Helps Jews in Their 20s, 30s Find Home
When Izzy Arbetter first moved to the nation’s capital, knowing no one, she was drawn to Jewish communal events to make friends.
“Being part of...
Silver Spring’s Rabbi Josh Gischner Fosters Belonging, Jewish Learning
By the age of 16, Rabbi Josh Gischner knew he wanted to become a rabbi.
“It was right around when my grandma passed away, and...
Fairfax’s Sharon Sherry Broadens Gesher Jewish Day School Community
Sharon Sherry has dedicated her entire career to Jewish education, from New Orleans to Arizona — and now northern Virginia, which she calls home.
The...
Arlington’s Yael Klucznik Brings Diverse Flavors of Judaism to GW
Yael Klucznik knows that the way to a college student’s heart is through their stomach. That’s why she launched A Taste of Judaism at...
Arlington’s Rabbi Esther Lederman Works Toward a More Just World
When someone first told Rabbi Esther Lederman that she should pursue the rabbinate, she laughed. There weren’t any rabbis that she liked.
“My childhood rabbis...
Rockville’s Robin London Works to Empower Women
Though she is retired, Robin London stays busy between her lay leadership with Jewish Women International and her work educating local students about teen...
DC’s Ben Goodman Builds Bridges Between Latin American Jews
Ben Goodman, who’s visited 41 out of 50 U.S. states and 19 countries, had what he calls a “worldly upbringing.” At Georgetown University, he...