"I believe we need to make Judaism more accessible and understandable for millennials and the upcoming generations. I think this is important for young Jewish people as well as non-Jews so we can better understand each other". Having already started a series of online videos interpreting torah for this generation and answering questions about Jewish life and holidays, Eliana plans on continuing that and also working to put out hard copies of their interpretations as a more modern resource to learn from and gain new perspectives. Additionally, they are also one of the directors for Camp Ga’avah, an LGBTQ program for young people on Long Island. Eliana is an advocate for the justice and liberation of all marginalized people.
As Cantor Marx puts it, she "glories in God-geekery" and would like to continue learning throughout the rest of her life. Many folks have consulted her in a rabbinic capacity on life questions; tough situations, and as life cycle officiant. As a cantor, she appreciates the trust they place in her. As a rabbinical student and rabbi, she is able to deepen her efficacy as "kley kodesh" and her commitment to lifelong Jewish learning. For her work at PRS, Jacquie wants to "evolutionize" Tisha B'Av as more accessible to Jews in modernity. She wants 9 Av to be less punitive, more reflective, and the beginning of a sacred set of stepping stones to the Days of Awe. She also wants to de-mystify the cantillations of the Book of Psalms. Another goal of Jacquie's is to to write a memoir on raising the children of clergy: "We Have Seen God in Her Underwear, and We are Not Impressed" as well as writing an updated resource book / memoir on infertility and adoption in the 21st century Jewish community.
I am a doer, a builder, and a learner. After a career as an investor, business strategist, and wealth advisor, I’m currently helping to overhaul a large Jewish community foundation. And I passionately study Torah and Talmud and bring it to all I do. Currently described by colleagues and friends as 'half a rabbi,' 'I want you to be my rabbi,' and 'why aren't you yet a rabbi,' it is the right time to take this step. This is a far cry from my Catholic upbringing, but not so much so that I don't understand that studying for conversion, which for me was a very serious endeavor, was just the beginning in terms of my Jewish journey. It has already led to helping to start up an innovative religious community, The Kitchen SF, where I was the founding Board Treasurer, and building with my wife Deborah Newbrun, a high holidays pop-up community that started with 12 people and has grown to 1,400. I’m also the national Board Treasurer of Bend the Arc: A Jewish Partnership for Justice, and helping to manage its rapid growth in this current political moment. I want my rabbinate to continue to make inroads to folks who are not currently attached to Jewish practice with an emphasis on experimental, disruptive, yet delightful and meaningful applications of our tradition.
Dr. Adam Fogel is a clinical psychologist in a correctional setting. He was born and raised in Los Angeles and resides in Central California. Living an authentic, meaningful life in relationship with the sacred is very important to Adam, and he has maintained a Zen meditation practice since 1996 and a blog called MindfulJudaism.com. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with friends and family, going on weekend trips, playing the drums, being outdoors and going on hikes, watching movies, and riding one of his motorcycles. A great respecter of the unique path that each person must take to nurture their spiritual life and connection with something meaningful and profound, Adam hopes his time at PRS will clarify his great ideas and realize his deepest personal vow to help others explore and discover an authentic, meaningful relationship with the Divine through engaging and cultivating a contemplative, experiential Judaism and enhancing their love and compassion for themselves and others. Adam is particularly interested in retreat based learning for children, adolescents, and adults; tailoring educational curriculum for children and adolescents using traditional and online media; and experimenting with online synagogue models.
Russell was born and raised in Boonton, New Jersey, a small town of under 7,000 residents. The great passions of his life are music, ritual, and an intense love of the Fantasy genre in both literature and games. He considers himself a reserved, introverted man, who takes a while to get to know others, but who forms very deep and lasting friendships as a result. Despite this, he gets a lot out of his relationships and is always looking for ways to elevate those people who are in his life. A project he is considering at PRS focuses on working together and using Calgary's Jewish communal "combined strength to best serve those members of the larger Jewish community who are in need, especially if they are unaffiliated". Using his own synagogue as the hub, he would like to develop a system for identifying those who are in need, identifying exactly what each need is, and then connecting them with the best Jewish organisation or synagogue to help them.
Sam works as one of the clergy at Emanuel Synagogue in Sydney, Australia, a pluralist egalitarian community, offering various minyanim, services and programs on our campus and in the community. He firmly believes that a pluralist ideology and a multi-faceted approach within Judaism will be a key driver in determining the success or failure of Jewish communities, for some that will be as soon as the next 10-15 years.
Sam has a keen and engaging interest in technology and new innovations, especially in terms of all the benefits they bring. His idea is to encourage and enable others to work with, not against what has been termed the next revolution in Judaism, so that we facilitate and empower the needs of communities through technology. He loves connecting with people and learning about their stories. Jewish geography is one of his favorite games when he meets someone!
Sam is married to Michelle and they have two children, Rachel and Ben. They have lived in the Harbour City - Sydney, Australia since 2006.