Zan Alhadeff
Zan Alhadeff is a second year rabbinical student at Yeshivat Maharat. She grew up in Portland, Oregon, and had a career as a transportation planning consultant. She has learned Torah at Hadar and Drisha and is a graduate of Maharat’s Beit Midrash Program (2023). Zan has taught Hebrew school and is currently a teaching intern at a local Jewish day school. Zan was also the Assistant Director of Drisha’s Dr Beth Samuels High School Summer Program, an intensive Torah learning program for girls. Zan lives in Riverdale, NYC with her family.
Eliran Sobel
Eliran Sobel is a second-year rabbinical student at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah. He is originally from Teaneck, New Jersey, and now lives in Washington Heights in New York with his wife Hannah. He has spent time learning at the Hadar Institute and the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. Previously, Eliran has worked as a Beit Midrash Fellow at SAR High School and had internships with institutions such as Queens Hillel, the Jewish English Lexicon, and Shamayim: Jewish Animal Advocacy. He is passionate about veganism, Yiddish, and has a casual interest in food science for the home kitchen.
Addison Nix
Addison (Addie) Nix (she/her) is currently a third-year rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. She currently serves as a Rabbinic Intern for Honeymoon Israel, a nonprofit organization aimed at connecting young couples with at least one Jewish partner to the wider Jewish community in locally-based cohorts. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in International Politics as well as a certificate in Jewish Civilization from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. After receiving her undergraduate degree and before matriculating at HUC-JIR, Addie worked in defense contracting in Tucson, AZ and Atlanta, GA. She has recently completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at The New Jewish Home in New York, and is trained as a Mikvah Guide through Rising Tide, the national network of community mikvaot. In her free time, she enjoys cuddling with her dog, Yenta, and seeing as many Broadway shows as she can.
Léah Miller
Léah Miller [they/them] lives in Philadelphia and is in their fourth year at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. They’re the Rabbinic Intern with the PA Poor People’s Campaign, after serving two years as the rabbinic intern at SAJ Judaism that Stands for All in New York. Léah is a crafter—of mended denim, knit creatures, Judaica and jewelry, blessings, and theatrical lighting. When Léah’s not learning Torah or tying tzitzit, they’re stringing up fairy lights, piecing together a jigsaw puzzle, or getting covered in paint.
Raffi Levi
Raffi Levi (he/him) is a chazzan, activist, nature enthusiast, and incoming rabbi studying at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah (class of ‘25). Throughout rabbinical school, Raffi has interned with synagogues and campus Hillels, participated in innovation fellowships and social justice fellowships, led backpacking trips for Jewish teens and adults, and worked as a chaplain, mashgiach, and culinary arts educator. Raffi currently lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with his wife, Daphne.
Balbino Cotarelo Núñez
Balbino Cotarelo Núñez is a fourth-year student at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School from Asturias in Spain. He has a MSc in Molecular Biology & Biotechnology and a PGCE from the University of Oviedo. He also has a Bilingual/ESL (Spanish) Education Endorsement from National Louis University (Chicago). He is also enrolled at the Halacha Mastery Program at Rabbi Chaim Brovender’s WEBYeshiva. He has taught Science in secondary education schools and has lived and worked in Spain, Scotland, England, Israel, Chicago and New York. Balbino’s interests include fitness, running, trailing, nature, reading books about history, and political thought and philosophy. He is in love with the Sephardic outlook of Judaism and also very inspired by the rational approach of the Western Sephardic Tradition and the intellectual rigor and integrity of Old Sepharad. He wants to revitalize Jewish life in the North West of Spain and help create the community structures needed.
Michael Mitgang
Michael Mitgang (He/Him) is a fourth-year rabbinical student at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and currently serves as the Rabbinic Intern at Congregation Rodeph Sholom in New York City. Michael grew up in West Windsor, NJ, and later Newtown, PA , and spent many years at URJ Camp Harlam as a camper and staff member. Michael attended Indiana University where he received his BA in Jewish Studies and a Certificate in Liberal Arts & Management. He studied abroad in Israel during his junior year of undergrad and also during his first year of rabbinical school. He is a MAJOR Swiftie and can be found belting out Taylor’s songs in his free time. Michael also enjoys spending time with his camp friends and seeing Broadway shows! He is excited to grow and learn with JOIN!
Leah Sherin
Leah Sherin (She/Her) is a fourth year Rabbinical Student at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion and serves as the Rabbinic Intern at Congregation Kol Ami in White Plains, NY. Leah grew up in Wilmette, IL and graduated from Brandeis University in 2019. Leah spent many summers at URJ Camp OSRUI as a camper, songleader, and most recently as Director of Staff Learning. When not at school or synagogue, you can find Leah knitting, crocheting, and sewing! Leah is excited to learn with JOIN for Justice this semester!
Jamie Gottlieb
Jamie is a third-year rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion. She is a Youth and Family Engagement Rabbinic Intern at Central Synagogue. Jamie is originally from Cherry Hill, NJ, where growing up, she was actively engaged with her home congregation – Temple Emanuel in Cherry Hill, South Jersey BBYO, and NFTY-PAR. Jamie earned her Bachelor of Arts in Jewish Studies from the American University in Washington, DC, with a minor in Leadership and Management. Jamie has worked with a variety of Jewish communities and organizations, including Hillel International, URJ Camp Harlam, the Religious Action Center, and the Ethiopian National Project. Most recently, she served as the Assistant Director at College of Charleston Hillel in South Carolina. Jamie is also a Nachshon Project Graduate Fellow. In her free time, she enjoys taking walks around New York City, searching for the perfect iced vanilla latte, and spending time with her pet rabbit, Zev. She looks forward to meeting everyone and working together this year!
Leo Levine
Leo Levine (he/him) is in his third year of rabbinical school at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. Leo came to rabbinical school with a background in theatre, a love of the outdoors, and the desire to help facilitate Jewish communities where people can find their own authentic connection to Jewish spirituality and tradition. As a trans person in an interfaith marriage, Leo hopes to be the kind of Jewish role model that he wishes he had when he was a young person. In his free time, Leo loves to read, spend time with his wife Hannah and their dog Herschel, and cook. He considers himself a (very) amateur birder.
Sofia Freudenstein
Sofia Freudenstein graduated with an Honours Bachelor degree from the University of Toronto in May 2021, double-majoring in Jewish Studies and Philosophy. Her undergraduate thesis was on assessing Revelation in Modern Jewish Thought, and she also completed her first basic unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at Baycrest Geriatric Hospital at that time. While in the Core Semikha program, Sofia is also pursuing a masters degree in Jewish Philosophy at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Yeshiva University, and is the Maharat Intern for the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale for the 5785 year. In her spare time, Sofia loves talking and texting with friends and family, birdwatching, and listening (and seeing! as a synesthete) to music.
Chana Borow
Chana Borow, an experienced educator and community leader, is currently completing her third year at Yeshivat Maharat. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, she has spent the last five years in Jerusalem and New York City. She holds an M.A. in Jewish Education from Hebrew College and The Pardes Institute, and a B.A. in History from Ohio State University. Her roles include madricha at the Drisha High School Summer Program and JLIC Summer Programs, teaching at Genesis, interning at Heschel High School, and serving as Assistant Director for Genesis at Brandeis. This year, she will be the Rabbinic Intern at Anshe Sholom Bnei Israel in Chicago.
Eden Anolick
Eden Anolick (they/them) is a 4th year rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion. Born and raised in Morristown, New Jersey, they earned their B.A. in Jewish Studies at Muhlenberg College, with minors in Women’s and Gender Studies and Creative Writing. They’re serving as the rabbinic intern at Temple Israel of New Rochelle this year! They previously worked as rabbinical intern at Brooklyn Heights Synagogue in Brooklyn, and as a full-time Jewish educator at Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale. Eden has acted as the Program Director at Sprout Brooklyn Day Camp and as the Jewish Life Director at URJ 6Points Creative Arts Academy. They participated in the URJ JewV’Nation Fellowship and the New Israel Fund Elissa Froman Social Change Fellowship. They are passionate about creative arts, nature, social justice, and Jewish learning. In their spare time, Eden can be found bullet journaling, visiting Broadway shows, or participating in live-action role-play (LARP) events.
Emily Bell
Emily Bell is a second-year rabbinical student at Yeshivat Maharat in the Bronx. Prior to studying for ordination, Emily spent several years in public relations, working with clients across a range of industries including nonprofits, higher education, legal services, and tech. Originally from South Jersey, Emily earned a BA in Comparative Literature and Jewish Studies from Smith College, where she focused on modern Yiddish literature.
