Shira Berkowitz is an artist and social impact designer, policy strategist, and entrepreneur with an MFA from Washington University in St. Louis. They have over a decade of experience leading civic and political strategy, from working within arts institutions, issues-based campaigns, and advocacy organizations. Currently, Shira is the Sr. Director of Policy and Advocacy for PROMO, Missouri’s statewide LGBTQ+ policy and advocacy organization. They are a co-founder of MaTovu, a Jewish cooperative neighborhood center in the City of St. Louis, serves on the Board of Directors for the Jewish Federation of St. Louis and the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis, and founded Camp Indigo Point – a residential summer camp for LGBTQ+ youth rooted in the Midwest.

Joseph Black has served as Senior Rabbi of Temple Emanuel in Denver, CO since July, 2010 – previously serving as Rabbi of Congregation Albert in Albuquerque, New Mexico from 1996-2010. He served as Assistant and then Associate Rabbi at Temple Israel in Minneapolis, Minnesota from 1987-1996. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Education from Northwestern University in 1982 and his Master’s degree and Rabbinic Ordination from the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1987. In 2012 he received an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from HUC-JIR. Rabbi Black serves as a Chaplain in the Colorado House of Representatives and is Past President of the Rocky Mountain Rabbinical Council. A Nationally recognized musician, he has recorded 5 albums of original Jewish music and published two songbooks. He also is an accomplished writer and poet. Rabbi Black has published several poems and articles in leading national literary and academic journals. He is a frequent contributor to anthologies and collections of Jewish writing. He has recorded five critically-acclaimed albums of Jewish music, a songbook and two videos. Two of his songs, Boker Tov and The Afikoman Mambo have been made into Children’s books and distributed by the PJ Library. His most recent book, There Once Was A Man From Canaan: The Five Books of Limerick, is a collection of Limericks based on each torah portion. He has performed his original music in many communities in the United States and Canada and has received numerous honors for his performance and composition. Rabbi Black is a pioneer of Jewish Contemporary music. He has performed for congregations and communities around the world. His recordings and books have received accolades from sources as diverse as The New York Times, Haddasah Magazine, Parent’s Choice, The American Library Journal and Kids First: The Coalition for Quality Children’s Video. As a musician, Rabbi Black is known for his guitar virtuosity, soaring voice and lyrics that are at the same time, funny, inspirational and thought provoking. His music is an extension of his Rabbinate.

Rabbi Sharon Brous, spiritual leader of IKAR in Los Angeles, was recognized in 2013 as the most influential Rabbi in the United States by Newsweek and the Daily Beast, and as one of the Forward’s 50 most influential American Jews. Rabbi Brous has been on the list of America’s 50 Top Rabbis every year since 2008. In 2012, she became the first female rabbi to break into the top 10. In 2013, she blessed the President and Vice President at the Inaugural National Prayer Service. Rabbi Brous is co-founder of IKAR in Los Angeles – one of the fastest growing Jewish communities in the country.

Texas-born and southern raised, Joe Buchanan makes country music that is steeped in Torah and the trials of the human spirit. He grew up struggling with religion and his place in the world until one day outside of the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C., and 13 years into their marriage, his wife revealed that she was Jewish. An exploration of faith led the way home for the whole family and ultimately led to Joe’s debut album, Unbroken. Since his conversion, he’s toured the country leading prayer, concerts, and workshops. Joe’s goal is to help drive connection to what connects us all and to hold the door for other seekers. A blend of Southern soul and country charm, his music is grounded in the belief that there is always more room at the table. His latest release is Back From Babylon and his website is www.joebuchananmusic.com.

Rabbi Noah Diamondstein joined the Temple Sinai, Washington D.C. clergy team in the summer of 2020. He has had wide ranging experiences as a scholar of Judaism — from handling primary source documents from early 20th Century rabbis who wrote about the Mourners’ Kaddish, to teaching the leadership of Jerusalem’s Women of the Wall movement to blow shofar, to serving as a rabbinic intern at a Jewish Social Justice non-profit organization. His rabbinic thesis is entitled “A Tale of Two Liturgies: Placing Liturgical Development in the Reform and Conservative Movements in Conversation,” and focused on the differences and similarities between the ways these two Liberal Jewish movements approach the work of creating new prayer books. This project was meaningful for him, given that he was raised simultaneously in both the Conservative and Reform Movements.

Noah is also a published Jewish musician. His first album, entitled “Ashira L’Adonai,” was released in January 2019 and produced by none other than Dan Nichols. His second album, “My Whole Heart,” was released in four “chambers” in 2022, again with engineering by Mark Niemec. He is a Featured Artist on Jewish Rock Radio, and spent much of his final year before coming to Temple Sinai as a guest service leader or artist-in-residence in Jewish communities across the country. His musical work has helped him to fine-tune his skills as a service leader, and has taught him the power of leaving your ego at the door for the sake of holding space for the group.

Noah is a multi-instrumentalist who plays almost every instrument on his records, from guitar, to bass, to drums, to mandolin, to trumpet to vocals and more! His music crosses genres from folk to pop to hard rock, and his textual influences span liturgy, TaNaKh, and rabbinic texts. He works to create intentional prayer practice with communities he gets to serve and with whom he gets to sing, and is constantly searching for new ways to inspire people to think and feel deeply about life and how Jewish tradition, stories and thought can imbue it with meaning.

Hazzan Joanna Dulkin is committed to innovative musical and spiritual leadership that inspires joy, connection and meaning at all ages and stages. She has taught and performed internationally as a Cantor-, Musician- and Scholar-in residence, and her music is sung in congregations and kehilot all over the world. Her background as a Jewish camp songleader, musician and educator led her to the Cantorate. She currently serves Adath Jeshurun Congregation in Minnetonka, MN and is a proud mentor and teacher both within the walls of the congregation and beyond. She is a Vice President of the Cantors Assembly, was on the editorial committee for the Conservative movement’s Siddur Lev Shalem,

Joanna grew up in the Reform movement in Northern California, and was the first Head Songleader in the history of URJ Camp Newman. While studying at JTS’s H.L. Miller Cantorial School, Joanna spent four summers as the Rosh Shira of Ramah Darom. She has worked with Institute for Jewish Spirituality as a student and faculty member, and recently completed her Yoga teacher training.

Zoey Fleisher (they/them) engages in work that spans across disciplines emphasizing education, non-profit development, and social justice facilitation. In addition to directing the Day School Chavurah at SLBC since 2018, they are a program designer and strategist with Tiny Windows Consulting where they are able to work with clients such as JGirls+, NCJW, USCJ, & JFNA . Other notable professional roles include assistant director of Camp Indigo Point, hebrew tutor for local congregation Temple Emmanuel, songleader/relgious school teacher at Temple Beth Shalom in COMO, facilitator and middle school camp director at Cultural Leadership, board member of CHARIS, and youth specialist at Flourish. Zoey is a recent graduate of Webster University where they completed a bachelor’s degree in Choral/General Music Education with a minor in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies.

Carla Friend is the Founder & Executive Director of Tkiya, an organization with the mission of creating joyful Jewish connection through participatory music experiences. Her team of 16 help thousands of families across the country find their unique connection with Jewish culture and community through Carla’s methodology. This year, Carla and Tkiya are opening up a training program which will allow educators everywhere to be trained in this unique approach. Carla is a 2018 recipient of the Young Pioneers Award from the Jewish Education Project, a 2019 recipient of 36 Under 36 from the Jewish Week, is on the board of JPro, and hosts a JKids Radio show called “Tkiya Town”. Check out her album of family-friendly Jewish music called “Challalalah”.

Director of Jewish Engagement & Adult Programs at the Ruth & Harold Sher Center of Jewish Life

Rabbi Brad Horwitz began his current position at the St. Louis Jewish Community Center in 2005 where he directs the JCC Ruth & Harold Sher Center of Jewish Life and supervises all JCC Jewish adult, cultural, senior services, community and family education programming. He graduated from the Jewish Theological Seminary (New York) in 2000 but is originally from Los Angeles, CA. In addition to his rabbinic ordination, he earned a Master’s in Jewish Education (MJE) and has leadership experience at many Jewish camps and day schools. As a graduate of the Day School Leadership Training Institute, Rabbi Brad is well versed in Jewish educational leadership both in formal and informal settings. He has particular expertise in prayer education and is the author of With All Your Heart: A Weekday Siddur that is currently in use at over fifty Jewish schools and religious institutions worldwide. Brad is a loving husband and proud father of three boys who has a penchant for cycling.

Founder/Spiritual Leader, Romenu

Rabbi Ingber was named by Newsweek as one of 2013’s top 50 most influential rabbis in the United States as well as by The Forward as one of the 50 most newsworthy and notable Jews in America, Rabbi David promotes a renewed Jewish mysticism that integrates meditative mindfulness and physical awareness into mainstream, post-modern Judaism. A major 21st Century Jewish thinker and educator, his rich perspective, open heart and mind, and full-bodied approach to Jewish learning has brought him to speak throughout the United States and worldwide throughout Canada, Europe and Israel.

Rabbi David’s distinct approach to Torah, rabbinical teaching, and ritualistic practice is informed by his own personal seeking and learning from a wide cross-section of sacred traditions and faiths. He is enlightened by Jewish mysticism and Chassidut, fusing these beliefs with those of other ancient philosophies and world views. Particular influences include 18th Century Kabbalist and Founder of Chassidut, Rabbi Yisrael Ba’al Shem Tov; the great 19th Century Ishbitzer Rebbe, R. Mordechai Leiner; and leading 20th Century thinkers from Kabbalist, Rav Abraham Isaac Kook to psychologist, Carl Jung and integral philosopher, Ken Wilber.

Rabbi David has taught at such eminent institutions as the Academy for Jewish Religion, Columbia University, CUNY, Jewish Theological Seminary, Limmud LA, New York University, the 92nd Street Y, Pardes, The Skirball Center at Temple Emmanuel, and Yeshivat HADAR. He sits on the Board of Directors of Aleph and Synagogue 3000 Next Dor’s Working Group of Sacred Emergent Communities where he continues to teach.

Raised Modern Orthodox in New York, Rabbi David studied at several distinguished yeshivot in Jerusalem and New York including Yeshiva University, Beit Midrash L’Torah, Yeshivat Chaim Berlin, and Yeshivat Chovovei Torah Rabbinical School. He also studied philosophy, psychology and religion at New York University. Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, founder of Renewal Judaism, ordained Rabbi David in 2004. Prior to founding Romemu, Rabbi David was Rabbi-in-Residence at Elat Chayyim Retreat Center.

Touring Artist/Educator, Asheville, NC

Billy Jonas is “Bridging Divides,” through rhythm and song, to heal divisions within ourselves, families, communities, and the world. Ask him about “Songs for Bridging Divides 2020 and Beyond!” Billy has captivated audiences worldwide since 1987, using voice, guitar and “industrial re-percussion” (instruments made from found objects). He currently tours with “The Billy Jonas Band,” and with the Muslim/Christian/Jewish super-trio, “Abraham Jam.” When home, Billy is a cantorial soloist at Congregation Beth HaTephila in Asheville NC. From the White House to the Middle East and beyond, each concert is a soul-spelunking, heart healing, joy-filled journey.

Shira Kline (she, her) is a queer performance and ritual artist, recognized as a revolutionary educator and named one of the new re-engineers of Jewish life today. Co-founder and Spiritual Leader of Lab/Shul, Shira works in the field of sacred play. She is known in the sanctuary as a spiritual adventurist and to the under-five set as colorful kiddie-rocker ShirLaLa. In a synagogue or international conference near you, Shira tours extensively locally and globally with a vibrant invitation to connect, for a new and realized conscious world. At home in Brooklyn, unceded Lenape lands, she lives to dance, cook, and play with her beloved and their daughter.

Rabbi Sandra Lawson is a native of St. Louis and serves as the campus rabbi for Elon University, She is an opinion writer for the Jewish publication The Forward and a public speaker on diversity in the Jewish community. Rabbi Sandra’s vision as a Rabbi is to help build a more inclusive Jewish community where all who want to come are welcomed, diversity is embraced and we can come together to learn and to pray. She also holds a Master of Arts degree in Sociology from Clark Atlanta University and is an Army Veteran In her free time you can either find her at the gym, biking or hiking.

Eliana is working towards a world of One-ness, guided and inspired by Jewish heritage. She is the founder and head T’fillahsopher at the Light Lab and the co-host of the Light Lab podcast. She is also a sought-after songwriter and performer of catchy, content-rich tunes for all ages and has put out three albums of original music, with two new ones on the way. Eliana offers artist-in-residence weekends, learning, and professional development centered on making Jewish liturgy and prayer practice accessible and meaningful to all seekers. Eliana received her Masters in Jewish Experiential Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2016, and is based in Durham, North Carolina.

Rabbi Jackson is the Rabbi of Base BSTN – a community run out of his home in Cambridge with his partner Rachel. Jackson was Ordained at the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College in Newton, MA with a Specialization in Spirituality and Social Justice and a Masters in Jewish Education with a concentration in Israel Education in conjunction with the iCenter. He has worked to build singing prayer communities across the country in California (Congregation Rodef Sholom, URJ Camp Newman, University Synagogue, and NFTY), in New York (at Kehillat Romemu as the Joseph S. Ingber Rabbinic Fellow) as well as here in Boston (Asiyah Jewish Community, Temple Beth Sholom of Framingham, Temple Beth Zion, and Mishkan Tefilah). When not recording his own music, like his most recent album – “Notnim B’ahavah Reshut”, Jackson sings with the Chaverai Nevarech Band featured on R’ Josh Warshawsky’s albums.

Rabbi Myra Meskin is the Director of the Ziering BCI Program at AJU, a once-in-a-lifetime summer program for Jews in their 20’s from around the world, who come together to build intentional community and explore identity through Jewish learning and the arts. A graduate of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at American Jewish University, she holds a Masters in Experiential Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary, and studied in the Pardes Experiential Educators Program. Rabbi Myra loves yoga, hiking, and singing – whether alone in the car (preferably with country radio turned up and the windows down) or with friends around a shabbat table, though her singing highlight of the year is in the BCI rotunda (ask her how to apply!). She recently moved back to Los Angeles, her favorite blended landscape of ocean and mountains, with her husband Rabbi Ben Gurin and their daughter Eleanor (2 yrs).

Chava Mirel is a unique being in the world of music and spirit, defying classifications of style or genre. A multi-award winning musician and composer whose voice was recently featured on a Grammy award-winning album, Chava is highly sought-after for collaborations and recordings.

Celebrated for her rich, luxurious vocals, lush harmonies, and rhythmic phrasing, Chava is also known for her loving and compassionate presence. Regardless of setting – spiritual gathering, concert hall, classroom or jazz club – she imbues her music and teachings with the universal themes of hope, caring, connection and inclusion.

In October 2021, Chava released her fifth full-length album, “Chava Mirel: The Quarantine Sessions,” an album recorded in an electrifying live session with her jazz sextet. Chava is also proud to be the Cantorial Soloist and Musician In Residence at the historic Temple De Hirsch Sinai in Seattle, WA.

Informal Education Expert, SLBC Program Director

Elisa Heiligman Recht is a Jewish community leader and educator with extensive experience in Jewish youth programming, camping, and teaching. Elisa regularly serves as a consultant for Jewish organizations throughout the US helping to develop powerful and effective strategies for creating exciting youth engagement experiences in Jewish settings. Elisa creates Jewish educational curricula and sprearheads the educational programming of the Songleader Boot Camp. Elisa holds undergraduate degrees in social work, Hebrew and Jewish studies, as well as a masters degree in social work from Washington University. Elisa is the founder of Soul Sparkler Jewelry and presents interactive, educational programs in Jewish communities throughout the US, inspiring audiences to achieve life balance through intention, gratitude, and wellness strategies.

Touring Artist/Educator, SLBC Founder & Executive Director

Rick Recht is the executive director of SLBC and the top-touring musician in Jewish music playing over 150 concerts a year in the United States and abroad. Recht is widely recognized for his appeal to youth and family audiences not only as an exceptional musician, singer/songwriter, and entertainer, but also as a role model for involvement in Jewish life. He has become an icon for Jewish youth in the United States, elevating the medium of Jewish music as a powerful and effective tool for developing Jewish pride and identity among the masses. Recht is the national music spokesman for The PJ Library and the founder and executive director of Jewish Rock Radio (501c3), the first high-caliber, 24/7, Jewish rock internet radio station.