Orot Educators
Mindfulness Meditation
rabbi rivkah glick
Rabbi Rivkah is a neurosurgeon, teacher, mother, wife, rabbi, and pursuer of peace. Rabbi Rivkah coordinates all Orot Mindfulness Meditations online. She works with a rotation of educators to provide meaningful virtual programming twice a week throughout the country.
Dr. C. TOVA HopeMARK
Dr. Tova Markenson is an Assistant Professor at the Academy for Jewish Religion where she teaches courses on modern Jewish history and sacred arts. As a scholar of gender, migration, and performance, her contributions to Jewish studies and theatre studies have been recognized by the Association for Jewish Studies, the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture, the Latin American Jewish Studies Association, the American Academy for Jewish Research, and the American Society for Theatre Research. She is currently working on a book manuscript titled Present to the Past: A Cultural History of Buenos Aires Yiddish Theatre (1880-1940). Dr. Markenson is also a devoted mindfulness practitioner and teaches Jewish meditation nationally. She holds a certificate in Jewish mindfulness meditation teaching from the Institute for Jewish Spirituality.
AVIVA KATZMAN
Aviva Katzman earned a Bachelors and Master of Music from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. After ordination and completing a Master of Sacred Music from the Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion in 1987, Aviva became the Cantor of Temple Sholom of Chicago where she served for 28 years. Cantor Katzman completed Jewish Mindfulness Teachers Training with the Institute for Jewish Spirituality and Bekhol Levavkha, a two-year training offered by Hebrew Union College to become a Jewish Spiritual Director.
Lavey Derby
Lavey began to explore the world of Kabbalah and Eastern European Hasidism at the Hebrew University early in his studies, and this became the foundation of his own spiritual life. Lavey was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary and is affiliated with the Jewish Renewal community. He is an eighth-generation direct descendent of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, for whom he is named, and comes from a family line of rabbis that traces back to the 16th century.
AMY SCHUMAN
Amy is a wife, mother, grandmother, business owner and consultant to family businesses. In addition, she is a committed member of the Lomdim Jewish Community and a serious student and practitioner in the tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh for over 5 years. She serves as adjunct faculty at the Center for Family Enterprise at Kellogg School of Management, and she is a lover of yoga, qigong, open sky, playtime.
MARGOT ANDERSON
Margot is a social worker, grief counselor, and teacher of mindfulness and resilience skills. She was trained through the Institute for Jewish Spirituality's JMMTT program and participated in several other IJS retreats. She has served as an educational advocate for families with children with special needs 18 years, is a certified yoga instructor, bereavement counselor, and a meditation group leader at BJBE.
Genevieve Greinetz
A student at Hebrew College Rabbinical School, Genevieve holds an M.A. from Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. She is a certified yoga teacher and worked as an organic farmer, studied Chinese tea, is a published poet and founding editor of an up-and-coming inter-cultural journal. Genevieve is intrigued by the whole game of human experience.
Embodied Spiritual Practice
DEBORAH LEBOLD WINEMAN
Deb Wineman is an experienced and celebrated yoga instructor who has earned certifications in movement and meditation from a variety of traditions since 2008. Her own spiritual practice of yoga and study of yogic philosophy inspired her study of Torah and integration of Jewish prayer in her daily practice. Deb leads engaging classes and workshops that provide embodied explorations of Jewish themes and teachings in a spiritual language that resonates with our Jewish souls. Through balanced, breath-focused yoga practices infused with philosophy, ancient wisdom and beautiful music, Deb helps students of all levels feel awake and whole.
Compassion Project
LAURIE GARBER AMRAM
Born, raised and educated in Chicago, Laurie attended Northwestern University as a Communication Studies major and the University of Chicago, earning a Master's degree in Social Service Administration. Laurie lived, worked and studied in Israel for three years. Currently, she is a psychotherapist in private practice. Over the past twelve years, she has practiced and taught yoga and meditation as well as completed the Institute for Jewish Spirituality's Jewish Mindfulness Meditation Instructor training program in 2015.
Artist’s Beit Midrash
JUDITH JOSEPH
Artist Judith Joseph's paintings, woodblock prints and calligraphy (ketubot) are in numerous public and private collections. She exhibits widely across the U.S. and Canada, and she is a two-time recipient of the Illinois Arts Council Fellowship Award. She is on the art faculty at the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Art Center, Highland Park and she co-teaches the Artists' Beit Midrash at NSS-Beth El with Jane Shapiro. She is passionate about helping people explore and express their Jewish heritage through art.
Guest Educators
RABBI Sarah Tasman
Rabbi Sarah Tasman is the founder of the Tasman Center for Jewish Creativity which offers in-person and online resources for those seeking meaningful, accessible, and personalized Jewish learning, community classes & gatherings, and private spiritual coaching and rabbinic support. Rabbi Sarah is a dynamic and creative educator, spiritual leader and life cycle officiant based in Washington, DC and is a Rabbis Without Borders Fellow. She believes in the power of Jewish practice and learning to help us flourish and live more centered, meaningful and integrated lives. Whether she is teaching, leading or officiating, Rabbi Sarah specializes in making Judaism creative, personalized and accessible. Rabbi Sarah brings warmth, a rich knowledge of tradition and inclusivity to meet couples, families, and students wherever they are in order to create a meaningful experience. Previously, Rabbi Sarah was the InterfaithFamily/DC founding director, serving the needs of interfaith couples and families throughout Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC. She has also served as Senior Jewish Educator at Maryland Hillel and has taught at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, Adas Israel Congregation and many area organizations. She was ordained by the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College in 2012. She also holds a master of Jewish Education and a certificate of non-profit management. Learn more on the Tasman Center Website and follow her on instagram @rabbisarahtasman and Facebook.
Rabbi sarah Brandes
Rabbi Sara Brandes is a hands-on healer and founder of Awakened Body. She makes her home with her family in the north of Israel and is author of Magical World: Stories, Reflections, Poems.
DAVID GOTTLIEB
David Gottlieb first studied meditation in the Zen tradition, and has more recently studied with Rabbi Sam Feinsmith and Rabbi Jordan Bendat Appel in Jewish contemplative practice. David is a PhD candidate in the History of Judaism at the University of Chicago Divinity School.