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Who’s who. Rabbi Braham David has proudly served as Director of the Jewish Discovery Institute (JDI) since 2007, expanding innovative interfaith outreach and conversion programming on behalf of the Conservative Movement in Boston. Under Rabbi David’s leadership, JDI has enhanced its post-conversion programming and its' Pathways to Judaism’ course, an in-depth learning opportunity for those considering conversion. Rabbi David consults for a range of Jewish institutions and synagogue communities on creating welcoming spaces for interfaith couples and families. His current JDI initiatives include programmatic and geographic expansion in collaboration with the Reform movement and previously underserved Jewish communities throughout the Greater Boston Area. During his tenure at JDI, Rabbi David has presided over more than 350 conversion ceremonies, enough to fill a small synagogue. For over a decade, Rabbi David has served as Rabbi of Temple Shalom in Medford, MA, an intimate and welcoming egalitarian Conservative congregation outside Boston. While there, he has envisioned and supported the Temple’s successful renewal process with a focus on welcoming young families, social action and dynamic interfaith outreach initiatives. Rabbi David received his ordination and an MA in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) in New York. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Massachusetts Board of Rabbis, Mayyim Hayyim’s Education Center Advisory Committee and is a member of CJP’s Commission on Jewish Life and Learning. Rabbi Leslie Gordon is looking forward to beginning her seventh year as an instructor with the Jewish Discovery Institute. Much of her rabbinic work has been in various areas of family life: an outreach worker to interfaith couples and families, an instructor in community-wide classes for parents of young children, and family education programming at synagogues throughout the Boston area. A product of USY and Camp Ramah in California, Rabbi Gordon was ordained in the early years of women’s ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Rabbi Victor Hillel Reinstein is the rabbi of the Nehar Shalom Community Synagogue in Jamaica Plain, which he founded with his wife in 2004. For six years prior to that he was the school rabbi and a teacher at the Solomon Schechter Day School in Newton, MA. Born in Boston, he lived in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada for sixteen years as the rabbi of Canada’s oldest synagogue. Rabbi Reinstein was the first director of the United Synagogue’s Keruv/Outreach program to interfaith families, and has also taught in the Jewish Discovery Institute for many years. As a teacher, learner and seeker, he loves to engage in and share Torah with people of all ages. He especially loves to teach Chassidic texts. Rabbi Reinstein is a life-long social activist who draws from Torah and Jewish life the inspiration and the guidance, the “vision and the way,” to help fulfill God’s hope for a world of justice and peace. Tabitha May-Tolub is a 20 year veteran in the field of youth leadership development and holds degrees in Psychology and Education from Clark University, as well as graduate education from University of Massachusetts Boston. She is currently the CEO and Co-Founder of Roots & Wings, Training and Consultation, where she provides training and consultation in public schools, community-based programs and non-profit organizations for youth of all ages, parents, teachers and mentors from all over the country. The launch of Roots & Wings brings together her experience with leadership and identity development in an innovative way, empowering all types of youth and adults to strengthen their character and identity connect with others through deeper communication and effect change in their community. Tabitha is a graduate of the JDI Pathways program, a supporter of interfaith couples and families, and a mother of two wonderful children. David Winship was raised in the Boston Jewish community by Christopher and Nancy Winship. He attended religious programming in Reform and Conservative institutions as well as attending an Orthodox summer camp. David attended Brandeis University and is currently a fourth year student in the Hebrew College Rabbinical School. He has been teaching for twelve years and is excited to join the JDI staff |