Announcing the Newest Jewish Ideas Fellowship Cohort

Hebrew Union College is proud to welcome 29 new fellows to the 2026-2027 Jewish Ideas Fellowship. Now in its fifth year, the fellowship supports emerging Jewish leaders, ages 22 -39 years old, by deepening their Jewish learning and strengthening their leadership skills.

"The Fellowship brings together a supportive cohort, deep engagement with Jewish texts and wisdom, and mentorship from Hebrew Union College faculty and alumni," said Program Director Rabbi Hannah Elkin '21. "While these core elements remain constant, the program continues to evolve in response to fellows' needs."

Throughout the academic year, fellows participate in monthly study and practice, focusing on Jewish thought, literature, and culture. Through beit midrash (learning) sessions, chevruta (paired study), and small group electives and mentoring, they practice giving and receiving feedback, testing new ideas, and integrating leadership frameworks into their work.

Reflecting on their experience, 2025-26 cohort member Mia Hirsch, Springboard Innovation Fellow at Hillel at NYU Bronfman Center, said, "The Jewish Ideas Fellowship gave me a dedicated space to learn and ask questions. I'm walking away with a renewed sense of myself as someone with a Jewish life worth investing in, not just a Jewish job worth doing well."

Naomi Litwak, Director of Youth Programming at Congregation Schaarai Zedek in Tampa, Florida, and a 2025-26 cohort member, also reflected on the fellowship's impact. "The Jewish Ideas Fellowship has created and deepened the relationship I have with Jewish text, which has previously been something that felt too big to tackle. I'm taking away the knowledge and experience of breaking down text and using it as a living resource."

Hebrew Union College is committed to building a learning community that represents the diversity of the Jewish community. The virtual nature of this program draws emerging Jewish leaders from various backgrounds and identities. This year's cohort brings together educators, nonprofit leaders, artists, musicians, community organizers, and advocates from across North America and one from Brazil. More than a third work directly in education, seven are actively engaged in LGBTQ+ leadership and inclusion efforts, and six have professional backgrounds in music and the performing arts. The group includes camp professionals, clergy-adjacent leaders, a Navy officer, a professional baker, a mathematician, a physicist, and several graduate and doctoral scholars, reflecting a remarkable breadth of experience united by a commitment to Jewish learning, community, and belonging.

Meet the 2026-27 Jewish Ideas Fellows

Lev Axler

Lev Axler is a musician and song leader in the Washington, D.C., area. He serves as music teacher and song leader for Kehila Chadasha in Bethesda, Maryland, and helps lead services at Georgetown Jewish Student Life. He graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in physics, where he was a member of the Jewish a cappella group Rak Shalom. Having experienced a wide variety of Jewish expressions, Axler enjoys bringing new traditions into his music. He is passionate about music's ability to bring communities together and about facilitating thoughtful learning environments. In his spare time, he enjoys woodworking, playing guitar and clarinet, and playing tabletop games with friends.

Jacob Baim

Jacob Baim is an actor, Hebrew tutor, and song leader based in New York and Chicago who is passionate about building joyful, welcoming Jewish communities. Through the arts, education, storytelling, and community programming, he creates meaningful opportunities for connection and celebrates Jewish life.

Ava Belmont

Ava Belmont is a nonprofit professional committed to building stronger, more connected communities through mission-driven work. She is the community manager at The Grotto, a nonprofit coworking and arts space in York, Pennsylvania. Belmont also serves as principal of Temple Beth Israel Religious School, where she previously taught for two years. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from York College of Pennsylvania, earned in 2025, with a concentration in nonprofit management and a minor in human services. During college, she served on the Hillel executive board and later as Hillel president, piloting a tikkun olam initiative to support the local Jewish community. As a Reform Jew and proud Gen Z leader, she is passionate about community advocacy and bridge-building. Outside of work and advocacy, Belmont enjoys exploring local coffee shops, running, attending concerts, and volunteering in her community.

Luke Brown

Luke Brown is a mathematician originally from Hopewell, New Jersey, who now lives in Baltimore, Maryland, and teaches religious school at Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia. A Jew by choice, Brown loves Judaism and history and enjoys long conversations about life, philosophy, and Torah. In his free time, he likes to walk, cook, read, and spend time with friends.

Rachel Chancellor

Rachel Chancellor is a Jewish professional in Northern California. After spending many years at summer camp as both a camper and an employee, they now lead the Center for Jewish Peoplehood at the Osher Marin JCC. In addition to their work, they are pursuing a master's degree in social justice and human rights. They live in Santa Rosa with their partner, dog, and bearded dragon.

William Conway

William Conway grew up in London and now lives in New York City, where he works in education technology, partnering with New York City public school administrators to implement student safety systems. His favorite Jewish practice is welcoming Shabbat, especially hosting prayers and dinner with his fiancée, Ariel, for their friends. He also participates in Central Synagogue's worship partnership with the community at Rikers Island Correctional Facility.

David Coons

David Coons is a higher education professional who works in events and campus visits at a university in Chicago, creating meaningful experiences for prospective students. An active member of Congregation Etz Chaim in Lombard, Illinois, Coons is completing the congregation's adult b'nai mitzvah program. He is passionate about learning how to build inclusive Jewish communities across social and political divides. Originally from central New York, Coons spends his free time at White Sox games, symphony concerts, and running along the lakeshore.

Sara Feinman

Sara Feinman is a Jewish professional with eight years of experience building and strengthening Jewish communities throughout the Bay Area. Guided by the value of tikkun olam, she has built a life rooted in community, service, and meaningful connection. Her commitment to service extends beyond her professional work through regular volunteer roles focused on hunger, homelessness, and intergenerational connection.

Outside of work, Feinman enjoys hiking, kayaking, and picnicking with friends, as well as hosting dinner parties and spending time with her cat. She is excited to deepen her engagement with Jewish ideas through the fellowship and looks forward to learning and growing alongside her cohort.

Ellen Fetherston

Ellen Fetherston is a Bay Area native who works in the accounting and finance department at the Jewish Federation. She earned a bachelor's degree in business and accounting from California State University, Chico, and is a certified public accountant.

Fetherston enjoys exploring ways to address antisemitism and engaging in thoughtful discussions about Israel-Palestine relations, drawing on the history of Jews, antisemitism, and anti-Zionism around the world. She believes in the power of hope, dialogue, and community.

When she is not balancing spreadsheets or thinking through the world's challenges, Fetherston enjoys spending time with her young nieces, trying new coffee shops, and taking walks with her dog.

Aden Fischer-Brown

Aden Fischer-Brown is the Director of Administration for the Division of Lifelong and Professional Studies at JTS. In this role, Fischer-Brown oversees operations, budget, and strategic planning for a diverse array of continuing and degree-granting education programs. Originally from North Carolina and now living in Brooklyn, Fischer-Brown is also a working pianist and vocalist, and serves as a cantorial soloist, shaliach tzibur, and music director for synagogues and ritual communities. In his free time, he runs and bikes in Prospect Park, plays pickup basketball, and psychoanalyzes reality-TV contestants.

Hannah Foleck

Hannah Foleck serves as the teen engagement manager at Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church, Virginia. Originally from Virginia Beach, she has lived in Northern Virginia for the past five years. Foleck earned a bachelor's degree in musical theater from the University of Mary Washington in 2021. Drawing on her passions for theater, board games, and the arts, she creates engaging programming for young people at Temple Rodef Shalom.

Davis Hubbell

Davis Hubbell is the director of teen engagement at The Tucson Jewish Community Center, where he develops programs that help teens realize their potential and find a sense of belonging. He oversees BBYO chapters, the JCC Maccabi delegation, teen travel experiences, and leadership development. His work brings together community-building, mentorship, and Jewish identity, with a focus on creating experiences that are meaningful and authentic.

Before entering the nonprofit world, Hubbell worked for years as a professional baker, an experience that continues to shape his hands-on, detail-oriented approach. He is passionate about developing the next generation of leaders and creating meaningful experiences where teens feel seen and connected.

Brandon Gabay

Brandon Gabay serves as the youth and teen engagement manager at Temple Sinai in Atlanta. He graduated from Florida State University in December 2022 with a bachelor's degree in communication and digital media studies. A lover of books, baking, and Broadway, Gabay draws on these interests to create programming that resonates with the youth and teens at Temple Sinai.

Brenner Green

Brenner Green is the clinical director of an autism therapy clinic specializing in applied behavior analysis (ABA) and is a board-certified behavior analyst. Previously, he served as an elementary school principal, assistant principal, and special education teacher. Green also teaches religious school at Temple Beth-El in San Antonio, Texas, working with children in kindergarten through second grade. In his spare time, he enjoys running, completing approximately one half-marathon each month, reading, and studying Torah.

Brandon Kaufmann

Brandon Kaufmann is a camp professional and Assistant Director at Goldman Union Camp Institute (GUCI), where he works to create meaningful Jewish experiences and build communities where young people can grow, connect, and discover their own relationship with Judaism and self-identification. Having grown up in the camp community, Kaufmann's connection to Jewish camping has shaped much of his personal and professional journey. He is passionate about Jewish learning, leadership, and creating spaces where people feel a genuine sense of belonging. Through this fellowship, Kaufmann hopes to deepen his own Jewish learning and bring new ideas, questions, and perspectives back to the communities he serves.

Karen Klein

Karen Klein is a communications and community engagement professional whose career has focused on building relationships, strengthening communities, and creating meaningful public engagement across the technology and nonprofit sectors. She holds a master's degree in government, specializing in counterterrorism and homeland security, from Reichman University in Israel. A third-generation Holocaust survivor, Klein is passionate about Jewish peoplehood, Israel-Diaspora relations, and fostering understanding across diverse communities. She brings a deep interest in Jewish communal leadership and the role of ideas, education, and dialogue in shaping a resilient Jewish future.

Evan Jaffe

Evan Jaffe is a Jewish educator at Temple Beth Shalom in Needham, Massachusetts, where he teaches first- and second-grade students about Jewish customs and ethics. A graduate of Dartmouth College with degrees in government and Middle Eastern studies, Jaffe grounds his educational philosophy in joy, inquiry, and collaboration.

Throughout his life, he has explored Judaism and his Jewish identity through communal experiences with organizations including URJ Crane Lake Camp, NFTY, Diller, Hillel at Dartmouth, and the Nachshon Project. He looks forward to learning alongside a diverse cohort and exploring Jewish wisdom, sacred texts, and the history and ideas that shape Jewish life.

Dennis Johnson

Dennis Johnson is a Jewish educator, writer, and community leader based in the Philadelphia area. Passionate about Torah, Hebrew, and lifelong learning, they are dedicated to building welcoming Jewish spaces where people can engage deeply with tradition, ask meaningful questions, and find belonging. Through teaching, writing, cooking, and building in queer spaces, they explore how Jewish wisdom can inspire lives rooted in compassion, curiosity, and hope.

Nat Lamp

Nat Lamp is a writer, educator, illustrator, and theater artist from Toledo, Ohio. She has worked in a range of performing arts roles, including actor, director, stage manager, and dramaturg, with companies in Chicago and St. Louis. Lamp is a master's and doctoral candidate in performance studies at Northwestern University, where she also works at the Center for Civic Engagement, helping students explore civic engagement, community development, and social justice in Chicago. She holds a Bachelor of Science in communication from Northwestern University and a master's degree in theater and performance studies from Washington University in St. Louis.

She is a lay leader at Temple Sholom of Chicago, serving on the leadership committees for adult education and Or Chadash, the congregation's LGBTQ+ minyan and community group. Lamp is also an active member of the Base ANVL community and an alum of the Avodah Justice Fellowship.

Raphaela Levi

Raphaela Levi serves as the board and gifts manager at the Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana. She grew up deeply immersed in the Reform Jewish community in Southern California, and some of her favorite memories come from years spent at Jewish sleepaway camp as both a camper and a staff member.

Levi graduated from American University with a Bachelor of Science in international relations, concentrating in environmental sustainability, global development and health, and ethics and human rights. As an early-career professional in the Jewish nonprofit world, she is excited to learn from mentors, build meaningful connections with peers, and embrace life in New Orleans.

André Liberman

André Liberman is a Jewish educator and community organizer committed to strengthening Reform Judaism in Latin America. He works as Education Coordinator at the Union for Reform Judaism in Latin America and is the founder and national coordinator of Gaavah, a Brazilian LGBTQ+ Jewish organization. His work focuses on Jewish education, progressive community-building, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and creating spaces where young Jews can explore their identities and take active roles in Jewish life.

Ari Marcotte

Ari Marcotte is a queer Jewish educator from southeast Michigan. Marcotte is pursuing a master's degree in higher education and student affairs and co-hosts a lay-led queer Torah study through their synagogue in Ann Arbor. Marcotte is passionate about highlighting marginalized and underrepresented perspectives on sacred texts, and brings a blend of academic, Hassidic, and queer lenses to their approach.

Brittany Maugeri

Brittany Maugeri grew up in the Philadelphia area in a working-class Italian Catholic family. A curious child, she was always asking questions about God and the world. Maugeri discovered Judaism in her early teens and felt a deep sense of connection. She pursued her interest in Judaism through independent study for many years and officially converted in 2026. She earned her Ph.D. studying children and young adults during periods of political violence. Maugeri is deeply involved in her congregational community and eager to continue learning and growing.

Lindsey Neary

Lindsey Neary is director of growth marketing at the Union for Reform Judaism, where she works to engage individuals beyond the organization's existing network and provides strategic marketing oversight for major initiatives. Before entering the Jewish communal world, Neary worked at Edelman, a global communications firm. Outside of work, she serves on the board of her congregation and is a member of the local Junior League. She enjoys playing mahjongg, reading, cheering on the Phillies, and spending time with her husband and 5-year-old son.

Kevin Solomowitz

Originally from Long Island, Kevin Solomowitz graduated from Johns Hopkins University with double majors in music education and bassoon performance. He later earned a master's degree in teaching from Loyola University Maryland. For the past 10 years, Solomowitz has taught band at a public school outside Baltimore while also teaching Jewish history at his local synagogue. For the past six summers, he has worked for BBYO Passport, leading trips for Jewish high school students to destinations including Germany, Israel, Costa Rica, Poland, Slovenia, and Spain.

In 2025, Solomowitz participated in the JDC Entwine Cuba trip and completed the Elie Wiesel Social Action Fellowship. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, hiking, kayaking, and playing board games with friends.

Phoebe Stern

Phoebe Stern works in the Campus Affairs Department at the Jewish United Fund of Chicago. She supports college students and staff in responding to and mitigating bias and hate incidents across Illinois and oversees leadership development and engagement programs focused on student advocacy. Passionate about Judaism, Stern enjoys supporting students as they create their own Jewish communities. She earned a bachelor's degree from Bates College and spent a year teaching English in Thailand on a Fulbright program.

Linnie Ulick

Linnie Ulick teaches b'nai mitzvah students at Har Sinai-Oheb Shalom Congregation in their hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. They are passionate about helping students uncover and personalize what it means to become a Jewish adult. Ulick is committed to highlighting the place everyone has in the rich tapestry of Jewish tradition. In their free time, they enjoy being outdoors, reading science fiction, and playing cards with friends and family.

Marti Wein

Originally from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Marti Wein lives in Indianapolis, Indiana, where she serves as director of education and antisemitism prevention. In her free time, she sings in the choir at Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, attends concerts, watches football, and spends time with her dog, Harley. A lifelong learner, Wein is excited to learn from others through the Jewish Ideas Fellowship.

Clara Winchell

Clara Winchell is an officer in the U.S. Navy who has lived in Jewish communities in California, South Carolina, Virginia, and Maine. As a queer Jew, she understands the importance of supportive kehila (community) in sustaining a vibrant Jewish life. From sharing self-advocacy resources with fellow sailors to leading text study with colleagues, Winchell is committed to fostering community wherever she goes. She now lives in Brookline, Massachusetts, where she focuses on community-building for queer Jews and Jewish young professionals.