Sasha T. Goldberg

Sasha T. Goldberg is the Associate Director and Director of Student Programming for Nehirim. A Jewish scholar, educator, and community organizer, Sasha holds a Master’s Degree in Judaism from the Graduate Theological Union, and has taught nationally on the intersections of Judaism and various cultural, social, sexual, and religious identities. In addition to her work at Nehirim, Sasha has a long history of queer advocacy and activism, and has organized conferences, events, and in-gatherings for a myriad of LGBT and social justice causes. She has also provided consulting on LGBT student life for her alma mater, The Latin School of Chicago, and has been a writing consultant for The Nyaka Aids Orphans Project, as well as for Muslims for Progressive Values. Sasha is often speaking and writing on on gender, sexuality, and identity; her most recent work appears in the ground-breaking anthology Keep Your Wives Away From Them, and in the upcoming collection, Persistence: All Ways Butch and Femme.

Currently, Sasha is honored to serve as a member of the GLBT Advisory Committee for the Jewish National Fund, and as the Programming Chair for Butch Voices 2011. To her great joy, she was recently selected as one of the 2010-2011 Jeremiah Fellows for the Progressive Jewish Alliance’s Judaism and Social Justice fellowship. Previously, Sasha served as the President of the Board of Directors for NUJLS, The National Union of Jewish LGBTQQI Students, before Nehirim and NUJLS merged in June of 2010. Sasha hails from the good Midwestern stock of the United States, and makes her home in Oakland, California.

Kohenet Ellie Barbarash, MS

Ellie Barbarash received ordination as Kohenet in June 2009 from the Kohenet Priestess Institute (www.kohenet.org.) She has an MS in occupational and environmental safety and is board certified as a environmental compliance auditor. Ellie’s creative writing has been published in Bridges, Off Our Backs, and Jewish Book World. She cofounded AWARE, a feminist anti-racism project that explored issues of class, gender, queerness, disability, and ethnic identity in NYC not-for-profit organizations in the 1990s. A native New Yorker, she currently lives and works in Philadelphia, focused on disability rights and advocacy in the federal workforce. Passions include reviving ancient women’s Jewish practices, making music, midrash, and raising her beautiful son. Ellie’s been out since 1982.

Zvi Bellin PhD

Dr. Zvi Bellin is the Engagement Associate for Nehirim and is responsible for pastoral counseling, community relations, and programming at Nehirim retreats. He leads workshops and directs retreats that integrate body-heart-mind-soul in a variety of spiritual and religious contexts. Zvi earned a PhD in Pastoral Counseling and an M.A. in Counseling and Guidance. He is a Registered Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance. He has worked as a therapist in a number of mental health settings, and has interned as a Psychiatric Chaplain. In addition to his work with Nehirim, Zvi is the Director of Jewish Education for Moishe House.

Becky Emet

Committed to social justice and community building, Becky brings her passion and warmth to the Nehirim community. As a past co-director of The Gathering at Easton Mountain and the Women’s Retreat, Becky has been to ten Nehirim retreats and led seven workshops. Professionally she has worked as a psychotherapist with at-risk youth and families, a case manager for Big Brothers Big Sisters, a project manager for Harvard faculty at McLean hospital, and a business consultant to social enterprises on issues related to budget analysis, marketing, and social responsibility. With an MBA and an MSW, Becky is both a problem solver and an idealist at heart who strives for an ever-compassionate, present-focused perspective.

Chani Getter

Chani Getter is a leader in the fields of personal growth and spiritual development. Chani grew up in an ultra- orthodox- Hasidic Jewish home and combines her personal growth with the age old teachings she grew up with. Her depth of spirituality gives great power to her work as a coach, spiritual leader and creator of ritual. Her loving, non-judgmental approach provides a safe place for all to connect with their authentic selves and deepest yearnings to find the clarity, inner peace and inspiration they desire

www.InspirationalLivingInc.com

DJ glitterfist

DJ glitterfist is a sassy, genderqueer, go-go dancing, eye rolling son of gun (actually, son of a beautiful and way too loud Puerto Rican lady). If they’re not encouraging you to dance they’re probably shaking it on you. When DJ glitterfist isn’t feigning coolness he’s actually quite shy and gay for pay with a national queer social justice organization in DC that he absolutely adores; there he focuses on capacity building from anti-racism/oppression, youth, and sex-positive lens. He’s state hopper and of course a jewish ally that is excited to be a part of another Nehirim event.

Rabbi Steven Greenberg

Jessica Halem

Called “Brave and Bawdy” by Time Out Chicago and “Righteous and Chipper” by the Times-Picayune, Jessica Halem was raised by hippie Jewish artists from the East Coast which was anything but normal – or easy – in small-town Ohio, but did help to foster this very funny “on-your-face” comic who puts her queer spin on everything from Sudafed to Feminism to Glory Holes. Jessica Halem was trained at Sarah Lawrence College and earned her chops as a social justice activist working for Bella Abzug; as a writer working for failed Internet start-ups; and as a LGBT health and non-profit expert running the Lesbian Community Cancer Project. Jessica Halem performs at every college, Pride, and bathhouse where she can help find the funny in even the toughest of times: www.jessicahalem.com.

Dr Warren Hoffman

Warren Hoffman is the Director of Arts and Cultural Programming for the Gershman Y in Philadelphia. Prior to that he served as the literary manager and dramaturg for Philadelphia Theatre Company. In New York, Warren was the Associate Artistic Director of Jewish Repertory Theatre in New York. In addition to working in the theater community, Warren holds a Ph.D. in American Literature from the University of California-Santa Cruz and has taught at Temple University, the University of Delaware, Rutgers, and Hunter College. He recently earned rave reviews for his new book The Passing Game: Queering Jewish American Culture published by Syracuse University Press. Warren is also a playwright and his new play The Last was recently named a recipient of the 2008 Foundation for Jewish Culture Theatre Projects Grant and was a finalist for the Dorothy Silver Playwriting Competition. Warren is currently writing a book about race and the American musical.

Rabbi Joshua Lesser

Rabbi Joshua Lesser leads Atlanta’s growing Congregation Bet Haverim as a place dedicated to celebrating all aspects of Jewish life and creating a spiritual home that is accessible to those who have not connected in other settings. As a former Teach For America corps member, Rabbi Lesser is committed to creating innovative programs and events to further their Jewish education in fun and exciting ways. At Bet Haverim, he has worked with a wide variety of groups and coalitions to build a better community for Atlanta, including the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta’s Task Force on Healing and Spirituality. In partnership with the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta and Jewish Family & Career Services, he founded The Rainbow Center, a place of support and information for GLBTQ people, as well as their families.

Jay Michaelson

Jay Michaelson is the founder and executive director of Nehirim. For the last ten years, Jay has been a leading advocate for the inclusion of sexual minorities in religious communities, and writes and teaches frequently on issues of sexuality and religion. His work on the subject has appeared on NPR, and in Tikkun, the Jerusalem Post, the Duke Law Review, the Michigan Journal of Gender & Law, and anthologies including Mentsh: On Being Jewish and Queer (2004), Righteous Indignation: A Jewish Call for Justice(2007) and Jews and Sex (2008). Jay is a columnist for the Forward newspaper, Tikkun, and Reality Sandwich magazine, and a featured contributor to the Huffington Post. He is the author of God in Your Body: Kabbalah, Mindfulness, and Embodied Spiritual Practice (Jewish Lights, 2006), Another Word for Sky: Poems (Lethe Press, 2007), and Everything is God: The Radical Path of Nondual Judaism (Shambhala, 2009).

Marlene Rachelle

Marlene Rachelle is the Communications Manager of Nehirim. She recently received an MA in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary with a concentration in informal and communal education. Marlene went back to school after leaving her position as Senior Producer at MTV Networks where she had worked for over ten years. She was an Education Intern at the JCC in Manhattan’s Family Life and Community Programs department where she designed and marketed programs for the LGBTQ community.

Jase I. Schwartz

Jase I. Schwartz is a counselor and community organizer. Jase is proud to work for the NYC Anti-Violence Project (AVP) as the Police Relations and Hate Violence Counselor/Advocate. Jase is also a MSW Candidate at the Hunter College School of Social Work in their One Year Residence Program. Jase utilizes an anti-oppressive practice in his work as an activist and clinician. He is also a member of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah where he serves as a co-chair of the Trans Empowerment Coalition. For more information on the Trans Empowerment Coalition e-mail [email protected]. Jase lives in Brooklyn with his partner Jeremy.

Jeremy D. Schwartz

Jeremy D. Schwartz is a MSW candidate specializing in policy practice at the NYU Silver School of Social Work, where he is President of the Graduate Student Association. He is a member of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah (CBST) and is actively involved in CBST’s Koleinu social justice initiative and Trans Empowerment Coalition. He is committed to anti-oppressive social work practice that not only empowers individuals but, more importantly, transforms communities. Jeremy lives in Brooklyn with his partner Jase.

Audrey Beth Stein

Audrey Beth Stein is the author of the memoir Map, a 2010 Lambda Literary Award Finalist. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College and is a two-time national prizewinner in the David Dornstein Memorial Short Story Contest. She teaches memoir and novel development at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education. Her website including samples of her writing and links to order Map can be found at http://audreybethstein.com.

Joel Derfner

Joel Derfner is from Charleston, South Carolina, where his great-grandmother had an affair with George Gershwin. Since moving to New York he has been a composer, writer, singer, step aerobics instructor, go-go boy, cheerleader, knitter, and math teacher. He has composed the scores to Postcards From Another Planet (book and lyrics by Tony Award winner Rachel Sheinkin), which has been produced in London, New York, and various cities in between, and to Signs of Life (book by Peter Ullian, lyrics by Len Schiff), which has been produced in New York and Seattle. He wrote the music and lyrics for Spirit Child (book and additional lyrics by John Herin) as a commission from the Thomas Pullen Performing Arts School in Washington, D.C., where the show premiered in 2004. Other current projects include Another Annette (book and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein) and Cthusical (book by Peter Ullian, lyrics by Len Schiff). Joel is a grateful alumnus of the Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program at NYU, where he is now on the faculty. He is the author of Gay Haiku (Broadway/Random House, 2005), and Swish: My Quest to Become the Gayest Person Ever (Broadway/Random House, 2008), and is now at work on a new book called (tentatively) Queerly Beloved: How I Tried to Destroy America With my Gay Marriage. He has been fired by the Public Theater, Harvard University, and the Anglo-Catholic church.

Gina Mamone

Gina Mamone is a tender-hearted gender Queer from West Virginia, and is founding President and CEO of Riot Grrrl Ink (RGI). Riot Grrrl Ink. is the largest LGBTIQ (Queer) Record Label in the WORLD and has a current roster of 150 artist & social justice causes. The RGI Produce-and-Support roster includes such artists as the Indigo Girls, Bitch, Stacy Ann Chin and Amy Ray’s solo work. Gina has led the greening of the music industry by producing the very first album in history with no ecological footprint. Gina has applied the same mold to touring: all of the touring from RGI’s roster is 100% green, most recently seen in Amy Ray (Indigo Girls) Didn’t It Feel Kinder/Brandi Carlile Giving Up the Ghost tour

Glenn Marla

Glenn Marla (performer/writer) is a Brooklyn-based performance artist, tranny superstar and beauty pageant queen (Miss LES 2006 and the reigning Mr. Coney Island). The Portland Phoenix calls Glenn Marla’s work, “performance art that pushes the envelope without pushing the audience away,” Time Out New York Calls Glenn a “downtown prophet” and The New York Times calls Glenn “an obese transvestite in tights.” Glenn Marla is a firm believer that if you don’t fit in anywhere you can fit in everywhere. Most recently you may have caught him touring his solo piece Tragic Magic this year. This year he has also been seen gracing the stage as a gigant gay flower both in Dave End’s F.A.G.G.O.T.S the Musical playing Pansy or in Taylor Mac’s Obie Award winning epic play The Lily’s Revenge as Poppy. You can currenty see Mr. Marla playing the Queen of the Underworld in Justin Bonds Galli Blonde A Sissy Fix at the Kitchen.

Shelly Mars

Shelly Mars is an established solo performance artist based in Manhattan who has entertained and shocked audiences in the US and around the world for 20 years. Mars’ solo shows include The Homo Bonobo Project (2010), Bug Chasers (2005), Sex on Mars (2001), Whiplash: Tales of a Tomboy (1999), and Invasion from Mars (1997). Venues have included Abrons Theater (Performa 2009), PS 122, New York Theatre Workshop, The Kitchen, Dixon Place, and Highways Performance Space. Sex on Mars enjoyed a five-month run in Provincetown, MA in 2000. Her monologues have also been published in the book Creating Your Own Monologue.

As one of the first “drag kings” of the late 1980s, Mars appeared all over TV (Kids in the Hall, Phil Donahue, Montel Williams, Sally Jessy Raphael) and in many films, including Drop Dead Rock with Debbie Harry and Adam Ant, Jennie Livingston’s Who’s the Top?, the HBO special Drag Kings, and the independent documentary Venus Boyz.

Recently, Mars has been Artist in Residence at NYC’s Museum of Sex and has received grants from the New York State Council on the Arts (2010), the Arcus Foundation, the Gill Foundation, and the Franklin Furnace Fund for Performance Art, and she is currently hosting a performance series at Dixon Place theatre, called, “Bulldyke Chronicles” that she co-hosts with Kirby the Bulldog. Her most recent one person show, The Homobonobo Project is a favorite on the college circuit.