Meet our Conference Presenters (More to be added)!!

Rabbi Eli Freedman

Ra bbi Eli Freedman is the newest member of the rabbinic team at Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia, PA where he is responsible for social justice leadership and running Rodeph Shalom's Mercaz Limud (Religious School).  He also is engaged in all other rabbinic duties, including life cycle events, leading services, preaching, counseling and adult education

Rabbi Freedman was ordained at Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in May 2010 and received his undergraduate degree from Brandeis University.  Before coming to Philadelphia, Rabbi Freedman served as the Rabbinic Intern at the NYU Hillel.  He spent the first three years of rabbinical school in London and worked as a student rabbi at Edgware and District Reform Synagogue, the largest Reform congregation in Europe.  He also ran the outreach and engagement program at Columbia/Barnard University, where he worked to attract unaffiliated Jews to Jewish life.
Rabbi Freedman lives with his fiancée, Laurel Klein, in Center City where he enjoys live music, home-brewing, and saving the world.

Blogger: MaNishtana

MaNishtana is a blogger, screenwriter, and filmmaker who is trying to use his work to make the world—both Jewish and secular—a better place for Jews of Color (or "JOCs"). While he doesn’t think he’s nearly active or influential enough to claim the title of Jew of Color “activist”, he proudly declares himself a JOC “advocate”.

Born into an Orthodox African-American Jewish family, MaNishtana’s traceable familial ties to Judaism reach back a span of almost two centuries—all the while remaining African-American. His unique, humorous, and often irreverent outlook on Judaism, race politics, and racial issues within Judaism and without—illustrated through his blogs and videos—have gained popularity through mentions by blogger Aliza Hausman, the Bechol Lashon and Jewish Multiracial Network organizations, The New York Times, Jewcy.com, and have led to speaking engagements for A Taste of Limmud NY and Birthright Israel NEXT, as well as gaining him a 2010 nomination for Jewish Hero of the Year.

Jews in ALL Hues Exec Dir: Jared Jackson

Jews in ALL Hues Co-Founder, Jared Jackson has been on a journey to understanding what it means to be a Dual Heritage Jew in today's world. Both his passion for music and creating a truly inclusive Jewish community has strengthened his ties to not only the Jewish people, but all who share Dual Heritage. Due to this resolve, Jared received the ROI Grant (2010) and Charlie Award (2008) from CLI and Lynn Schusterman and was nominated for Jewish Community Hero of the Year.