Making Waves
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Congregation Kehillath Israel
384 Harvard St., Brookline, MA 02446
6:00pm, Reception
7:00pm, Performance
You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll be inspired
A fun and festive evening of storytelling and live music
Celebrating four dear friends we love for MAKING WAVES in our community
Honoring
-
Judy and Rabbi Josh Elkin
Josh and Judy Elkin met at a CAJE (Coalition for Alternatives in Jewish Education) conference at Brandeis University, Judy’s alma mater, where she went on to direct DeLeT, training day school teachers. She also attended the University of Judaism in Los Angeles.
At Mayyim Hayyim, Judy created and taught Beyond the Huppah, a program for couples to explore marriage within a Jewish context, which has been adopted by communities across the country. A certified life coach, she is proud to have coached both Mayyim Hayyim executive directors: Aliza Kline, and Carrie Bornstein, also one of her first DeLeT students.
After ordination at the Jewish Theological Seminary, Josh was Head of School at the Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Boston for 20 years, and then served as Executive Director of the Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education, a grant making and advocacy organization that supported Jewish day schools across North America.
Josh’s understanding of the importance of healthy partnerships between professionals and lay leaders led him to direct Onboard, a program of Legacy Heritage Fund, which trains board leaders of Jewish nonprofits. In 2016, Legacy Heritage awarded Mayyim Hayyim a grant to support the creation of the Rising Tide Open Waters Mikveh Network.
Judy and Josh know the power of mikveh first-hand, having immersed when they became empty nesters, and having accompanied Kiley – their now-daughter-in-law – to the mikveh when she became a Jew. Judy shared, “Though Kiley and Jon were living in Seattle, I was so grateful they wanted to come here to immerse. We really wanted to guarantee she’d have a spiritual and meaningful experience, and that her parents would feel welcome. Mayyim Hayyim is that place!”
-
Jen Kaplan and Dr. Susie Tanchel
Jen Kaplan grew up in Sharon and graduated from Brandeis University. After working in nonprofit marketing and fundraising, she audited a filmmaking class and found her calling; her first documentary film, Mixed Blessings, explored the experience of interfaith families.
In 2010, Mayyim Hayyim hired Jen to produce a film about a family bringing their baby to the mikveh for conversion. Four more films followed, including Beneath the Surface, about Bat Mitzvah girls and their mothers, and Open Waters: Mikveh for Everybody, about making Jewish life accessible for people with disabilities.
Susie Tanchel hails from Cape Town, South Africa. She attended Brandeis and ultimately became the first Ph.D. dissertation fellow at the Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education. In 2011, Susie assumed her current position as Head of School at Boston’s Jewish Community Day School, becoming the first openly LGBTQ Jewish head of school. In 2018, the Covenant Foundation awarded Susie with one of the highest honors in Jewish education.
The annual seventh grade JCDS field trip to Mayyim Hayyim reflects Susie’s educational vision. “Mayyim Hayyim mirrors our commitment to being intentionally pluralistic, to offering everyone a place in the Jewish community.”
Jen and Susie immersed before their wedding and the fact that, as Jen recalls, “no one batted an eye at welcoming a lesbian couple” made all the difference. They look forward to participating in Beneath the Surface with their daughter, Jordana, when she becomes a Bat Mitzvah. Says Susie, “There is nothing more sacred than giving someone a place to belong.”
Co-Chairs and Host Committee
Sponsorships and Tickets
Become a sponsor and show your support
Program Book Deadline – May 6
Celebrate with us
Questions? To learn more, contact Rachel Eisen, Director of Development or call 617-244-1836 ext. 211.