Rachel Nussbaum is Kavana's Rabbi Rabbi Rachel and Executive Director. She received her rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary and has served in a rabbinic capacity at Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation, Harvard University Hillel and Camp Ramah Darom. Rachel is a recipient of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship, Bronfman Youth Fellowship, and the Benjamin N. Duke Leadership Award. She is a Charleston. SC native and attended Duke University. Her passions include teaching rabbinic texts (particularly Midrash), serving as a pastoral counselor, leading spirited and musical prayer services, and challenging people to see Judaism as a catalyst for change. Her hobbies include playing softball and the piano, hiking, Sudoku puzzles, and spending time with her husband, Noam Pianko. Email Rabbi Rachel . Key Jewish moment: Growing up in an Episcopal school in the South, my Jewish identity developed in dialogue with my non-Jewish peers. I loved inviting friends to our Passover seders, which were always nutty, eclectic, and filled with music, humor and joy. Why I'm in Kavana: To help others create meaning and find their own paths within Judaism. Stacy Lawson has an MA in Stacy at Chanukah Adult Basic Education and has worked in homeless shelters, literacy centers, community colleges, Jewish adult education programs, and currently teaches yoga philosophy, posture classes, and teacher trainings. She is adept at creating programs fusing social, cultural, educational, spiritual, and social justice elements and loves to create community. Key Jewish moment: Leaving seminary in Jerusalem to live on the beach in the Sinai, seeking God in yet another way. Why I'm in Kavana: To be with people who are wildly creative, smart, fun, energetic and can imagine new ways to live Jewishly. Maya Kanzler-Bernet Maya is a new mom (to Zakai) Maya Kanzler-Bernet and wife (to Yoram). She has a BA in Humanities from Menlo College, a Master's in Teaching from Puget Sound University and is a former elementary school teacher. Maya is a member of Social Venture Partners and volunteers at non-profits working with children in the Seattle area. She enjoys snowshoeing, sailing, cooking and Pilates. Key Jewish Moment: I was not raised Jewish but embraced the opportunity to marry Jewish and have a Jewish household. The search for a Rabbi who would accept me proved to be a defining experience. Why I am in Kavana: To create a community that helps my children enjoy and appreciate Judaism and my commitment to it. Aaron Averbuch grew up in Metropolitan Detroit Aaron Averbuch before making his way to Washington University in St. Louis. From there, Microsoft came calling, and he moved out west to Seattle. After 6 years at Microsoft, he left to join Pure Networks, where he now serves as the Software Development Manager for the startup. Aaron is a long-time Jewish organization junkie, serving time on the boards of his local USY chapter, his collegiate Hillel, and GesherCity Seattle, the immediate predecessor to JConnect. Newly married to Joelle, they love to spend their time traveling, pretending to be foodies, and being mesmorized by the snail in their fish tank (there are fish there too, but they aren't nearly as exciting...) Key Jewish moment: Coming back from spending 6 months in Israel during high school and running straight to McDonalds. After being able to stomach only one bite of that double-cheeseburger before deciding it was time to keep Kosher from then on, I knew my Jewish world had changed forever.   Why I am in Kavana: To be on the ground-floor of building the Jewish experience and community that I want for myself and others. Yoram Bernet was born in Israel Yoram Bernet and raised in Israel and the US. He has a degree in Biomedical Engineering and enjoyed a twenty-year career in high tech, most recently at Microsoft. He left that world in 2001 to travel. Today, Yoram operates a business in architectural photography and does volunteer work with Social Venture Partners. He enjoys sailing, hiking, windsurfing, carpentry and guitar playing. Key Jewish moment: My mother's death and the ensuing Shiva brought home how meaningful my Jewish heritage really is to me. My recent marriage and the birth of my son reinforced this understanding. Why I am in Kavana: I feel a strong mix of identities and want to develop them in a Jewish community. Joshua Aaron Ginzler is father to Leo Huckleberry Josh Ginzler and husband to Jennifer Melsher. He is also a community clinical psychologist and research scientist at the U.W., with an independent scientist award from the National Insitute on Drug Abuse to study substance abuse and co-occurring mental illness in high-risk youth. He serves on the Committee to End Homelessness and United Way's Board for Youth and Families. He plays in the JCC softball league. Key Jewish moment: In Jerusalem, working on my dissertation for a year, I was moved to tears from synchronistic motion of everyone around Shabbat, feeling for the first time I truly belonged. Why I am in Kavana: Kavana is my opportunity to create what I need in a community and not just trust others to do it for me. Lauren Antonoff grew up in L.A. Lauren Antonoff where she was an active participant in the Reform Movement's youth group programs at local and national levels. She served as Social Action Vice President for the Southern California Federation of Temple Youth under the guidance of the program director Dan Bridge. Lauren moved to Seattle to work for Microsoft in 1998 and remains there still. Key Jewish moment: It's a Jewish life. There are all sorts of moments! Why I am in Kavana: To help create a community experience for all ages that rivals my experience with Jewish youth groups growing up.		Suzi Levine is a mom Suzi LeVine , community volunteer and former Expedia executive. She has degrees from Brown University in English and Mechanical engineering, was the president of the Jewish Student Union at the Hillel and served in varying student counseling and lab assistant capacities. Suzi is vice-president of the personnel committee at Hillel; works on early childhood education fundraising; does marketing consulting for a number of businesses and is mom to 2 wonderful, funny, sweet and energetic kids. Key Jewish moment: Receiving the "best student" award for Hebrew school in the 7th grade. I didn't like Hebrew school; how telling is it to the state of many a Hebrew school, that the star pupil didn't like it? Why I am in Kavana: In Tzfat, I was part of a community in which we learned, worked, had fun, experienced life and grew together. I believe that if you want something you can't find or doesn't exist, you have to make it. Thus was born Kavana. Noam Pianko is the Samuel and Althea Stroum In Sitka, Alaska Assistant Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of Washington. He received his PhD in modern Jewish history from Yale University in 2004 and graduated from Brown University in 1995. American Jewish history and Modern Jewish thought are Noam's areas of expertise. Key Jewish moment:My Bar Mitzvah class that focused more on Biblical criticism, birthing metaphors, and James Joyce's Ulysses than on the creation story or the patriarchs. Why I am in Kavana: I see Kavana as committed to rethinking our assumptions about how Jewish life looks, feels, and functions. Rabbi Anson Laytner is executive director Usually, I wear glasses of the Seattle Chapter of the American Jewish Committee. He is an adjunct professor with Seattle University's Dept. of Theology and Religious Studies and former executive director of Multifaith Works. Rabbi Laytner is married to Merrily McManus Laytner, a development consultant. They share three daughters, two sons-in-law, and four grandkids. Key Jewish moment: The birth and naming of my daughter. Why I'm in Kavana: To foster new and alternative ways to practice and transmit a Jewish way of life.   Rebecca Cory Rebecca Cory makes her career in research and advocacy based on making universities accessible to people with disabilities. She is currently working as the Research Coordinator for DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) at the University of Washington. She holds a PhD in disability studies from Syracuse University and enjoys teaching about disability and cultural contexts. In her spare time she runs and bikes, plays with her two nieces, and travels often to Vancouver, BC. Key Jewish moment: Digging in the Kotel tunnels on a community service day, I took a moment to explore the tunnels by myself and felt the connection to the thousands of years of Jews who had walked in those places. Why I'm in Kavana: Judaism is what you make it to be. I like the idea of a community creating our Jewish experience together.  Jeremy Derfner is a staff writer at Jeremy Derfner the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Before moving to Seattle last year, he lived in various cities on the East Coast, doing various things, including journalism and academics. Jeremy grew up in Charleston, South Carolina, and graduated from Brown University in 1999. His hobbies include baseball, history, car trips around the U.S. and eating food. Key Jewish Moment: Every visit with my grandparents when I was a kid. They had funny accents and told great stories about Poland and Palestine and Paris and the Bronx and Davenport, Iowa and Los Angeles--all the places they had lived in search of whatever they were in search of. Why I'm in Kavana: To find a way to be Jewish that feels right to me. Sprout Hochberg is from a small Pennsylvania town Sprout Hochberg where her family was almost a third of the Jewish community. (In fairness, Sprout is one of six children.) Originally a camp director by trade, Sprout's career took a turn when she worked for a camp serving kids with HIV & AIDS. After seven years in the public schools, Sprout now is a manager with the Puget Sound Blood Center (it's like being a camp director, but with different campers). Key Jewish Moment: Walking in the door of my hometown schul and receiving my assignment for the section of the services I would be leading. As soon as you were old enough to read, you began contributing in the services. Why I'm in Kavana: To be part of a Jewish community that does more than passively participate in life. Scott Porad is a 5th generation Seattleite Scott Porad who dreams of someday living where it is sunny more often. Nevertheless, he recognizes the beauty of the place in which he lives, especially when playing golf with friends or swimming in the lake with his wife, Lisa, and children, Ari and Asher. Scott is an e-commerce consultant, real estate developer and President of the Seattle-Tacoma Board of the Jewish National Fund. Key Jewish Moment: When my Dad dragged me to sign up for BBYO. Looking back, that night was tremendously influential in the path my life has taken ever since. Thanks, Dad!! Why I'm in Kavana: To have a community for my children that will provide a strong sense of identity, literacy and fluency.

Board Emeritus - Enumerable THANKS to those who helped launch Kavana and carry it through its first year of life!

Adam Tratt has spent spent Adam & Benjamin most of his career bringing innovative ideas to life through several start-up companies and is now looking for his next big idea. He was recently Director of Marketing for Cranium, Inc., a Seattle manufacturer of toys, games and books. Before Cranium, Adam was Director of Marketing at iShip.com, Stamps.com and product manager on the Microsoft Office marketing team. Key Jewish Moments: Northeast Federation of Temple Youth was a turning point for me. As one of the only Jewish kids in my high-school, I loved getting out to meet other kids who were more like me. Why I'm in Kavana: We are inspired by Rachel's vision for an intentional Jewish community. Mike Fuller spent 14 years on the air Say "cheese!" at radio stations, KCMU (now KEXP), KJET and KidStar. He has written for everything from ESPN to the game show, Love Connection and is the creator of the Seattle Pilots baseball team Web site. These days he can be found wandering the halls at Starbucks headquarters; playing with his daughter or doing improv. Key Jewish moment: Maybe when I find a kipah that doesn't fall off my big hair? Why I am in Kavana: Most of my life has been spent in search of the next big thing and this is it!

Amy Schottenstein is from Ohio Amy Schottenstein and received her B.A. from Yale University M.B.A from The Wharton School. She is a former Director of Product Management at Edmark Corporation. She also worked in a regional theatre in Connecticut and with a film production company in New York. Amy is a member of the Jewish Family Service board and recently co-chaired their Counseling Strategic Planning Committee. Key Jewish moment: Keeping Passover in grade school and feeling very different than everyone else Why I'm in Kavana: It's about building a community where everyone is committed to finding their Jewish path and to helping each other. Elana Caplan Jassy was born in Elana & Emma L.A. and worked as a fashion designer in Tel Aviv, New York, Boston and lastly at Eddie Bauer in Seattle. Now a full-time mom to Emma and Jack, she loves volunteering and photography. Last year she participated in the 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk. This year's goals include a marathon. She goes to the Gorge every year to see Dave Mathews with her husband. Key Jewish Moment: January 15th, 1991, sitting in a sealed room in Tel Aviv, wearing a gas mask, scared and knowing that I could leave Israel, but choosing to stay for another year. Why I'm in Kavana: To create a community my family can be proud of, learn from and feel like calling home.

Copyright © 2006-2007 Kavana. All rights reserved.