Home: Jerusalem, Israel. Age: 40-something. Old enough to know better, young enough to still make mistakes. Birthplace: Silver Spring, MD. Profession: Nonprofit leader and consultant; startup CEO. Organization: Caps for Sale. Title: Chief Executive Officer. Pronouns: He/Him/His.
Current project: Building and implementing innovative educational models. Recent professional development: Completed an executive leadership program at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Latest accomplishment: Successfully transitioning from head of school to chief strategy officer at Shalhevet High School. Latest contribution to others: Established a strategic partnership with other local Jewish schools. What’s been your big (or biggest leap)? Making Aliyah to Israel with my family while maintaining my professional connection to Shalhevet High School in Los Angeles. Hobbies: Reading, fine kosher cuisine, visiting historical sites in Israel, and spending time with my family. Last book read: Leading Matters: Lessons from My Journey, by John L. Hennessy.
Personality profile: Thoughtful, innovative, principled, passionate about education, relationship focused. What one word would your closest friend use to describe you? Genuine. Moral compass: Torah values interpreted for modern times. How do you define a perfect friendship? Speaking candidly without fear, challenging perspectives with love, remaining steadfast during both celebrations and difficult moments. How do you define an ideal business relationship? Mutual respect, clear communication, shared values and a commitment to the organization above personal agendas. What is your greatest joy? Watching students grow intellectually and spiritually. What is your greatest fear? Increasing polarization in society. What word or phrase do you use far too often? It's not all or nothing.
What was your first paying job? Camp counselor at a Jewish summer camp. What was your favorite college course? Philosophy course on ethics. What book have you repeatedly read? Superbosses, by Sidney Finkelstein. What modern technology innovation do you most appreciate? Video conferencing. What’s prominently featured on your home or office wall? A framed quote from Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. Besides your parents, who has had the greatest influence on your life? Rabbi Norman Lamm z"l. What’s the best advice you received in your career? Surround yourself with talented people, hire your replacement. “Leaders create followers. Great leaders create leaders.”
What is your big idea?
Jewish educational institutions need to move beyond the siloed, competitive model and embrace collaborative partnerships.
What change are you working on to effect in your profession or field? Transforming the economic model of Jewish education. What change would you like to see in the world? A return to nuanced, thoughtful discourse where people contend with ideas they disagree with rather than dismissing them outrightly. What message do you want to send out into the world? Education isn't about filling students with information, it's about teaching them how to think critically, engage respectfully with differing viewpoints. What mega-trend most excites you? The democratization of high-quality educational content through technology.
What title would you choose for the movie about your life? Radical Moderation: Finding the Center in Extreme Times. Who would you like to spend an evening with, in heaven? Rabbi Akiva. As a kid, what did you first want to be when you grew up? A basketball player. After your loved ones, what object would you first save from your burning home? My tefillin, which connect me daily to thousands of years of Jewish tradition and identity. What advice would you give your younger self? You don't need to have all the answers or be good at everything. Sometimes, the most profound leadership comes from saying, I don't know, or I can’t do this, but let's figure it out together. What day in your life would you choose to re-live? The day we inaugurated the new Shalhevet campus. What period in your life would you do differently, if you could? My early years as an administrator.
Personal mission: To inspire nonprofits to embrace innovation while remaining deeply rooted in tradition. Favorite quote: "It is not your responsibility to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it" (Pirkei Avot 2:16).
