Rachel CowanIJS logo

  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Lisa Zbar

646.367.5130

[email protected]

http://www.jewishspirituality.org

 

 

Institute Thrilled to Announce New Executive Director - 

Rabbi Lisa Goldstein

Lisa Goldstein
Lisa Goldstein

 

 

NEW YORK, NY, May 2011 -- The Board and staff members of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality are thrilled to announce that Rabbi Lisa Goldstein, currently the Executive Director of Hillel of San Diego, will assume the role of our Executive Director on July 5th.  Lisa will join us on June 16th at Celebrating Rachel, the event honoring Rachel Cowan and marking this transition. 

 

Lisa leaves Hillel and San Diego after 15 years, where she garnered both local and national recognition for her devotion to students and her leadership in transforming Hillel of San Diego into a model of excellence for national Hillel.  She has worked as a service learning group leader for the American Jewish World Service. And as a Mandel Jerusalem Fellow in 2010-11, she designed a new methodology for combining justice work and contemplative practice within a Jewish framework. 

 

She has been an enthusiastic participant in Institute programs since 2002.  She was in the second cohort of the Rabbinic Leadership program in 2002-03, and in the first cohort of the Jewish Mindfulness Teacher Training Program in 2010-2011.

 

The Search Committee and Board were impressed by Lisa's successful experience with institution building, by her deep understanding of the philosophy and methodology of the Institute, and by her ability to communicate the Institute's mission and vision.

 

"The deep wisdom, nurturing community, and commitment to justice that can be cultivated through IJS's core practices are vitally needed in the Jewish world today," she said. "I am so excited and honored to be charged with building on the extraordinary foundation that my teachers and mentors have established so that more Jewish leaders and communities can benefit from this important work." 

 

Rabbi Nancy Flam was the Institute's founding Executive Director.  Rachel succeeded her in 2004 and expanded the organization over the past seven and a half years.  She will now become the Institute's first Senior Fellow.  Lisa and Rachel look forward to working together to make the transition smooth and productive.

 

Board Chair Larry Schwartz has been participating in Institute programs for ten years. He says, "I am incredibly grateful about two dimensions of this transition. We have hired Lisa, who is perfectly suited to become our next Executive Director and lead us through our next phase of growth and impact. At the same time, we won't lose Rachel. She will continue to play a vital role in the Institute's programming and future."

  

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For more information or to schedule an interview with Rabbi Lisa Goldstein or Rabbi Rachel Cowan, please contact Lisa Zbar, 646.367.5130 or [email protected]

 


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