Tribe 12 Fellowship 2023 Launch Book

Accelerating social impact

Tribe 12 Fellowship 2023LAUNCHBOOK

I have sat in many rooms where folks worry about the future of the Jewish people. They cite statistics about the drop in synagogue membership and shrinking numbers of movement affiliations. In these rooms, I say you don’t know the young Jews that I know, you don’t see the incredible vibrancy of Jewish life that is flourishing.

This amazing group of Fellows is the perfect example of why I have so much confidence in the future of the Jewish people. For example—Sarah Gordin is bringing theater to children in Philadelphia who historically have not had access to it; Sophia Barrett is exploring how to bring an equity lens to fundraising; Brett Richman is figuring out how to teach leadership in compelling and relevant ways. These are just a few examples of the 11 incredible ventures the Fellows are working on this year. This group of Fellows is pushing for equity, creating holy spaces, and making second language retention more accessible.

I had the gift of spending a weekend at the Jersey Shore with this group, learning, singing, and playing alongside them. I can say with confidence that the Jewish future is bright in their hands, and I am better for having known them.

This has been a year of a lot of transition for Tribe 12, and for the Fellowship especially. I want to extend a huge thank you to Rabbi Lonnie Kleinman, who stepped in to support this group as their Fellowship coordinator and has poured so much love into the community. I want to thank every coach and peer who has stepped up to support these amazing Fellows. To the trainers, the board members, and the staff, it takes a village to run this program and we have a great village here at Tribe 12.

To Alissa, Brett, Dave, Elyssa, Evan, Jamey, Lex, Sarah, Simha, Sophia, and Yigdal—I am in awe of you! Thank you for being open and present in this experience and we cannot wait to see what you will continue to create and build!

Rabbi Megan GoldMarche Executive Director, Tribe 12

“The Tribe 12 Fellowship has been an opportunity to make time for something I’m passionate about and have an aptitude for, that I find exciting and rewarding, and can share as a resource with others. The Fellowship has helped remind me why I love working with others and supporting their personal and professional development. The best part? The cohort. These are people that have been such a pleasure to get to know and grow alongside as we work towards actualizing our ventures.”

—Brett Richman

MEET THE FELLOWS

Standing, left to right: Jamey Roberti, Dave Freedman, Sarah Gordin, Rabbi Elyssa Cherney, Brett Richman, Yigdal Raphael. Seated, left to right: Evan Brand, Sophia Barrett, Lex Horwitz, Simha Toledano, Alissa Kushner

Pronouns: she/her

Sophia Barrett

Reconstructing Philanthropy

Coach: Rachel Dukeman

Peer: Ariella Y. Werden-Greenfield, class of ‘15

Sophia is Assistant Director of Individual Giving at Reconstructing Judaism, the central organization of the Reconstructionist movement. Originally from South Florida, Sophia has been working in development and the arts for 10+ years. She earned her master’s in theatre from Villanova in 2015 and has been working in the nonprofit sector since. She currently resides in South Philadelphia with her husband, dog, and two kitties.

Reconstructing Philanthropy applies reconstructionist values to equity in philanthropy to lower barriers of involvement and center the voices of those most impacted by injustice. Community conversations about our relationship with money and realities of wealth inequality can shift our model to include the egalitarian values that are so central to a Reconstructionist approach.

sbarrett@reconstructingjudaism.org

“philanthropists who want to help progressive Jewish communities better align money and values.”

The biggest thing I need right now is...

Evan Brand

Hive76

Coach: Matt Pincus

Peer: Jess Creane, class of ‘20

Evan has been an accountant for the last four years and a maker for the last five. Starting as a member, he joined the board of Hive76 in 2022 and has worked to help expand the space and its community.

Hive76 is a member-run, nonprofit makerspace dedicated to providing tools and training for its members and community. From woodworking to digital fabrication, they offer the resources for individuals to take their idea and turn it into reality.

“Working toward advancing one’s goals is a difficult task but made markedly easier flanked by those who share a similar vision.”

The biggest thing I need right now is...

“funding to help expand the physical footprint of the space.”

Pronouns: he/him

Elyssa Cherney

Tackling Torah

Coach: Bari Joy Epstein

Peer: Carly Zimmerman, class of ‘14

Elyssa serves as a rabbi and spiritual guide with organizations like 18Doors, Reconstructing Judaism, and Honeymoon Israel. She is driven to ensure all Jews have access to meaningful Jewish communities and learning. Elyssa helps families navigate the joys and challenges of bringing different religious and/or cultural identities to the table. She is grateful to her partner Alan and kiddos Ava Jane and Zeke for supporting her in this work.

TacklingTorah guides everyday people (Jews and those who love them) through significant life moments using a Jewish framework and education. By helping people find meaning at moments of transition in their lives, TacklingTorah makes Judaism and holiness accessible to all as a spiritual guide. The organization works primarily with millennials, Gen z, interfaith families, and unaffiliated Jews.

The biggest thing I need right now is... Growth

tacklingtorah.com @tacklingtorah

@tacklingtorah @tacklingtorah

Dave Freedman

Elevated Film Productions

Coach: David Diamond

Peer: Matt Bussy, class of ‘21

Dave is a Canadian-born Architect at Foster + Partners, a worldrenowned firm. After refining his creative aesthetic while part of the team designing Philadelphia’s new Penn Hospital and the Comcast Technology Center, he’s now leading the design for PGA TOUR’s new broadcast facility. While producing 3D renderings and turning them into captivating virtual-reality fly-through videos, he discovered his skills naturally translated into cinematic drone films, leading him to found Elevated Film Productions.

Elevated Film Productions was born to captivate viewers with beautiful moments. A full-service film studio, it specializes in single-shot drone films that tell a story—whether that’s a client’s story, a product’s story, or simply something that reframes and elevates viewers to new perspectives that allow them to see the beauty all around us.

The biggest thing I need right now is...

“a partner who can help extend my reach to audiences, clients, and film industry executives.”

Pronouns: he/him

Sarah Gordin

Philly Children’s Theatre

Coach: Deborah Baer Mozes

Peer: Liat Kovnator, class of ‘19

Sarah is a director and theatre/dance educator who has taught all over the world. She fell in love with storytelling through reading and now focuses on telling stories in creative and imaginative ways for and with young people. Sarah is currently the early childhood/ lower school theatre movement arts teacher at Germantown Friends School. She loves combining her passion for theatre with education, creating pathways for children of all backgrounds to experience the arts.

Philly Children’s Theatre is a touring theatre for young audiences that expands access to the arts for Philadelphia children. We focus on educational, financial, and geographical access and inclusion, with a special focus on theatre for children with disabilities. Shows are offered on a pay-what-you-can rate and toured around to community partners to eliminate any financial or travel barrier. Shows are performed by adults and created with child input through theatre, dance, and art workshops with our various community partners.

“a pro-bono lawyer for nonprofit incorporation.”

The biggest thing I need right now is...

Lex Pe’er Horwitz

Lex Horwitz Consulting LLC

Coach: Natania Malin Gazek

Peer: Davinca Nemtzow, class of ‘18

Lex is a passionate, queer, non-binary, transgender, Jewish LGBTQ+ educator, consultant, and public speaker. Lex received their B.A. in psychology and gender, sexuality, and women’s studies from Bowdoin College, where they competed on the varsity men’s squash team and became the first out transgender athlete in all of collegiate squash, and the first out transgender athlete to compete at Bowdoin.

Lex Horwitz Consulting LLC supports communities in creating inclusive, welcoming, and safe environments where everyone can thrive. Lex works with educational institutions, nonprofits, medical centers, and businesses through LGBTQ+ training and educational workshops, creating inclusive policy and providing feedback and action steps to address areas of growth for people of all ages and backgrounds. By providing judgment-free safe spaces, Lex helps people become effective allies in action to the LGBTQ+ community.

info@lexhorwitz.com

The biggest thing I need right now is...

“new clients: nonprofits, schools, corporations, higher ed, religious spaces, medical institutions, etc.”

Pronouns: they/them

The biggest thing I need right now is...

Alissa Kushner

Linguál

Coach: Scott Aronow

Peer: David Kieve, class of ‘17

Alissa is an engineer, traveler, and lover of people and culture. Her appreciation for Spanish language and culture began with growing up outside Miami and later spending months living in Mexico City. Inspired by her experiences in these places, Alissa is trying to bring the relevance and ease of learning Spanish to Philly.

Learning a language is hard, but maintaining it can be even harder.

Designed for people who already speak Spanish at an intermediate to advanced level, Linguál allows Spanish “maintainers” to join groups based on shared interests and hobbies. Each one is a cohortbased program designed to build community, accountability, relevancy, and fun into maintaining Spanish language skills.

“This fellowship has empowered me to take a risk and test an idea in the real world for the first time. Everyone—Fellows, peers, coaches, facilitators, and beta testers—has been incredibly supportive throughout the process and I can’t thank them enough.”

Early @lingualphilly

Pronouns: she/her

“fluent Spanish speakers who could facilitate a class for a small stipend.”

Yigdal Raphael

The Science of Flameworking

Coach: Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer

Peer: Natalyia Eidelman, class of ‘17

Yigdal is a flameworking glass artist, specializing in the production of functional home goods and custom Judaica. Born and raised in Philadelphia, he was introduced to flameworking in 2011 while completing undergraduate studies at Indiana University. Over the past decade, Yigdal has studied under world-renowned artists such as Sally Prasch and Robert Mickelsen, as well as spent years unwaveringly dedicated to self-taught learning in pursuit of developing his own voice in the medium. He believes strongly in the power of building community through ritual and cherishes making things that bring people together!

The Science of Flameworking is a live performance art experience that explores the world of flameworked borosilicate—glassblowing with a torch—through an interactive educational presentation. The program aims to entertain and introduce young people to the wonderfully endless possibilities of the craft through a sciencecentric curriculum developed in coordination with Philadelphiaarea educators.

The biggest thing I need right now is...

“Funding to secure the equipment necessary to present safely and effectively.”

Pronouns: he/him

Pronouns: he/him

Brett Richman

Tandem

Coach: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

Peer: Molly Wernick, class of ‘13

Brett has spent his career working with people-serving Jewish agencies and looks to continue that work, focusing on leadership and program development, long-term planning, and organizational stability. He returned to Philadelphia in early 2022 and has no plans to leave. Brett spends his time prioritizing his health (both physical and mental) and pursuing nerdy tendencies, which include, but are not limited to, TV/movies, pop culture, anime, comic books, food/coffee/beer, and of course Philadelphia sports (including the Temple Owls, for better or worse). As he continues settling into Philadelphia, he hopes to meet someone and lay down roots in the next phase of his life.

Tandem is a tailored and scalable leadership and professional development service. By getting to know you better, your interests, learning style, areas of strength and growth Brett creates a personalized experience to support you. One-on-one and/or group sessions, ongoing check-ins, and support at regular intervals, gives you the space to break old habits and create new ones.

“potential clients and networking with other people working in the professional development space.”

The biggest thing I need right now is...

Jamey “Numoon” Roberti

Rapping for Unity: A Jewish hip hop community-building project

Coach: Matt Bar

Peer: Ami Yares, class of ‘16

Jamey is a first generation American with dual Israeli citizenship. He holds a master’s in education with a focus on diversity, inclusion, and learning development in higher education. He has been rapping for eighteen years.

Rapping for Unity is a hip hop album with songs addressing various topics such as Jewish and non-Jewish Black relations, diversity in the Jewish experience, and more. The mission of creating and promoting this album is to show a proud Jewish rapper, heal miscommunications between Jews and non-Jewish communities, and repair fear and lack of Jewish representation in hip hop.

soundcloud.com/cr-jamison

@numoon9523

The biggest thing I need right now is...

“funding to record songs, purchase background music, and film a music video.”

Idea

Simha Toledano

Jewish Healing Arts Fair

Coach: Mindy Shapiro

Peer: Jess Edelstein, class of ‘15

Simha , or Simi, is a National Guild-certified consulting hypnotist, ritualist to be ordained by Kohenet Hebrew Priestess Institute, and award-winning filmmaker and theater artist. Born and raised in/ around Philadelphia, Simi is a first-generation American and queer social justice activist who was raised orthodox and descends from Sephardic, Mizrahi, and Ashkenazi lineages. They believe in the healing power of loving yourself, the people, and the land.

The Jewish Healing Arts Fair is the kick-off event for the Jewish Center for Healing, Ritual, and Culture in Philadelphia. Come remember the ancient healing practices of Jewish peoples across space, time, and land. We will have healing on site: massage therapy, herbalism, blessings from a rebbetzin, astrology, divination, meditation, song and music, yummy food, and much more.

Pronouns: she/they

“I feel so grateful for this fellowship experience. It has been the perfect container for me to incubate my big idea, make meaningful connections, and grow as a person and entrepreneur.”

“$10,000 to finance event costs.”

The biggest thing I need right now is...

“The Fellowship has been a refreshing reminder that growth happens when you leave your comfort zone. It has been a blessing and an honor to share that transformative experience with my cohort.”

—Yigdal Rafael

ALUMNI

Our 130+ Tribe 12 Fellowship alumni are dedicated members of our community who ‘pay it forward’ by returning as volunteers, notably by volunteering as a peer—an alum matched with an incoming Fellow—or by serving as a sponsor of tonight’s event! Tribe 12 hosts quarterly social events for alumni where they can connect personally and professionally well after their Fellowship ends.

2023 Peers:

Ariella Y. Werden-Greenfield Feinstein Center for American Jewish History, Temple University, Associate Director (‘15)

Jess Creane IKantKoan Play/s, founder (‘20)

Carly Zimmerman Larson Lightning Protection and Partner, Vice President and Studio Zimm, Parnet (‘14)

Matt Bussy Philadelphia Jewish Film and Media, Program Director (‘21)

Liat Kovnator BZBI Synagogue, Director of Membership Engagement and Outreach (‘19)

Davinca Nemtzow Kaneel, Founder and CEO (‘18)

David Kieve Haifa, community builder (‘17)

Natalyia Eidelman PVRPOS, Head of Marketing (‘17)

Molly Wernick Repair the World, Senior Director of National Partnerships (‘13)

Ami Yares BuildaBridge International & Singer/Songwriter, Executive Director (‘16)

Jess Edelstein Neurodiversity Advocate and Entrepreneur (‘15)

To browse all of our alumni, visit tribe12.org/fellowship-alumni

COACHES

Coaches are volunteers who work one-on-one to provide handson, tactical support to Fellows as they develop their ventures. Fellows meet with their coaches to discuss big-picture strategy and workshop challenges. As established professionals from a variety of fields, coaches lend their expertise to Fellows and the program at large, creating a learning community that leverages diverse talent and knowledge in service of social innovation.

2023 Coaches:

Rachel Dukeman Owner, R&R Creative

Matt Pincus Pincus Elevator Company, President

Bari Joy Epstein Penn Hillel, Director of Institutional Advancement

David Diamond Screenwriter

Deborah Baer Mozes Theatre Ariel, Founding Artistic Director

Natania Malin Gazek Founder & Principal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Consultant

Scott Aronow E. Scott Aronow Coaching and Consulting, Owner

Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer Jewish Learning Venture, Chief Program Officer

Miriam Steinberg-Egeth Hadar, Strategic Manager

Matt Bar Rappers & Rabbis, Director

Mindy Shapiro MindyShapiroArts: Papercutting, Zentangle®, Book Arts

“The Tribe 12 Fellowship plays such a critical role in our community year after year. Serving as a coach is a meaningful way to support the development of our Fellows. It is exciting to help them take on challenges and build their capacity to serve their clients, customers, and the greater community.”

Scott Aronow, Alissa Kushner’s coach

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Rachel Cohen Einstein Healthcare Network, Digital Merchandising

Kimberly Decker Kehillah of Old York Road, Director

Rachel Dukeman R&R Creative LLC, Founder

Rabbi Bonnie Goldberg RapidFire Tools, Marketing Manager

Matt Handel ExpressCells, CEO

Carolyn Hochstadter E. Carolyn Hochstadter Dicker LLC, Managing Attorney/Owner

Frank Lindy Lindy Property Management Company, Partner

Jacob Lindy Lindy Property Management Company, Property Manager

Lisa Lord Lisa Lord Consulting, Executive Coach

Julie Meyers Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLC, CMO

Angela Myers The Lighting Practice, Lighting Designer

Matt Pincus Pincus Elevator Company, President

Stacey Pass Prieto The Goodman Group, Assistant Manager

Ed Rivkin Galaxy Manor Sales, President

Mara Swift 70 Faces Media, Managing Editor

Adam Wodka Catharine Street Consulting, Principal (‘16)

Carly Zimmerman Larson Lightning Protection, VP of Business Development (‘14)

Emeritus Board

Annabel Lindy, Tribe 12 Founder*

Philip Lindy, Tribe 12 Founding President*

Rabbi Howard Alpert*

Michael Belman

Judge Harold Berger

Irving Borowsky*

Richard Lee

Sherrie Savett

Laurie Wagman *deceased

“The Tribe 12 Fellowship has strengthened the Philadelphia Jewish community by developing future Jewish leaders and incubating dozens of successful Jewish businesses and nonprofits. The Fellowship provides a unique platform for Jews in their 20s and 30s to build a Jewish life and community they are proud to be a part of!”

— Carly Zimmerman ‘14 , Tribe 12 Board Member and Elyssa Cherney’s Peer

Photo: Paulina Koyfman

THE FELLOWSHIP PROCESS

THREE PHASES OF THE PROGRAM:

WHY

Fellows explore their vision and strategic environment.

WHAT

Fellows develop a sound social business model and test it through prototyping.

SEMINARS

classes taught by trainers ensure the transfer of core design thinking and business development skills

LAUNCH NIGHT

teaches networking and pitching skills and introduces the venture to the public

CLUSTERS

bring peer groups of Fellows together to workshop challenges

VENTURE MILESTONES

The Modules

push Fellows to practice business elements

HOW Fellows gain the tools to plan and manage operations, finances, and fundraising.

coaches, peers and subject matter experts provide guidance, feedback, and make network connections

allows Fellows to deliver their pitches to stakeholders, friends, and community members in order to get feedback

PITCH NIGHT MENTORSHIP

Mazal tov to the incredible 2023 Fellows from the GoldMarche Family!

Sponsored by Repair the World in honor of their staff Molly

Mazal tov from Joy Stember (‘13) Metal Arts Studio

Wernick (‘13) and Sam Sittenfield (‘22)

3rdGEN BLINDS

We’ve got your windows covered!

Sponsonship by sisters and alumni Jess Bird (‘18) and Aleeza Ben Shalom (‘13), star of Netflix’s Jewish Matchmaking

Eric Dale

Eric The Puzzler

Eric is a designer, photographer, writer, and street art journalist who’s been self-employed for six years as Eric Dale Creative LLC. This is the seventh Launch Book he’s made for Tribe 12, his first client! Now, he’s also working on a side venture...

Eric The Puzzler is an experience design business that creates unique and serendipitous puzzle experiences. Escape rooms built into the real world, public space activations, boundary-pushing online challenges—whether it’s a public event or a private commission, each project helps people explore their surroundings in a fun way.

The biggest thing I need right now is... Pronouns: he/him Growth ericthepuzzler.com

“media coverage to help grow my audience.”

“Tribe 12 generously offered me a sponsorship section and I asked if I could be creative. Many thanks to them for allowing this silliness—and for being my oldest client!”

@ericthepuzzler

101 S. Independence Mall E. Philadelphia, PA 19106 267-652-0088

Mission

Tribe 12 connects people in their 20s/30s to Jewish life and community in Philadelphia today so they will choose to stay connected tomorrow.

Why we’re here

We are here to engage 20s/30s who have a Jewish connection in our city. We are here to guide them to Jewish communities, organizations, and experiences. We are here to enrich their experiences, build community, and help them sustain a Jewish life long into the future.

Who we serve

Tribe 12 is a community for those who are Jewish, whose partner is Jewish, or who are exploring Judaism in their life. We seek to include all individuals regardless of gender or identity expression, religious history and practice, health and disability whether visible or invisible, and financial circumstances.

@tribe12phl @tribe12philly yo@tribe12.org tribe12.org

Cover photo by Trev Adams. All other photos by Yael Pachino Photography unless otherwise noted.