2024 Tribe 12 Fellowship Launch Book

Accelerating social impact

Tribe 12 Fellowship 2024LAUNCHBOOK

Photo: Yael Pachino

Dear friends,

In the weeks following October 7th, our primary concern at Tribe 12 was the sense of uncertainty and fear that we heard from so many constituents. We know that our community is essential to address the isolation that many young people have felt over the past seven months.

There is no question that this has been a hard year for young Jewish adults and for many others around the globe. Yet, amidst these challenges, I want to share the optimism I hold for the future of the Jewish people, whose resilience and determination are illuminating paths of connection and solidarity.

Our new cohort of Fellows embodies this spirit. They are championing connection, fostering sacred spaces, and enhancing accessibility to community support networks, among other endeavors. Watching this group evolve and connect over the past four months has been a gift and a poignant reminder of the power of community. Witnessing their dedication to their ventures and to one another has left me profoundly inspired. I am convinced that the Jewish future shines brightly in their capable hands, and I am grateful for the opportunity to journey

alongside them. I cannot wait to follow each of their paths in the coming years, which is one of the gifts of our Fellowship Alumni community.

This year, Danielle Selber returned to the helm of the Fellowship and I know I am not alone in saying that this has been a gift to me and to the Fellows. Danielle’s commitment to each Fellow and their growth is unparalleled and an honor to watch. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the coaches, peers, trainers, board members, and staff who have contributed their time and expertise to nurture this community.

To Shira, Jessie, Abrielle, Jenny, Jessica, Ed, Alex S., Matthew, Marlee, Alex B., Rachel, and Sara—your dedication and passion are truly awe-inspiring. Thank you for your openness and commitment to this journey. I eagerly anticipate witnessing the continued impact of your endeavors.

With deepest appreciation,

Rabbi Megan GoldMarche Executive Director, Tribe

12

“Being a part of the 2024 Tribe 12 cohort has truly been a lifechanging experience. Despite the relatively short period, we managed to build a tight-knit community that I am grateful to be a part of. The Fellowship has been a great source of inspiration for me, as I have witnessed everyone’s individual progress and growth. Their ventures have taught me that success is possible with dedication, passion, and a willingness to learn. I am grateful for the example they have set and the encouragement they have given me along the way.”

—Alex Spielman, 2024 Fellow

Photo: Chris Kendig

MEET THE FELLOWS

Top row: Sara Schmuckler, Alex Braslavsky, Ed Johnston, Rachel Yakobashvili

Middle row: Jenny Oswald, Shira Collings, Jessica Charwin, Marlee Waleik

Bottow row: Matthew Saul Pohubka, Alex Spielman, Jessie Duke, Abrielle Fuerst

The biggest thing I need right now is...

“connections with people that may be interested in having me officiate a ceremony.”

Pronouns: she/they

Shira Collings

Reclaiming Ritual

Coach: Heather Shafter

Peer: Naveh Barlowe (‘20)

Shira is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Miscarriage and Bereavement Doula, and Certified Jewish Lifecycle Ceremonialist. She specializes in providing LGBTQ+ and neurodiversity-affirming eating disorder therapy. Shira is passionate about using ritual to transform experiences that are often isolating or unrecognized into opportunities for connection.

Reclaiming Ritual provides ceremonies honoring life experiences that are not commonly recognized in our culture. Ceremony can be a powerful way of honoring the important moments in our lives, surrounded by the warmth of friends, family, and community. It can also be a way to feel grounded in our cultural roots and heritage. The most common ceremonies in Western culture are baby welcoming rituals, coming of age, weddings, and funerals, but there are so many more milestones that can be commemorated. Some examples include gender transition, pregnancy loss and infertility, mental health recovery, discovering neurodivergence, and even pet adoption.

reclaimingritual.com

shira.collings@gmail.com

Jessie Duke

Bendichas Manos

Coach: Shelby Zitelman

Peer: Simha Toledano (‘23)

Jessie is a community builder and ritual artist who creates spaces for self-inquiry, empowering others to deepen their relationships with themselves and their lives. Her decade-long healing journey crystallized the importance of slowing down, tuning in, and maintaining a practice that anchors one to their center. Cacao became a part of her daily routine five and a half years ago and she continues to reap its benefits each day. She believes that a heartcentered life transforms our lives, our communities, and the world.

Bendichas Manos (‘blessed hands’ in Ladino) is a community that curates ceremonial drinking cacao and experiences as a reminder of the power we have to shape our lives. Rooted in her Sephardic heritage and the ancient, heart-opening Mayan fruit, Jessie’s personal journey through illness inspires her advocacy for a simple daily cacao ritual that fosters grounding, openness, and deeper connections with oneself, loved ones, ancestors, and the earth.

bendichasmanos.co

@bendichasmanos

@bendichas.manos

jessie@bendichasmanos.co

The biggest thing I need right now is...

“founding members & organizations to help establish and grow our online community offerings.”

she/her

Pronouns:

Photo: Anthony Tulliani

The biggest thing I need right now is...

“contracts for speaking engagements and self-defense workshops at the corporate/national level.”

Abrielle Fuerst

Wandering Fighter, LLC

Coach: Tracey Specter

Peer: Morgan Berman (‘14)

Abrielle is a writer, trauma-informed martial arts instructor, and founder of Wandering Fighter, LLC, a woman-owned self-defense and empowerment company. She has been teaching martial arts since she was 15, and now travels the country running women’s empowerment programs. Abrielle is a relentless community builder and effervescent nomad, who currently calls Philly home.

Wandering Fighter provides self-defense and empowerment workshops (for women, from a woman!) across the country, though heavily concentrated within our Jewish communities. Additionally, we offer martial arts programming for kids as young as three through adulthood, trauma empowerment seminars, and public speaking engagements to help people build through something impossible in a positive way.

Pronouns: she/her Advanced wanderingfighters.com @wanderingfighters @wanderingfighter

abrielle@wanderingfighters.com

linkedin.com/in/abrielle-sarahfuerst-007886a5

Jenny Oswald

Go with Jenny O

Coach: Sherri Edelman

Peer: Lindsay Tabas (‘18)

Jenny is a lifelong Philly suburb resident, an avid reader, a fan of group fitness classes, a Swiftie, and above all else, a world traveler. She is a certified Project Management Professional who currently works as a Project Manager at Placemakr. Jenny believes that getting out into the world and seeing new places, meeting new people, and learning about other cultures, is not only incredibly fun, but also incredibly important.

Go with Jenny O is a fully customizable travel planning and consulting service that helps people travel in a way that works for them. Budget or luxury; domestic or international—Go with Jenny O encourages everyone to travel and #useyourpto. This can range from simple research around the best location to visit within a certain budget, to a detailed itinerary about exactly which restaurants and activities to book each day. “Know someone

linkedin.com/in/jennyoswald3194 gowithjennyo@gmail.com

she/her gowithjennyo.com @gowithjennyo

“wholesale relationships and retail sales growth opportunities.”

Jess Charwin & Ed Johnston

Cultura Coffee

Coach: Peter Kestenbaum

Peer: Amy Zitelman (‘14) and Alissa Kushner (‘23)

Jess and Ed are partners in business AND in life. Jess is a marketing and communications star with a decade of experience. In her free time she is an aspiring polyglot and amateur chef. Ed began his career as an underwater welder and now works as a computer programmer. As a throughline, he has always found himself happiest as a craftsman, building things.

While working in Colombia, founders Jess and Ed encountered a coffee culture and a brew that was unlike anything they had experienced. This inspired the idea for Cultura Coffee, a retail and wholesale purveyor of specialty Colombian coffee that would leverage their connections to bring remarkable coffee and coffee culture to their city, and positive change to their communities.

Alex Spielman Spielman

Photography

Coach: Bob Vogel

Peer: Yael Pachino (‘19)

Alex resides with his wife and their nine-month-old son in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. He enjoys spending quality time with his family, traveling, and creating baby food recipes. He currently works full-time as a Software Engineer.

Spielman Photography LLC specializes in close-up portraits of wildlife and pets. Alex’s impressive bird portraits have earned him numerous accolades, such as placing in the top three of a national wildlife competition. Additionally, four of his images were selected from a pool of over 700 applicants by the local government of Sunrise, FL, to adorn the walls of their newly constructed City Hall. Alex is a philanthropist who donates 10% of his profits to animal organizations he supports. He volunteers for PAWS, taking pictures of cats and dogs for adoption. You can find Alex working his tent at local art festivals.

spielmanphotography.com

@aspielmanphotography

@spielman_photography

linkedin.com/in/spielmanphotography

alex.spielman@spielmanphotography.com

The biggest thing I need right now is...

“contacts interested in a bulk purchase of wall art photography as decor.”

Pronouns: he/him

The biggest thing I need right now is...

“a restaurant project manager to help start up and manage my first restaurant concept.”

Pronouns: he/him

Matthew “Saul” Pohubka

Anonymous By Saul Coach: Matt Pincus Peer: Dave Fine (‘13)

Saul is a chef who holds a Bachelors in Culinary Arts and has 12+ years of back-of-house experience. He has worked in kitchens producing Israeli, Lebanese, Georgian, and modern American cuisines, but his mastery is in the art of pasta, bread, and pizza making. Saul always had a passion for helping Philadelphians facing food and housing insecurity, inspired by the Jewish values of Tikkun Olam (“repairing the world”) and Haachalat Re’evim (“feeding the hungry’’). He regularly delivers boxes of food across Philly through the Jewish Relief Agency (JRA).

Anonymous by Saul is a restaurant group concept. The first restaurant’s menu will feature stella and neapolitan-style pizza with seasonal ingredients—and occasionally a rotating tasting menu, especially around Jewish holidays. The restaurant will give back to Philadelphians facing food and housing insecurity by donating a portion of revenue to local nonprofits and offering “pay what you can” meals to those in need.

@anonymousbysaul mpohubka@gmail.com

linkedin.com/in/matthew-pohubka

Marlee Waleik

Jewish Artists Collaborative of Philadelphia

Coach: Mindy Shapiro

Peer: Zoe Penina Baker (‘22)

Marlee is a childcare provider and is about to start her 3rd year as a resident in the Philadelphia Moishe House. Marlee is at her best when she can daydream, banter, and problem solve with her buddies. She loves music, film, and theatre that is wacky and eccentric—and her background in the performing arts continues to fill her daily life.

The Jewish Artists’ Collaborative will curate a space for artists across all mediums to collaborate on new works, workshop unfinished individual projects, and provide moral support for peers in an increasingly isolating and discouraging professional environment.

“The Tribe12 Fellowship has been an incredible motivational tool for me to start work on what I thought was just a pipe dream. I’ve been given solid resources and tools to continue growing my venture!”

@marleewaleik

marleewaleik@gmail.com

The biggest thing I need right now is...

“$20,000 to launch this venture and connections to local young artists interested in getting involved!”

Pronouns: she/her

The biggest thing I need right now is...

“money for a rehearsal space, stipends for the cast, marketing, etc.”

Pronouns: he/him

Alex Braslavsky Immersive Theatre Experience

Coach: Sharon Geller

Peer: Aimee Goldstein (‘21)

Alex is a performer, educator, and producer. He has been teaching improv for almost a decade to both adults and young people, and is now excited to create immersive experiences for people in Philadelphia. He has trained, performed, and taught all around the country including in Baltimore, New York City, Seattle, Phoenix, Buffalo, and Providence.

An Immersive Theatre Experience going up later this year. There was a prototype in September as part of Philadelphia Fringe Festival (the show ended up winning Best Comedy & Improv award!) and now the work is to turn it into a full production.

“I’ve made 11 Jewish best friends! I couldn’t be happier!!”

braslavskyalex@gmail.com

Rachel Yakobashvili

Dinah

Coach: Michelle Eisenberg

Peer: Elisa Heisman (‘12)

Rachel currently serves as the Director of Programs and Partnerships at Dinah and she is passionate about ending all forms of systemic violence and oppression. Professionally, she is most excited by strategic planning and visioning as well as improving program evaluation practices to better measure social impact and inform future decision-making.

Dinah, an organization that came out of the Tribe 12 Fellowship just a few years ago, serves Jewish survivors of domestic violence in the Greater Philly region through advocacy, education, and legal representation. Ready to scale its operations to meet the growing demands of the work, Dinah needs connections to donors, grantmaking organizations, foundations, and other funding opportunities to make this growth possible!

dinahphilly.org

@dinahphilly

@dinahphilly

@dinahphilly

linkedin.com/company/dinah-philly

rachel@dinahphilly.org

The biggest thing I need right now is...

“donors willing to commit $36/month.”

Pronouns: she/her

Sara Schmuckler

On Your Voice LLC

Coach: Rebecca Etter

Peer: Sophia Barrett (‘23)

Sara is a licensed speech language pathologist who specializes in voice. She works part-time in the Rehabilitation Department at Jefferson University Hospital and full-time as a mother of two littles, Talula and Thomas. She currently resides with them, her husband, Seth, and Rosie, their yellow lab, in Elkins Park, PA.

On Your Voice specializes in training professionals and organizations in the art and science of effective voice usage. At our core is a belief in the transformative power of voice. By providing tools for authentic expression, we aim to instill individuals and teams with confidence and empowerment that will help them grow as professionals. Through physical voicework, we amplify your metaphorical voices, promote inclusivity, and drive innovation.

“The Tribe 12 Fellowship community is an unbelievably supportive interconnected community. This experience has been humbling and empowering, emotional and invigorating, but most of all, rewarding. I’m grateful to ALL who made this opportunity possible.”

—Sara Schmuckler, 2024 Fellow

Photo: Chris Kendig

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.

2024 Coaches:

Heather Shafter COO of BRODYpro and co-author of Life of Libby

Shelby Zitelman Senior Vice President Of Business Development, Zitelman Partners

Tracey Specter Executive Coach, You Matter

Dr. Sherri Edelman Founder and Executive Coach, Triune Wellness

Peter Kestenbaum Managing Partner (retired), 1099Partners

Bob Vogel Retired entrepreneur

Matt Pincus President, Pincus Elevator Company

Mindy Shapiro Owner, MindyShapiroArt

Sharon Geller Actor/Voice Over Artist/Comedy Improv Team Building, SG Entertainment

Michelle Eisenberg Executive Director, Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts

Rebecca Etter Chief Marketing Officer, Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia

“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, Longtime Coach

Photo: Chris Kendig

ALUMNI

Alumni, representing 150 Fellows from 13 cohorts since 2011, are some of the most dedicated members of Tribe 12’s community. The alumni ‘pay it forward’ after their Fellowship experience, often through volunteering as a peer for an incoming Fellow. A peer acts as a bookend for their Fellow, welcoming them to the community and helping them prepare for Launch Night. Tribe 12 provides ongoing opportunities for alumni to connect both personally and professionally well after their Fellowship ends.

2024 Peers:

Elisa Heisman (‘12)

Dave Fine (‘13)

Morgan Berman (‘14)

Amy Zitelman (‘14)

Lindsay Tabas (‘18)

Yael Pachino (‘19)

Naveh Barlowe (‘20)

Aimee Goldstein (‘21)

Zoe Penina Baker (‘22)

Simha Toledano (‘23)

Alissa Kushner (‘23)

Sophia Barrett (‘23)

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

“It’s refreshing to collaborate with budding entrepreneurs through the Tribe 12 Fellowship. Their fresh perspectives on business and eagerness to learn from seasoned founders are invigorating. Through our weekly checkins, I’ve come to appreciate Jenny’s joyful enthusiasm for growth, new knowledge, and experimentation. It’s a pleasure to be part of her journey!”

— Lindsay Tabas ‘18, Founder of LearnProductMarketFit.com and Jenny Oswald’s Peer

Photo: Chris Kendig

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Rabbi Isabel De Koninck

Kimberly Decker Vice President

Rachel Dukeman President

Rabbi Bonnie Goldberg

Matt Handel Treasurer

Carolyn Hochstader

Frank Lindy

Jacob Lindy

Rachel Lindy

Julie Meyers

Angela Myers

Stacey Pass Prieto

Matt Pincus

Ed Rivkin

Mindy Shapiro

Stefannie Tapper

Carly Zimmerman Vice President

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 , Fellowship Alumna & Board Member

Photo: Chris Kendig

“Way beyond the Fellowship helping with my venture, it connected me with a community I didn’t know I needed!

I love the pseudo-version of “Jewish geography” that occurs throughout the Fellowship: between your fellow cohort members, the alumni network, and the dedicated staff and volunteers, we all know someone who could help someone else with an aspect of their venture. It’s beautiful!”

—Rachel Yakobashvili, 2024 Fellow

Photo: Chris Kendig

THE FELLOWSHIP PROCESS

SEMINARS

classes taught by trainers ensure the transfer of core design thinking and business development skills bring peer groups of Fellows together to workshop challenges

WHY

Fellows explore their vision and strategic environment.

WHAT

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

THREE PHASES OF THE PROGRAM: HOW

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

LAUNCH NIGHT CLUSTERS

VENTURE MILESTONES

MENTORSHIP

coaches, peers and subject matter experts provide guidance, feedback, and make network connections teaches networking and pitching skills and introduces the venture to the public

The Modules

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

push Fellows to practice business elements

PITCH NIGHT

SPONSORPRESENTING

SPONSORPRESENTING

SPONSORPRESENTING

SPONSORPRESENTING

TRAILBLAZING SPONSORS

Acrisure

Bonnie Goldberg and Bob Vogel

Carolyn Hochstadter, Managing Attorney of E. Carolyn Hochstadter Dicker LLC

Peter and Sharon Kestenbaum

Rachel and Jacob Lindy

COMMUNITY SPONSORS

Ed and Stacey Rivkin

Heather Shafter, Author of the new book Life of Libby

MindyShapiroArt

Poconos Lake Rentals

Rabbi Megan and Paige GoldMarche

Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld LLC

Samuel Sittenfield

Studio Zimm Architecture & Design

Mission

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

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 ActionVance via Unsplash. All other photos by Alex Spielman unless otherwise noted.