Leadership Skills for Building Spiritual Community
Meet us!
Shawn Zevit
A leader in spiritual and congregational life, organizational and congregational consulting and training, educational arts, writing, musical and liturgical recording (6 CDs), teaching, and performing. A graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and with smicha from Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, he has served congregations and havurot from all streams of Judaism with a regard for tradition and creative innovation.
He is a Mashpiah/spiritual director and Director of the ALEPH Hashpa’ah Program, author of Offerings of the Heart: Money and Values in Faith Community, and co-editor of Brother Keepers: New Essays in Jewish Masculinity. Since August 2013, Reb Shawn has been the lead rabbi at Mishkan Shalom in Philadelphia, PA.
Marcia Prager
A vibrant teacher, storyteller, ritual artist and therapist.
Reb Marcia is Director and Dean Emerita of Ordination Programs for ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal, and rabbi for the P'nai Or Jewish Renewal community of Philadelphia, PA.
She is a graduate of RRC and also received the personal smicha of Reb Zalman.
Her book, The Path of Blessing (Bell Tower 1998/Jewish Lights 2003) is an exploration of the profound spiritual wisdom that lies in the Jewish practice of blessing.
She is the creator of the unique P'nai Or Siddurim for Shabbat and High Holidays, and other innovative approaches to prayer and liturgy. She and her husband Hazzan Jack Kessler teach in an array of Jewish and interfaith settings.
Daniel Sheff
A graduate of DLTI 2, Daniel has become a core member of the DLTI staff as a teacher, shamess and soul-catcher, bringing many gifts to our collaborative work. Daniel has been a lay leader of Shabbat and holiday services, and founded a worship community in the greater Boston area. He is a physician who practices internal medicine and rheumatology, and is a graduate of A Society of Souls’ program in Kabbalistic Healing, a training in healing and spiritual awakening. He lives in Conway, MA, and shares his life with his wife Hanna Sherman and their three daughters.
Jack Kessler
Ordained as a Cantor at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, and went on to have a twenty-year career serving Conservative congregations. During that time he received a Master's degree in voice from Boston Conservatory and pursued studies in composition in the graduate department of Brandeis University. In addition to his ongoing career as a hazzan (cantor) and vocal coach, he supervises the cantorial training of students in the ALEPH Cantorial Program, and founded two touring ensembles: ATZILUT– CONCERTS FOR PEACE, a duet format of Arab and Jewish musicians performing together, and KLINGON KLEZMER, which does Jewish music from other planets.
Abbe Lyons
A graduate of DLTI-2 who received AOP smicha in 2010, Hazzan Abbe is the Jewish chaplain for Hillel at Ithaca College and on the ALEPH Ordination Programs faculty. A musician, writer and innovative liturgist, her published work includes poetry, alternative social justice haftarot and Jewish Liturgy: A Guide for Everyone. Her recording credits include Listen! (2017) with her multifaith band Resonate, Behold! (1997) and Roots and Wings (1992) with Vocolot and Household Chores (1990). She is dedicated to making Jewish music, learning and practice accessible, inclusive and inspiring.