"If you know Alef ,
teach Alef"
Tell us about your background:
I attended the University of CA, Irvine where I double-majored and
received a B.A. in Spanish and Social Ecology. Thereafter, in 2012 I received
my Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. I am a licensed attorney
in Los Angeles specializing in criminal defense. From October 2014- July 2018,
I served as a Deputy Public Defender for Los Angeles County, representing those
in L.A's indigent community facing criminal charges.
How did you end up at Mayanot:
I attended Mayanot during the Summer session of 2018. While I was
initially only supposed to drop in on classes for a few days, I loved the
program and the people so much, that those few days turned into the entire five
week summer program.
What do you feel you gained on the program:
Mayanot has strengthened my foundation of Jewish knowledge and
increased my desire to continue to learn and grow and share the knowledge I've
received.
After completing an undergraduate and graduate degree, as well as
working for several years, in so many ways my time at Mayanot just tops
everything. You're learning about life, you're learning about your soul, you're
meeting incredible people, and that is worth the world. What a gift to receive
guidance and direction before choosing a path. I am giving my personal
guarantee that you will be so happy about your decision to take the time as an
act of self-love.
What will you take away with you:
The education I received at Mayanot has provided me with life
perspective and reinforced my ability to prioritize the things that are
important to me. I saw firsthand what it means to teach Judaism with complete
love. I witnessed true acts of chesed (kindness) both in and
outside the classroom.
My experience at Mayanot this summer gave me the courage to begin
to bring back knowledge of what I've learned to my community in Los Angeles. I
am planning to start teaching a class 1-2x a month starting next week. I hope I
am blessed with the opportunity to return to Mayanot to continue my
learning.
