Mira, we’re so excited to get to learn more about you and welcome you to our community! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hi everyone! I’m moving to Boston from Philadelphia, where I’ve lived for the past two years. I grew up right outside Philadelphia, then ventured to Washington, DC for college and then to Chicago post graduation to participate in the Avodah Service Corp. I’ve spent the last 3 years working in education, both in Jewish ed and special ed contexts. Outside of work, I love doing art projects, reading, playing board games, and learning in chevrutah (partnership).

What has your professional work life been like so far?

During my time as a corps member with Avodah, I served as a case manager for individuals experiencing homelessness, assisting them in securing benefits and meeting their essential needs. After Avodah, I joined Mishkan Chicago’s Mensch Academy as a Jewish educator. Upon returning to Philadelphia, I taught at HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy. Recently, I’ve been at Makom Community in Philadelphia, where I’ve reconnected with my love for Jewish education.

What are you excited about in this role, and about TBE in general?

I am inspired by how TBE takes their values outside of the direct community, bringing youth into meaningful engagement with the larger world and using Jewish tradition to expand our collective sense of connection and responsibility. This beautifully reflects the important connection between learning and action. Lilmod v’laasot, “learning and doing.” This value is at the heart of my Judaism.

You’ve been working in this new role for a few weeks at this point. What’s your vision for this role? Where are you hoping to take it?

Since being with TBE for a few weeks, I am already so inspired by how tikkun olam is embedded into the fabric of everything that TBE does. I hope to connect students to thick Jewish learning that strengthens their commitment not just to community service but to a sense of deep responsibility, interconnectedness, and empowerment. I hope to offer them Jewish tradition to inspire them to use their lives and voices to help make the world a better place!

Is there anything else you’d like to share with the TBE community?

I am deeply excited about the opportunity to integrate Jewish learning with tangible actions for social good in my role at TBE. Having immersed myself in TBE’s environment over the past few weeks, I’ve been inspired by how deeply tikkun olam is ingrained in our culture.