1. When were you at Hadar?

I was part of the Hadar year long fellowship program from September 2014 to May 2015

2. Where are you now (physically)? 

I live in Williamsberg Brooklyn (the hipster part not the Hareidi part!) 

3. What are you up to now?

I’m still committed to bringing music and meaning to people’s lives. Spreading a message of self-love and commitment to self reflection through music and sacred moments. 

4. Is there a beautiful piece of Torah from your Hadar days that you keep close to your heart?

It was several years ago now so much of my memory is foggy, but one memory that comes to mind is Reb Elie teaching how the Avot prayer is mainly made up of quotations from various lines of torah and so that there’s an argument to be made that the inclusion of the imahot, as most liberal daveners now do, in some way pulls away from the power of every line being an extraction from the original lines in Torah. I thought it was interesting that we often think we’re doing the responsible thing by acknowledging marginalized people into our prayers, but that in some ways doing so obfuscates the original intent.

5. If you could describe your experience at Hadar in one word what would it be (feel free to elaborate beyond a single word)?

Knowledge expanding

6. How have Torah and mitzvot changed your life (post Hadar)? 

I have actually pulled further away from Torah and Mitzvot in the traditional sense since my days at Hadar. I find my torah now in self-reflection. I realized that I was spending so much time chasing wisdom from Torah and chazal and not listening enough to the wisdom within, to the still small voice that is always calling out through me, and recognizing that there was a deep resource of untapped torah stored within me.

7. Is there a time this past year when Hadar specifically came to mind? 

I have a strong memory of Dena leading Hallel and I keep the sound of her voice close to mind whenever I have a chance to lead it myself.