Our Team & Board

Professional Team

Rachael Fried

Executive Director

Rachael Fried

Executive Director

Rachael (she/her) joined JQY in 2013 and became its Executive Director in 2019. Under her leadership, the formerly volunteer-run organization has grown to a professional one with a team of eight salaried employees, a Drop-in Center in Times Square, and an operating budget of $2.1 million. She is committed to ensuring that the voices of queer Jewish individuals are heard and celebrated. Rachael received her MSW in Community Organizing from Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University, an MFA from Parsons in Transdisciplinary Design, and a BA in Studio Art from Stern College, where she served as president of the Stern student body and a Presidential Fellow. A lifelong Jewish camper, she was Division Head, Program Director, and Director of Operations at Camp Nesher. Rachael is a Wexner Field Fellow, the 2022 JPro Young Professionals Award recipient, and one of The Jewish Week’s “36 Under 36″. She lives in Washington Heights with her wife and their dog.

Dr. Jeremy Novich

Clinical Director

Dr. Jeremy Novich

Clinical Director

Jeremy Novich, PsyD (he/him), the Clinical Director at JQY, oversees JQY’s mental health, crisis, and support services, supervises clinical staff, and develops systems that strengthen care delivery. He also leads JQY’s education initiatives, designing experiential workshops that equip Jewish communal leaders, educators, and clinicians to better support queer youth in their environments.

Dr. Novich earned his doctorate in clinical psychology (PsyD) from Long Island University–Post Campus, where he concentrated in serious mental illness. He completed an APA-accredited internship at the Pace University Counseling Center in lower Manhattan and a postdoctoral fellowship in Student Counseling and Disability Services at Stevens Institute of Technology, where he also served on the Safe Zone Committee developing LGBTQ sensitivity trainings for faculty and staff.

He holds a certificate in Integrative Harm Reduction Psychotherapy from the Center for Optimal Living and previously worked as a psychologist at the Center for Motivation and Change, a premier private practice providing evidence-based treatment for people struggling with substance use and other compulsive behavior difficulties.

In addition to his work at JQY, Dr. Novich serves on the Board of Directors and LGBTQ Advisory Committee at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, advising on strategies to make the Orthodox Jewish community more inclusive. He was named one of The Jewish Week’s “36 Under 36” in 2021 for his efforts helping older adults access COVID-19 vaccines and previously served as President of the Brandeis Orthodox Organization at Brandeis University.

Anthony Merced

Director of Operations

Anthony Merced

Director of Operations

Anthony Merced (he/him) joined JQY in late 2025 as the Director of Operations and has a long history in the non-profit sector working in data, analytics, finance and digital infrastructure. In this role, he supervises day-to-day HR and office operations to keep JQY running smoothly and efficiently. His work has covered arts, culture, history and health organizations with a focus on maximizing the use of information to help decision-making at all levels.

Anthony is also an avid movie-lover, having studied film at Hunter College and currently helps to teach journalism to high school seniors through his professional soccer website at various points of the year.

Meredith Zylberberg

Director of Development

Meredith Zylberberg

Director of Development

Meredith C. Zylberberg (she/her) is thrilled to join JQY as its inaugural Director of Development. Her connection to JQY goes back nearly 10 years, when she worked at UJA-Federation of New York, and partnered with Rachael and JQY to provide funding for the Drop-In Center. In 2024, she was named JQY Champion at JQY’s Nachas Gala.

Meredith has her Masters in Social Work from Columbia University School of Social Work (2010), and has spent her career in the Jewish communal ecosystem. Outside of work, Meredith enjoys spending time with her two children, husband, and two large rescue dogs.

Joining JQY in this role feels beshert, and Meredith is beyond excited to join the rest of the incredible JQY team.

Gila Romanoff

Director of Programming

Gila Romanoff

Director of Programming

Gila (she/her) is the Director of Programming at JQY. Previously, Gila was the Teen & Community Program Manager at JQY. She received her B.A. in Fine Art from Yeshiva University and subsequently attended The Institute of Culinary Education with a focus in Pastry & Baking Arts. Gila was selected as a 2025 fellow of the UJA Ruskay Institute for Jewish Professional Leadership. In her free time, Gila loves to road trip around the USA and visit as many obscure tourist attractions as possible. Gila lives in Livingston, NJ with her husbanc, Uriel, and Step-son Christopher.

Shifra Shine

Communications Manager

Shifra Shine

Communications Manager

Shifra (she/her) is thrilled to be part of the JQY team. This is her first position in the nonprofit sector after working in the fashion industry for 8 years. Shifra has a B.A. in Communications and Television & Radio Production from Brooklyn College. In her free time, Shifra enjoys reading classic poetry, listening to pop music and picnicking with her husband, daughter and dog in local parks.

Chagit Lyssy

Development Manager

Chagit Lyssy

Development Manager

Chagit (they/them) joined JQY as the organization’s first full-time Development Manager. They bring extensive experience in nonprofit development, having worked for many years as a fundraiser in Israel, where they lived for many years. Chagit holds a B.A. in International Relations and Political Science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. They currently live in Washington Heights with their wife and son.

Maris Krauss

Program Manager

Maris Krauss

Program Manager

Maris Krauss (she/her) is the Program Manager at JQY, where she manages the daily operations of JQY’s programs. She has worked at several Jewish nonprofits and synagogues in membership and operations, and led initiatives to increase LGBTQ+ inclusion in Jewish life cycle rituals. Maris completed the UJA Ruskay Institute for Jewish Professional Leadership in the summer of 2024, where she learned with a cohort of other experienced Jewish nonprofit professionals. She is also a graduate of the Avodah Justice Fellowship and the JDC Entwine Community Representative leadership program. Maris holds a B.A. in Psychology from Ithaca College and enjoys traveling, baking, and poetry.

Tali Benkoe

Social Worker, Trans+ Lead

Tali Benkoe

Social Worker, Trans+ Lead

Tali Benkoe (they/them) is an LCSW with a dual focus on the aging population and queer youth. Tali began their career in Israel, running groups for Israeli queer teens in Jerusalem and serving as a rehabilitation counselor for adults with severe mental illness. While in graduate school, Tali recognized their passion for end of life issues and completed an internship at Memorial Sloan Kettering. At the same time Tali continued to deepen their involvement at JQY, running programming, working at the Drop-in Center and staffing the Warmline. Before joining JQY full time, Tali worked as a Palliative Care social worker with Landmark Health. Tali identifies as trans, non-binary and is in the process of completing a short film about the period leading up to their transition.

Tali completed their B.A. in Business Administration at Machon Tal (Jerusalem) and their MSW at Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College.

Haylee Feist

Program Coordinator

Haylee Feist

Program Coordinator

Haylee Feist (she/her) is so excited to join JQY as the Program Coordinator and Avodah Fellow. Haylee recently graduated from Duke University, where she studied Public Policy and Psychology. She is passionate about building welcoming communities and is eager to support JQY’s mission through creative programming and events. In her free time, Haylee enjoys making coffee, thrifting, and creating art with her friends.

Ari Wes

Digital Content Creator

Ari Wes

Digital Content Creator

Ari Wes (they/them) has been a part of the JQY team since 2021 and is excited to tap into their creative skills as the JQY Content Creator. Ari holds a BA in Elementary Education and a Master’s in Educational Theatre. They have previously been involved in queer advocacy efforts at Yeshiva University and was a member of the founding YU Pride Alliance board in 2019.

Sara Glass, Ph.D., LCSW

Clinical Supervisor

Sara Glass, Ph.D., LCSW

Clinical Supervisor

Sara Glass, Ph.D., LCSW, is the clinical director of Soul Wellness NYC in Midtown West, Manhattan, where she leads a team of clinicians who work together to implement cutting-edge therapeutic treatment in a warm and supportive environment. She completed her Ph.D. in psychology at Capella University, where she published research on the objectification of women in popular media. She has also authored a book chapter on treating the conflict between religion and LGBTQ identities as it presents in the psychotherapy arena. Glass has completed post-graduate training in EMDR, Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Collaborative Divorce. Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress (SPARCS), Art Therapy, and Sand Play Therapy. She has supervised graduate students, along with treating children and families for more than 15 years. For more info, visit drsaraglass.com.

Renanit Levy

Advancement Advisor

Renanit Levy

Advancement Advisor

Renanit Levy (she/her) is an advancement advisor who partners with a range of Jewish organizations to secure the resources they need to increase their impact; she has been working with JQY since 2020. Renanit founded R.Levy Consulting in 2016 after having worked in leadership roles in Jewish community settings for over two decades. Immediately prior, Renanit served as Director of Philanthropic Partnerships at Hazon (now Adamah); she has also worked as the Director of The Gottesman Fund and as a grantmaker and communal planner in the areas of Jewish education and identity, government relations, and health and human services at UJA-Federation of New York, as well as in admissions for The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Renanit holds a graduate degree in Jewish Communal Leadership and Nonprofit Management from the University of Michigan School of Social Work, where she was the Ernie Michel Fellow through the Federation Executive Recruitment and Education Program. She is a certified trainer in the Respectful Jewish Workplaces Initiative; a graduate of Bend the Arc’s Selah Leadership Program, which trains Jewish leaders to be effective, sustainable and collaborative agents for change; and an Affiliate of the SRE Network. She lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband and three daughters and is an avid yogini, dedicated member of two book clubs and active community volunteer.

Denah Emerson, MFA

Designer & Drop-in Center Admin

Denah Emerson, MFA

Designer & Drop-in Center Admin

Denah Emerson is a Drop-in Center admin and a graphic designer here at JQY. She received her B.A. in Art and English Communications from Yeshiva University, where she worked as the canvassing committee, ensuring fair and entertaining election processes for all. She subsequently earned a Masters of Fine Arts in Design and Technology from Parsons The New School for Design, focusing her research on digital immortality. Denah works as an artist, graphic designer, editor, and research and marketing specialist. She also works in informal education, running programs for high school students every summer. Denah embraces millennial digital nomadism as a wandering writer, performer, dance fitness instructor, financial advisor, life coach, and certified bartender. Denah is clearly a jack of all trades, master of none.

Suri Lipski

Drop-In Center Social Worker

Suri Lipski

Drop-In Center Social Worker

Suri (she/her) is an LMSW who specializes in eating disorders and supporting LGBTQ youth. She earned her BA from Stern College and her MSW from Wurzweiler School of Social Work. As a former drop-in attendee and proud member of the Jewish Queer community, Suri is passionate about helping Jewish LGBTQ youth feel seen, supported, and empowered. Suri believes deeply in the power of community and strives to create spaces where people can show up as their full, authentic selves. Outside of JQY, Suri works full-time as a therapist supporting individuals in eating disorder recovery, guiding them towards healing, self-compassion, and wholeness. In her free time Suri enjoys doing arts and crafts and spending time in nature.

Tami Adelson

Drop-In Center Social Worker

Tami Adelson

Drop-In Center Social Worker

Tami (she/her) is a licensed social worker in New Jersey and New York with master’s degrees in both Social Work and Higher Education Administration. Tami began her career in higher education and transitioned to working as a clinical therapist after the pandemic. Tami has worked with JQY on and off over the past four years and appreciates being part of the incredible JQY team and working with all of our fabulous Drop-In members.

Ollie Paneth

Drop-In Center Welcomer

Ollie Paneth

Drop-In Center Welcomer

Ollie Paneth (they/them) is the Welcomer at the JQY Drop-In Center. As a former JQYer, Olllie is glad to pay it forward and provide a friendly face at the welcome desk for new and returning participants. Ollie has experience working at various LGBTQ+ drop-in centers in New York and teaches sexual health and transgender care to tweens and young adults in the LGBTQ+ community.

Board of Directors

Andrew Belinfante

Board Chair

Andrew Belinfante

Board Chair

Andrew Belinfante is a community builder, educator, and activist. He is Senior Director of Programs and Organizational Development at JDC Entwine, where he travels the world connecting global Jews and building awareness around humanitarian aid and disaster relief work. Since 2014 he has also run abc dynamics., his consulting practice, partnering with mission-driven organizations on the strategic questions they know they need to answer and helping them build from what they find. Andrew has a Master’s of Science in Education from Bank Street College of Education. Growing up with Type 1 Diabetes and an LGBTQ+ identity pushed Andrew to center the voices of the most marginalized and vulnerable in society. He has dedicated his work towards how we can better expand, and make more inclusive, the Jewish community we live in. An avid social justice activist and lover of Torah, Andrew has appeared in Huffington Post and Tablet magazine writing about the intersections of body positivity, grief, and disability through a Jewish lens. His ELI Talk, Reconciling My Body With Tradition, has been viewed over 25,000 times. Andrew is a marathon runner, a dedicated baker, and has a deep love for learning and connecting.

Shimmy Feintuch

Secretary

Shimmy Feintuch

Secretary

Shimmy Feintuch, LCSW CASAC-G is a New York City-based psychotherapist whose practice focuses on issues of addiction and relationships. He is a professor at Yeshiva University’s Wurzweiler School of Social Work, and lectures widely on emotional wellness, mindfulness, and the intersection of LGBTQ+ issues and traditional religious values. Before joining the JQY board, Shimmy served as President of the Board at The Beis Community, an intentional and welcoming space in New York City. Shimmy brings a spirit of allyship to his work on the board, and he is committed to advocating for LGBTQ+ issues, especially in Orthodox Jewish spaces.

Jessica Rothbart

Board Member

Jessica Rothbart

Board Member

Jessica is a fierce advocate for equity across professional spaces – without exception. Her specialty is operations and HR. She is the Head of HR at The Juilliard School and has worked as the COO in an educational access organization for underprivileged, high-achieving students. She has also worked in Jewish professional spaces, from camps, to synagogues, to the US’s largest Jewish professional educators organization. She earned an MBA in Nonprofit Management and a Masters in Jewish Professional Leadership from Brandeis University, and a BS in Communication from Boston University. Jessica is married to Isaac and has twin boys, Asher and David. She lives in Maplewood, NJ.

Duvi Stahler

Board Member

Duvi Stahler

Board Member

Duvi Stahler is an award-winning marketing and communications specialist and the founder & CEO of Dryve Marketing, which specializes in start-ups and non-profits. He was previously the marketing director for an International non-profit organization, serving 20,000 members in six countries. He holds an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business and is pursuing a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from NYU. He’s also a playwright, performer, and avid tennis player.

Past Board Members

Alexandra Lustig-Elgrably*

Managing Director and Associate General Counsel at Pretium

Alexandra Lustig-Elgrably*

Managing Director and Associate General Counsel at Pretium

Alexandra Lustig-Elgrably is an Associate General Counsel at Pretium Partners. She was previously an associate at Debevoise & Plimpton and Kirkland & Ellis, where her practice focused on advising sponsors of, and investors in, private equity funds. Before attending law school, Alexandra worked for a nonprofit serving individuals with developmental disabilities. She remains dedicated to supporting organizations working to tackle our community’s greatest challenges.

Mordy Walfish*

COO, Leading Edge

Mordy Walfish*

COO, Leading Edge

Mordy Walfish is Chief Operating Officer of Leading Edge, the Alliance for Excellence in Jewish Leadership. Previously, he served as Vice President for Programs at Repair the World. As a Wexner Graduate Fellow, he completed an MPA in non-profit management from NYU. Mordy is the winner of the 2015 JPRO Network Young Professional Award and is a Schusterman Fellow. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Nathaniel Goldman*

Nathaniel Goldman is a CPA serving as the Director of Finance at the American Friends of Rambam Medical Center. Prior to joining AFORAM he worked in private client services at PwC. He received his BS in Accountancy at Oglethorpe University, and his MS in Nonprofit Management at Columbia University. Nathaniel is active in the Jewish community and currently serves as president of AJC’s Global ACCESS Board.

Issac Bar

Shimmy Braun

Sara Farber-Smigel

Rabbi Jeff Fox

George Gellis

George Gellis is the Managing Director of Gellis Law Group, a white-glove international law firm based in New York City. His firm concentrates on commercial and corporate transactions, international trade and cross-border transactions, technology and venture financing and investments. George comes to the JQY Board with a longstanding passion for LGBTQ rights. George is a founding trustee of No More Fear Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing comprehensive support to LGBTQ asylum seekers in this country.

Natasha Goldberg

Natasha has long been interested in efforts to help foster safety for all Jewish youth, especially in Orthodox spaces. In addition to her work on the JQY board, Natasha has served on several other boards for Jewish groups in her community. Natasha earned her BA in religious studies from the University of South Florida and her MSW from Yeshiva University Wurzweiler School of Social Work, and also holds a certificate in Jewish communal service. She works as a social worker at a Chicago-based not for profit, where she assists families and individuals in need relating to finances, housing, health, and other challenges.

Bob Goldfarb

Michael Greenberg

Michael is a clinical psychologist based in Los Angeles. He is the director of OCD Associates, a national practice specializing in the treatment of complex and treatment-refractory OCD. He holds a BA from Yeshiva University (where he founded the Maccabeats) and a PhD from Fairleigh Dickinson University. He and his husband, Jeremy, are active members of their Orthodox synagogue, B’nai David-Judea.

Erez Harari

Ari Katz

Ari Katz is Global Head of Products for J.P. Morgan’s Wealth Management business. He oversees a team of professionals who help clients manage, preserve, and grow their wealth through a broad offering that includes Mortgages, Trusts and Estates, Deposits and Custody, Insurance and Annuities. Ari graduateåd from Johns Hopkins University with a B.A. in Economics and Near Eastern Studies, and received his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. He resides in Riverdale, New York, with his wife and two children.

Yudi Kaufman

Chen Kelfman Knahan

Chen Kelfman Knahan joined the board of JQY in 2021, being drawn to JQY’s mission and array of programs targeted at uplifting and improving the lives of the most vulnerable members of our community. Chen is originally from Israel, and is a licensed attorney both in Israel and New York. Chen practiced International Human Rights Law in the Human Rights Foundation and the Yugoslavia War Crimes Tribunal, and corporate law for large Israeli corporations, prior to moving to California where he works for a tech startup.

Deena Klein

Deena Klein is Director of Stakeholder Experiences at Hillel International, where she stewards Hillel’s Global Leadership Society, a network of lay leaders around the globe, ensuring that there is a rich and compelling menu of opportunities and benefits for a growing pool of movement-wide donors. Prior to joining Hillel, Deena was Leadership Development Director at Chabad House Bowery. She holds a BS in Management and MSW in Social Work from Yeshiva University. Deena is passionate about creating spaces for full LGBTQ inclusion in Jewish life.

Rachel Lopatin

Isaac Namdar

Michael Rabinowitz

Jessica Rozenshteyn

Josh Sassoon

Josh (he/him) is a product designer, currently leading design and research for Google Photos. Previously he’s designed digital products at YouTube, Thumbtack, Apple, and Sony Music Entertainment. He graduated with a B.A. in art history from UCLA, where he also served as design editor and editor-in-chief for the UCLA queer newsmagazine. Outside of work he’s been involved in volunteering and fundraising for several LGBTQ+ organizations, and a long-time participant in AIDS/LifeCycle. Born in Salt Lake City to Belarusian Jewish refugees and coming out early as a teenager, he was drawn to JQY’s mission of helping youth with intersectional queer identities.

Rabba Ramie Smith

Rabba Ramie Smith is a graduate of Yeshiva University with a BA in English communications with an emphasis in television writing and public relations, and a focus on Women’s Studies. Rabba Ramie combined her training at Maharat with her experience in media, hosting and producing “The Joy of Text,” JOFA’s podcast on Judaism and sexuality for three years, and acting the executive producer at Aleph Beta, producing animated Torah videos, and hosting/producing the first season of the Maharatcast. She worked with Manhattan College’s Inside Outside programme teaching criminal justice ethics at Rikers Island Jail. She served as assistant Rabba and director of adult education and programming at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale in New York and taught Talmud at Shalhevet High School in Los Angeles. Rabba Ramie lives in London and is the co-founder and executive director of GETToutUK, the only organization in the UK focused on helping with those struggling to receive their Get (Religious Divorce).

Alan Stadtmauer

Alan is Vice President, Assessment and Intervention at Amplify Education, focusing on the development of early literacy across the US. He recently completed a two year stint on Amplify’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council helping the company thread the needle on queer representation in national curricula. Previously he served as the principal of the Yeshivah of Flatbush High School in Brooklyn, NY. He holds an MS in Computer Science from New York University and rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University’s RIETS.

Philip Teitelbaum

*Past Board Chair