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.
Archives: Team
Josh Zimmerman, LCSW
Josh Zimmerman obtained his Master in Social Work from Wurzweiler School of Social Work, with a concentration in Group Work. Josh is passionate about supporting and counseling families and youth, through which he utilizes a Strength Based Approach, advocacy and problem solving skills. Through assessments and engagement, Josh focuses on useful relationship-building techniques, coping mechanisms and self-discovery. As an active member of JQY’s Young Adult programs and living in the NYC queer community, Josh joined the Drop-in Center team with the hope of giving back to the next generation of LGBTQ youth and young adults. Josh currently serves as a medical social worker in Rogosin Institute West Side Dialysis.
Ari Weitz
Ari Shane Weitz is a graduate of Lander College for Men with a B.A. in psychology. Ari has worked in education, advertising and marketing, talent and management, and currently in operations and event production. He started working with JQY in 2015 helping with the start of the drop-in center. After getting engaged in 2018, harsh criticism from the Orthodox Jewish community led him to write “Is Our Happiness Not Worth A ‘Mazal Tov’?” for the Jewish Week, as well as a follow-up article “One Year ‘Out’: Finding Acceptance, Encouraging Support.” He is active on social media with his husband, promoting a positive look into a same-sex Jewish marriage as well as LGBTQ activism. He works for the Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center as the operations and event manager.
Isaac Namdar
Isaac Namdar is an ENT surgeon and the managing partner in a successful practice in New York City. He is a first generation immigrant from Iran. Following his wedding to his husband Andrew, he was outed to his congregation of origin and became the center of much ongoing discussion about the crossroads of homosexuality and Sephardic Jewish traditions. He has written a book about his experiences and has lectured nationwide about growing up gay in a Sephardic community. He has served as mentor to numerous young men and women in their coming out processes. Isaac and Andrew are also on the board of Lambda Legal, Jeffery Fashion Cares in NYC, and Connecticut Cares in Westport, CT.
Bob Goldfarb
Bob Goldfarb is president of Jewish Creativity International, a nonprofit that works with Jewish arts and culture projects. He has long experience in media including public radio, the recording industry, and newspaper publishing. Bob is a member of the Jewish Center synagogue in Manhattan, writes book reviews for the Jewish Book Council, serves as a mentor for PresenTense, and is the men’s davening coordinator for the independent minyan Darkhei Noam.