RABBI JOSH JOSEPH
Rabbi Joseph is the Vice President of Yeshiva University and the Chief of Staff to President Richard M. Joel. In addition to managing the Office of the President and working with administration, academic and lay leadership, he directs the Presidential Fellowship in University and Community Leadership, leadership as well as several task forces focused on adding creativity and innovation to the University.
A native of Montreal, Rabbi Joseph completed his undergraduate degree with honors at the University of Pennsylvania. He received rabbinic ordination from YU-affiliated Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, while simultaneously completing a Master’s in Jewish philosophy at YU’s Bernard Revel Graduate School. He also completed fellowships at NYU’s Wagner School of Public Administration sponsored by the Muehlstein Foundation and UJA Federation, NY, and Harvard’s Institute of Higher Education.
Rabbi Josh Joseph previously worked as a trader on Wall Street, a pulpit rabbi, and served as the Executive Director of the Orthodox Caucus. Before joining the YU administration, Josh served as Director of Special Projects for Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future, where he developed his passion for social entrepreneurship that informs his daily work.
RABBI AARON LEIBOWITZ
Rabbi Leibowitz serves as Deputy to the President of Yeshiva University for Philanthropy and Community. In this capacity, he guides the President’s development strategy and advances the vital partnerships between Yeshiva University and Jewish communities around the world.
Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz received a bachelor's degree from Sy Syms School of Business and rabbinic ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary at YU. Previously, Rabbi Leibowitz served as Director of the Department of Community Initiatives at Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future and worked for several synagogues, crafting creative and inspirational community programs.
RABBI HANOCH TELLER
Rabbi Teller is a globe-trotting modern-day maggid known as the “King of Storytellers”. He has lectured extensively on five continents, in 40 American States and 24 other countries delivering a message of unity, hope and inspiration. Rabbi Hanoch Teller is a gifted award-winning orator, prolific author. producer, educator and master teacher whose critically acclaimed books (27, at last count) have sold over a quarter million copies worldwide and have been translated into five languages.
For more than 25 years, Rabbi Teller’s talks-- imbued with joy and drama, laughter and pathos--have provided an experience that his listeners cherish forever.
MRS. JULIE JOSEPH
Julie Stern Joseph is an adjunct instructor in Jewish History at Stern College for Women and has taught for over ten years in Jewish high schools, including most recently SKA, HALB’s high school for girls, Midreshet Shalhevet and Yeshiva University High School for Girls (aka Central). She is the Scholar-in-Residence at Congregation Beth Sholom in Lawrence, has published the autobiographical “Am I My Mother’s Daughter”, runs the Library and its programming at Camp Morasha, has two Master’s degrees, runs a household with three energetic children and still managed to read 100 books this past year!
MRS. YAEL LEIBOWITZ
Yael Leibowitz serves on the Judaic Studies faculty of Stern College for Women and as the Senior Fellow and Tanakh Program Coordinator for the Graduate Program for Advanced Talmudic Studies (GPATS) at Stern. Prior to joining the faculty at Yeshiva University, she taught Tanakh for seven years at Ramaz and served as an Israel guidance counselor. A graduate of Stern College, Mrs. Leibowitz has a Masters Degree in Judaic Studies from Columbia University. She has lectured extensively throughout the tri-state area and around the country.
MRS. SHARON MAZEL
Sharon Mazel is co-author with Heidi Murkoff of the New York Times bestselling What to Expect book series, including the popular What to Expect When You’re Expecting; What to Expect the First Year; What to Expect the Second Year; What to Expect Before You’re Expecting; Eating Well When You're Expecting; What to Expect Babysitter Handbook; and What to Expect Pregnancy Organizer and Journal. Sharon is also a consulting editor, writer, and blogger for WhatToExpect.com. Sharon’s articles have appeared in The Washington Post, Parenting Magazine, BabyTalk Magazine and other publications. A former television news producer and writer at NBC, FOX, and WPIX, Sharon holds a Masters degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and is a graduate of Barnard College, Columbia University. She and her husband live in Silver Spring, Maryland with their four daughters.
DR.RONA MILCH NOVICK
Rona Novick, PhD is the Director of the Fanya Gottesfeld Heller Doctoral Program at the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration at Yeshiva University and Clinical Professor of Child Psychology at North Shore Long-Island Jewish Medical Center. Dr. Novick also serves as a senior mentor for the Hidden Sparks program, providing consultation to day schools and Yeshivot. Dr. Novick developed the Alliance for School Mental Health at North-Shore Long Island Jewish Medical Center and served as its director for eight years, authoring the BRAVE bully prevention program for schools.
Dr. Novick is a frequent and much sought after speaker for both professional and general audiences. Her wit, warmth and engaging style, coupled with extensive knowledge in the fields of psychology, parenting, education and family life have earned her recognition nationally. She is the author of a book for parents: Helping Your Child Make Friends, and editor of the book series Kids Don’t Come With Instruction Manuals. Dr. Novick has made numerous appearances on local and national television and radio, and, as the mother of three sons, she credits much of her knowledge and skill to on the job training.
New Singing Sensation Amram Adar will be Joining Us!
Amram Adar seems to have burst onto the Jewish Music scene and taken us by storm! Amram is as versatile of a vocalist as we’ve heard. His voice is polished and full, and his range is amazing as well. Amram shows us he excels in singing both fast and slow songs. He can sing Ashkenaz, Sefard, Yeshivish, Chasidish, and Chazanus, and all of these really well. His debut album, Baruch Hashem, has become a hit album. We have the honor of having Amram joining us this year.
Watch his sensational video here, which has already received almost half a million hits!