Clal’s Team
Get to know us! Find out more information about each person, including contact information, by clicking “Read More.”
PRESIDENT
Rabbi Brad Hirschfield
Listed for many years in Newsweek as one of America’s “50 Most Influential Rabbis,” and recognized as one of our nation’s leading “Preachers & Teachers,” by Beliefnet.com, Fox News regular contributor, Washington Post blogger, and think tank President Brad Hirschfield is the author of You Don’t Have To Be Wrong For Me To Be Right: Finding Faith Without Fanaticism (Harmony, 2008).
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
Rabbi Elan Babchuck
Rabbi Elan Babchuck is committed to leaving behind a world that is more compassionate and connected than the one he found. In pursuit of that commitment, he serves as the Executive Vice President at Clal, the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, and the Founding Executive Director of Glean Network, which partners with Columbia Business School. He was ordained in 2012, and earned his MBA that year, as well.
PRESIDENT EMERITUS
Rabbi Irwin Kula
Rabbi Irwin Kula is a disruptive spiritual innovator and rogue thinker. A 7th generation rabbi he is Co-President of Clal–The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership a do-tank committed to making Jewish a Public Good.
SENIOR DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION
Rabbi Julia Appel
Rabbi Appel creates and leads Clal’s Jewish community training programs in innovation and entrepreneurship, including the on-the-ground program “Spark” and the graduate course for rabbinical and cantorial students “Leading Through Innovation.”
DIRECTOR OF LEADERSHIP FORMATION
Rabbi Joshua Stanton
Joshua Stanton is Rabbi of East End Temple in Manhattan and a Senior Fellow at Clal. He serves on the Board of Governors of the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations, which liaises on behalf of Jewish communities worldwide with the Vatican and other international religious bodies.
DIRECTOR OF PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATIONS
Shelli Aderman
Shelli Aderman, she/her has been fortunate to work as a theatrical stage manager, Jewish educator, and synagogue administrator for over thirty years.
CONTROLLER
Sarah Boudjelta
Sarah Boudjelta has joined CLAL as Controller as of the beginning of October. She is originally from Paris, France, where she grew up and graduated with a bachelor’s degree and an MFIM (Masters in Finance and Real Estate Engineering) from ESP Paris campus (the École Supérieure de Professions Immobilières) in 2017.
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Aliza J. Kaplan
As Director of Development, Aliza J. Kaplan manages the financial operations of the organization, and her responsibilities include financial and legal issues, budgeting, investing, and human resources.
CLAL TEACHING FELLOW, ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENTS, AND LEAP PROGRAM MANAGER.
Janet R. Kirchheimer
Janet R. Kirchheimer is a Clal Teaching Fellow, Assistant to the Presidents, and LEAP Program Manager. A poet, essayist, creative writing teacher, and filmmaker, she is the author of How to Spot One of Us (2007, Clal).
CLAL ASSOCIATE
Rebecca Leeman
Rebecca specializes in organizational behavior, people analytics, and culture and is deeply passionate about helping Jewish organizations flourish. Currently, at Clal, she is building an offering centered around supporting Jews in the Workplace in the form of Employee Resource Groups.
CLAL ASSOCIATE
Rabbi Randy Brown
Rabbi Randy Brown obtained his B.A. in Jewish Studies and Business Administration from the University of Florida in 1995. While living in Israel, Rabbi Brown completed his MBA at Bar-Ilan University and assisted many Israeli high-tech companies with marketing and business plans.
ASSISTANT EDITOR OF THE WISDOM DAILY
Lela Casey
Lela Casey has a BA in International Politics from Penn State and a BA in Elementary Education from Rhode Island College. After teaching for several years, she began pursuing a career in writing.
CLAL ASSOCIATE
Tehilah Eisenstadt
Tehilah Eisenstadt is a Clal Associate and Rabbinic Intern, including serving as a coach for The Belonging Project. Tehilah has spent the last 15 years serving as a Director of Education in synagogues, day schools, and JCCs across the denominational spectrum throughout New York City’s five boroughs. In those roles, Tehilah focused on deepening the emotional resonance of educational experiences, creating a leadership pipeline through staff mentorship, and enabling Jews who felt they didn’t belong to connect with Jewish community.