Assistant Director, Glean Network

Taj M. Smith

Taj is a theologian, writer, and advocate, who is fascinated by the intersections of faith, justice, and identity. For Taj, innovation happens when a community holds these three things at the center of what it’s trying to build, and he sees this reflected in the work of the Glean Network and is thrilled to be part of this team. Taj draws inspiration from music and literature, and also plays guitar and has been refining this skill for over 20 years.Read More

Director of Innovation

Elan Babchuck

Rabbi Elan Babchuck is a rabbi and an entrepreneur and spends much of his time exploring the rich intersections between these two traditions, and the abundant possibilities therein. He’s committed to leaving behind a world that is more compassionate, connected, and just than the one he found, and – in pursuit of that commitment – he is the Founding Director of Glean Network, an incubator and network for entrepreneurs who are building new models of faith in action, and Director of Innovation at Clal, a think-tank focused on the future of faith in America.Read More

Clal Faculty

Rabbi Julia Appel

Rabbi Julia Appel is known for creating welcoming and diverse Jewish spaces for exploration and empowerment. Ordained by the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College, she is passionate about creating Jewish community that meets the challenges of the 21st century – in which Jewish identity is a choice, not an obligation. She recently founded the start-up Bina Community Circles, a new spiritual project fostering Jewish personal flourishing and communal change through deep relationship-building circles. Read More