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 Julia Appel is passionate about building Jewish community that meets the challenges of the 21st century — in which Jewish identity is a choice, not an obligation. Rabbi Appel spearheads Clal’s Jewish community training programs in innovation and entrepreneurship.
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.
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
Ruth Lynn Frommer
Ruth Lynn Seelenfreund Frommer was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY by young parents who hailed from Philadelphia and Brooklyn. After graduating with an accounting specialization from Wharton/UPenn, Ruth embarked on a career in Corporate Accounting.
CHIEF OF STAFF
Rebecca Leeman
Rebecca Leeman is the Chief of Staff at Clal, where she drives strategic initiatives, enhances organizational impact, and advances the mission of transformative leadership. Passionate about fostering belonging and connection, Rebecca specializes in creating inclusive spaces—whether gatherings, cohorts, or communities—that inspire meaningful engagement.
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Eliana Southworth
Eliana is an award-winning Art Director and Graphic Designer with a background in nonprofit marketing and development. She helps organizations tell their stories by elevating their visual presence and identity, fostering meaningful connections and deeper engagement with their audiences.
DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
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.
LEAP PROGRAM MANAGER.
Janet R. Kirchheimer
Janet R. Kirchheimer is Assistant to the President 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) and Seduction: Out of Eden, co-authored with Jaclyn Piudik, (Kelsay Books, 2022).