Menschwork
Compassion. Integrity. Spirit.
Menschwork, Inc. is run by a Board of Directors that we call the Wisdom Council — a group of men who have a deep commitment to our core values and to growing and supporting the Menschwork community.
Please feel free to contact a member of the Wisdom Council.
The Wisdom Council
Rabbi Shawn Zevit
Founding Member
Term expires December 31, 2025
RebShawn@menschwork.org
Rabbi Zevit is a dynamic and widely known spiritual leader, activist, liturgist, teacher, singer, author, consultant and Jewish Men’s work leader. “We’re thrilled to have Rabbi Shawn bring his many strong gifts to Mishkan Shalom,” says David Piver, Board President.
Rabbi Zevit is a 1998 graduate of The Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and has smichah from Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi of blessed memory. He is the co-founder and co-Director of the Davvenen Leaders Training Institute and trains Jewish Spiritual Directors in the ALEPH Hashpa’ah Training Program.
Shawn serves as lead rabbi at Congregation Mishkan Shalom in Philadelphia, home to several men in the Menschwork community. He is blessed to be married to Rabbi Simcha Zevit.
Yosaif August
Founding Member
Chief K’velling Officer
Term expires December 31, 2025
Yosaif@menschwork.org
Yosaif August is a leader of Jewish men’s programs, life coach, award-winning healthcare innovator, published author, keynote speaker, workshop presenter and NIH funded researcher.
Since the early ’90’s, as a co-founder of the Jewish Men’s Retreat (and later of Menschwork), Yosaif has played an influential role in co-creating a new vibrant values-based masculinity. This evolving masculinity replaces the old paradigm of patriarchy and hierarchy with one that embraces community, connection, intimacy and trust.
Yosaif’s engagement in tikkun olam has been a lifetime one – early on as a community organizer and recently as a worker bee in other people’s campaigns. He loves writing and playing music, taking nature walks with his wife and spending time with fellow mensches.
Baba Lou Haber
Connecticut Area
Term expires December 31, 2025
Baba Lou has served as a communication leader for several major businesses and two New York City government agencies. His experience comprises public relations, internal communications, television and film production, scriptwriting, journalism, and speechwriting.
Baba Lou is a certified yoga teacher (CYT 200) and has taught in many Jewish settings. Yoga led him to the practice of Ayurveda, and he is studying to be an Ayurvedic Health Counselor.
Baba Lou is a member of a modern Orthodox community as well as the Menschwork Mussar va’ad established with the Center for Contemporary Mussar.
JoJo Kottler
Vice Chair
Boston area
Term expires December 31, 2025
vicechair@menschwork.org
JoJo Kottler is a composer of Jewish prayer-songs and liturgical music. He is co-founder of Hebrew Chant Boston and has completed the Davvenen’ Leadership Training Institute and is trained as a Jewish Spiritual Director.
JoJo is a “Sacred Drummer” and teaches classes and accompanies services at synagogues throughout New England. He offers a workshop called “Drum Your Prayers,” and accompanies the worship services during the annual Jewish Men’s Retreat. He is has led online drum classes for Menschwork and currently is Co-chair for JMR31.
Michael Landau
Co-Chair
New Jersey Area
Term expires December 31, 2025
chair@menschwork.org
Michael Landau is an active volunteer in his synagogue, where he leads a special monthly Open Door Minyan that serves adults with developmental differences. In addition, Michael is active in living bridge partnership programs with various cities in Israel, the Greater MetroWest Federation (NJ) and the Jewish Agency.
Menschwork and the JMR have been an essential part of Michael’s Jewish journey for 14 years. He has attended 13 JMRs, served on a number of retreat planning teams and co-chaired several retreats. He is now on the Wisdom Council Steering Committee and was co-chair of JMR 30.
Lior Liebling
Director
Philadelphia Area
Term expires December 31, 2024
Lior Liebling attended his first JMR more than a decade ago with his father, Rabbi Mordechai Liebling, and has been a regular attendee ever since. He also has served on numerous JMR planning committees. Lior values the many friends and connections he has made through Menschwork. He particularly enjoys playing drums, singing, prayer leading, and participating in the mishpacha groups at each year’s JMR.
Lior lives in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, where he is involved with JChai, a program for people with disabilities. Lior has worked at Whole Foods Market for about seven years. He is passionate about Judaism and is actively involved at Mishkan Shalom Reconstructionist Synagogue. Lior was featured in the 2008 award-winning documentary Praying with Lior.
Bill Magaliff
Treasuer
New York City Area --
Term
expires December 31, 2024
treasurer@menschwork.org
Bill is a musician, director and Jewish educator. He has worked extensively with kids of all ages. He is the owner of BMW Productions, which provides live bands, piano music for public and private functions, and community theatrical productions.
David Reisman
Secretary
South Carolina Area
Term expires December 31, 2025
secretary@menschwork.org
David Reisman is a Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of South Carolina . His focus in both his teaching and research is cancer biology and genetics.
Originally from Chicago, David did his graduate work at the University of Wisconsin. David, along with his wife and children, moved to Israel where he was on the staff of the Weizmann Institute of Science for five years. David and his family, then to relocated to Columbia, S.C. David was the Faculty Advisor for Hillel at USC for six years. He actively participates in the USC Jewish Faculty Association.
David and his wife, Michal, along with a number of close friends, formed a Jewish Renewal-style Chavurah, “HaKerem”, that offers an alternative to the local Conservative and Reform congregations.
David Malchman
Chair
New Jersey Area
Term expires December 31, 2025
chair@menschwork.org
Harry Scheyer
South Florida and New Jersey Areas
Term expires December 31, 2025
Harry Scheyer is a former partner of a personal wealth management and financial life planning advisory firm in the Delaware Valley area of Philadelphia. He currently sits on the Rowan University Foundation Board, located in Glassboro, New Jersey. Harry formerly served as a trustee of Medford Leas, a CCRC (“Continuing Care Retirement Community “) located in southern New Jersey.
Harry lives in Delray Beach, Florida and West Berlin, New Jersey. He is married and has three adult children and four grandchildren. Harry graduated with a BAA from Temple University in 1969. Harry enjoys attending Shabbat services, reading, performing music and road biking. He is mindful of the following quote as as he travels through life: “The function of a Jew is to be a co-creator with G-d. The task of a human being is too perfect the world. Using the tools and abilities that G-d gave us.”
David Shaw
New Jersey Area
Term expires December 31, 2025
David Shaw is a writer and novelist who lives in New Jersey and has ten JMRs under his belt. Pastimes include studying mussar, kayaking and camping, woodworking, smoking meats and fish, schlepping up to Montreal to visit his daughters and complaining to those daughters about their decisions to live in Montreal.
He is active in his synagogue and can usually be found on the wrong end of most arguments on Shabbos. He is active in community food drives and banks.
Menschwork and the Jewish Men’s retreats as well as the Mishpacha groups have given a renewed sense of clarity and love to both his Jewishness and love of his brothers and sisters. He remains deeply indebted to all involved for the amazing new chapter of his life that the retreats have provided.
Allen Spivack
Boston Area
Term expires December 31, 2024
Allen lives in Jamaica Plain, Mass. with Sherry Grossman, his wife for more than fifty years.
After working in a variety of professional settings- fundraising, home renovation, stay-at-home dad, and social work, Allen now works full-time making sculpture at his studio, called OMOS Studios (the “Other Man Of Steel”). His work reflects a range of themes inspired by social justice issues, Judaism, personal experiences, or simply flights of the imagination. Allen regularly exhibits in shows throughout Massachusetts.
Allen attended his first JMR in 1994 at the Elat Chayyim Retreat Center and looks forward to attending his thirtieth retreat at JMR33. Allen was a founding member of the Wisdom Council and was an integral participant in the organization’s growth – including serving as a co-chair of JMRs 9, 14, 15, 16, 18, and 22. Over the years Allen has introduced scores of men to the JMR. Allen is already looking forward to attending JMR45 in 2036 with his grandson, Emet (who he pre-registered shortly after his birth)!
Former members of the Wisdom Council
Harold Belkowitz, 2018-2022 (Washington,D.C. area)
Ralph Benmergui, 2020-2021 (Toronto area)
Mark Dwortzan, 2017-2019 (Boston area)
Michael Evers, 2020-2022 (Cincinnati area)
Stuart Garber, 2008-2012 (New York City area)
Donald Gardner, 2014-2018 (New York City area)
Marc Jacobs, 2016-2022 (Philadelphia area)
Herb Levine, 2012-2017 (Philadelphia area)
Marc Kronisch, 2020-2021 (Connecticut area)
David Malchman, 2012-2017 (New York City area)
Michael Metelits, 2015-2017 (Philadelphia area)
Elliott Myrowitz, 2008-2019 (Baltimore area)
Lev Natan, 2008, 2019 (Massachusetts)
Simon Olsberg, 2018-2023 (Boston area)
Marty Pashelinsky, 2010-2018 (New York City area)
David Piver, 2018-2020 (Philadelphia area)
Les Picker, 2008-2009 (Maryland)
Allen Spivack, 2008-2014 (Boston area)
David Strauss, 2010-2013 (Boston area)
Cobi Waxman, 2014-2017, 2021 (Washington, D.C. area)
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Questions?
Reach out if you have any concerns to: info@menschwork.org.