Amazing Jewish Talent.
Breathtaking performances. Building community. This is ISJL.
Ready to bring Jewish performances, songs, stories, and scholarship to your community? Welcome to our current artist roster! To bring any of these talented teachers and artists your way, email Ann Kientz to to learn more. You can also preview some of our presenters' work by watching videos here!
Breathtaking performances. Building community. This is ISJL.
Ready to bring Jewish performances, songs, stories, and scholarship to your community? Welcome to our current artist roster! To bring any of these talented teachers and artists your way, email Ann Kientz to to learn more. You can also preview some of our presenters' work by watching videos here!
New Talent
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The Bible Players |
Eric & Happie |
Tim Lorsch |
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The Bible Players are a comedy team "Improv"-ing Jewish Lives. Since 2011 they have performed in 30 states, visiting hundreds of schools, congregations, camps, and more. From plays to stand-up shows to training workshops, they use improv and comedy to teach Jewish values. Co-Founder Andrew Davies recently received the Young Pioneers Award from the Jewish Education Project; Co-Founder Aaron Friedman has a Master’s in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary and was named “The Funniest Jew in New York” by The Jewish Week.
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Based out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Eric & Happie's warm folk harmonies and indie sensibilities shine in their debut project, It's Yours. Released in September 2016, it debuted at #11 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter Top 20. The duo has worked with many organizations including BBYO Inc., Hillel International, March of the Living International, AIJC, Limmud, and JCCA. You can also hear their show on Jewish Rock Radio “Stand Up! Sing Out!” Eric & Happie make music for all audiences and, more than anything, want you to know that their music, well, It's Yours.
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Tim Lorsch developed and performs The Suitcase, a one-man, one-hour show based on his German Jewish heritage. Through narrative and music, the performance tells of the amazing, assimilated life his relatives led in Germany around 1900, their experience of the Holocaust, how they fled the Nazis, became immigrants, and established a new life in America. All of the music is original and performed live with looping technology on violin, octave violin, and cello. This piece reflects the vulnerability, hopes, dreams, and resilience of immigrant families.
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Sara RonisSara Ronis, PhD, is a scholar of ancient Judaism, with a focus on rabbinic literature, magic and demons, and the weirder parts of Jewish tradition! She has been a scholar-in-residence at a number of synagogues, and enjoys working with many diverse audiences. Sara is an Assistant Professor of Theology at St. Mary's University in Texas, and with over three dozen lecture topics to choose from, she is a terrific choice for your community's next Scholar in Residence weekend!
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Anthony RussellTen years after making his professional operatic debut, Anthony Mordechai Tzvi Russell is now a vocalist, composer and arranger specializing in Yiddish art song and nigunim. His work in Jewish music has brought him to stages worldwide. Anthony's recently released EP in collaboration with klezmer trio Veretski Pass, Convergence, combines a century of African-American and Ashkenazi Jewish music. Anthony has several musical programs from which to choose.
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ISJL Presenters Roster
Favorites Across The Region
Rabbi Richard AddressRabbi Address is Founder and Director of Jewish Sacred Aging. His work covers several major areas: the changing faces of the contemporary Jewish family, including issues of inclusiveness and openness for people with disabilities, inter-generational caregiving, and modern medical decision-making. Rabbi Address created and continues to host a weekly radio show heard in the Philadelphia area called: “Boomer Generation Radio.”
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BatshevaSinger, songwriter, musician, and comedy writer, Batsheva sings in Ladino, Yiddish, Hebrew, and English. She is an award winning songwriter and has performed in Israel, Canada, Australia, and the United States. Based in Nashville, born in Canada, she connects with all audiences and brings laughter, emotion, history, peoplehood, and music all together in engaging, entertaining, and multi-lingual performances for everyone!
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Noa Baum Many years ago, Israeli storyteller Noa Baum began a heartfelt dialogue with a Palestinian woman while living in the U.S. In her moving shows, she weaves together their stories, creating a riveting testimony, illuminating the complex and contradictory history and emotions surrounding Jerusalem, for Israelis and Palestinians alike. She is also a gifted storyteller for families and kids.
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Joe BuchananA touring Jewish recording artist, Joe has performed in festivals and concerts, led Shabbat services, and taught workshops about joining the tribe. His music is a blend of southern soul and country charm, grounded in the belief that there is always more room at the table. Bring Joe out for a service, concert, workshop, or an entire weekend of Americana with a Jewish Soul. His debut album, Unbroken, was produced by Saul Kaye and is available everywhere.
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Rabbi Michael CookRabbi Cook is the Bronstein Professor of Judeo-Christian studies at HUC and the ONLY rabbi in America with a Full Professorial Chair in New Testament. He travels widely, discussing his book, Modern Jews Engage the New Testament, addressing Jewish and Christian audiences. His lectures are engaging, enlightening and fun! A Rabbi Cook scholar in residence weekend is easily shared with a sister Church and/or nearby university.
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Dr. Eric GoldmanDr. Eric Goldman is one of the world’s foremost scholars of Jewish, Yiddish and Israeli cinema. He is adjunct professor of cinema at Yeshiva University and film critic for New Jersey's “The Jewish Standard.” A noted film educator and historian, he has lectured across North America and around the world. Dr. Goldman uses film as text to explore the changing nature of Jewish life over the last century, using film clips to illustrate how film reflects the Jewish experience.
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Dave GoldsteinYou may recognize comedian Dave Goldstein from one of his many appearances on Late Night with Conan O’Brien! His stage act, which has been praised by The NY Post and The Asbury Park Press is a blend of original intelligent writing and inspired live riffs. He has opened for Dennis Miller and performed for our troops - and recently delighted the attendees of the ISJL's 2016 Education Conference! He'll get your community laughing just as hard when he comes your way.
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Roger GrunwaldThe Mitzvah Project is a combination of theater, history lesson, and conversation in which actor and child of survivor, Roger Grunwald, explores one of the most shocking aspects of the Jewish experience during the Second World War. This dynamic one man show will have your congregation or organization in awe and talking for days about the powerful performance.
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Todd HerzogTodd Herzog takes the raw material of life experiences and creates soulful, spiritual, acoustic music. Bridging the Gap won the award for “Best Jewish Album” in the Just Plain Folks Music Awards. His album for children, Everyday Blessings, was distributed nationwide by PJ Library. He's the creator of the Desert Gathering Jewish Music Fest, and has performed at URJ Biennials, CAJE, Hava Nashira, Unity and New Thought churches, as well as various other venues. He would love to be a resident artist in your town!
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Joel HoffmanDr. Joel Hoffman brings the Bible to life with his "fresh insights and interpretations about religious life in the 21st century." A popular speaker, he presents to churches, synagogues, community groups, and university audiences across the world. He holds a Ph.D. in linguistics and has served on the faculties of Brandeis University and Hebrew Union College. He has authored many books and was chief translator for the 10-volume series, My People's Prayer Book(winner of the National Jewish Book Award).
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Saul KayeSaul Kaye is an international touring artist whose music takes the listener on a journey from Torah to the Delta. Imagine Shlomo Carlebach meets Muddy Waters. Saul is the Pioneer of Jewish Blues! Saul is available for concerts, Shabbat and holiday workshops, and Artist in Residence weekends. His music is accessible, thought-provoking, originally beautiful and just plain FUN! He is also a champion for other Jewish musicians, producing and assisting with others' albums and endeavors.
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Steve KerbelSteve Kerbel is an independent education consultant in the Greater Washington DC area, and has been involved in Jewish education, formal and informal, youth group, camp, day school and congregational school for the last 30 years. For a lovely Saturday night program for adults, ask for a wine tasting featuring Israeli wines the geography of diversity of Israel through its wines and wine makers! Who doesn't love a program with wine?
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Jane LarkinJane Larkin speaks on the subjects of intermarriage, Jewish continuity, building a Jewish home, Jewish parenting and more. Her book From Generation to Generation: A Story of Intermarriage and Jewish Continuity has been praised by Kirkus Reviews as “an enlightening, encouraging take on the complexities of religious intermarriage." She has several lectures from which to choose, and she is also happy to create something unique for your congregation.
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Eliana LightAn award-winning songwriter and educator, Eliana empowers people to make Judaism their own through experiential education, song, and prayer. She has released two albums of original Jewish music: A New Light and Eliana Sings (About Jewish Things!). Her songs have been featured by PJ Library. Eliana has performed and taught throughout the United States. She is the author of Hebrew in Harmony, and received her MA in Jewish Experiential Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary.
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Andrew LustigAndrew Lustig is a Jewish Spoken Word artist and a Jewish identity writing workshop facilitator. Films of Andrew’s poetry have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times. From 2013-2015, he delivered Spoken Word keynotes at the JFNA General Assembly, the USCJ Centennial, the URJ Biennial, the JNF National Conference, the Hillel International Global Assembly, the BBYO International Conference, and at Limmud UK. Andrew conveys memorable, meaningful messages accessible to all ages!
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Doug MishkinDoug Mishkin is a singer-songwriter whose songs and voice fill the Jewish community and the world of American folk music. Starting out as a NFTY songleader, he recorded two albums of his own music. He has also recorded music with such folk legends as Peter Yarrow, Tom Paxton, Tom Chapin, and more. Yarrow says he has “seldom sung with someone who is so heartfelt, empathetic, and who carries on the tradition of folk music with such sensitivity and taste.” Doug is available for a concert or coffee house, offering "Music with a Message."
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Josh ParshallDr. Josh Parshall is the ISJL's Historian. He served as Oral Historian from 2009-2013, then enrolled at the University of North Carolina to pursue a Ph.D. in American Studies. The intersection of politics and Jewish identity is one of his areas of interest. His research has been published in the journal Southern Jewish History and presented at the annual meetings of the Southern Jewish Historical Society, the American Studies Association, and the Association for Jewish Studies.
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Eleanor Tallie SteinbergEleanor has been performing and running workshops for JCCs, temples, summer camps and Jewish federations all over the country since she moved to the US in 2013. Born and raised in Israel, she has toured Europe and America with over 250 shows. Performances can include original Soul/Jazz/R&B songs in English; original Hebrew songs and covers; and Middle-Eastern inspired Jewish melodies she grew up on, Eleanor showcases a dynamic and extremely unique experience in her performances.
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There Are Jews Here (Film)There Are Jews Here follows the untold stories of four once-thriving American Jewish communities that are now barely holding on. Most American Jews live in large cities where they are free to define themselves in any way they wish. But almost invisible to most of the country are a million Jews scattered across far-flung communities. For them, Jewish identity is a daily urgent challenge; without vigilance, they and their legacies could fade away forever. A discussion guide is a available with the film.
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Rabbi Deborah ZecherRabbi Deborah Zecher
Rabbi Zecher was ordained by and received her Doctor of Divinity from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. A member of the Adult Cabaret Workshop at the Berkshire Music School, she has studied and performed at the National Cabaret Conference at Yale University. In 2014, she became the Rabbi Emerita of Hevreh of Southern Berkshire. Her program "Broadway Bible" links familiar Bible stories with beloved Broadway show tunes. From liturgical programs with cabaret flair to Broadway hits with a Jewish twist to a night of Jewish women composers-- Rabbi Zecher will delight! |