​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!

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ISJL Presenters Roster
Favorites Across The Region

Batsheva​
Singer, songwriter, musician, and comedy writer, Batsheva sings in Ladino, Yiddish, Hebrew, and English. She is an award winning songwriter and has performed worldwide. 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!

Joe
​Buchanan
A 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 room at the table. Bring Joe out for a service, concert, or weekend of Americana with a Jewish Soul. His debut album, Unbroken, was produced by Saul Kaye and is available everywhere.

The
​Bible Players
"Improv"-ing Jewish Lives since 2011! 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. 

Joel
​Chasnoff
Joel Chasnoff, stand-up comic, author, Internet-TV-Show host, and creator/host of the forthcoming Podcast, “Interesting Jews.” His mission is simple: to bring people together through laughter. Because when we laugh together, we are together — even if we’re not able to be in the same room. He has performed at more than 1,000 Jewish events in 10 countries, and more than 200 clubs and colleges across North America.

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Rabbi Joshua Garroway
 Rabbi Joshua Garroway, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Early Christianity & the Second Commonwealth at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR). He earned his doctorate from the Religious Studies Department at Yale University and was ordained by HUC-JIR. He is available to speak on a variey of topics on Christianity + Judaism, a perfect fit for partnering with your local churches!

Eric Goldman
Dr. 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.

Dave Goldstein
You may recognize comedian Dave Goldstein from his many appearances on Late Night with Conan O’Brien! His stage act is a blend of original intelligent writing and inspired live riffs. He has opened for Dennis Miller,  performed for our troops, and has performed on The Comedy Network, Sirius/XM Satellite Radio, and The National Lampoon Radio Network. He'll get your community laughing just as hard when he comes your way. 

Shelly Goldstein
Shelly Goldstein is a dynamic performer who has been compared to Liza Minelli and Bette Middler! She has multiple performance options, including JEWISH BROADWAY, an ever-evolving one-hour-show where she sings some of the amazing Jewish contributions to the "Great American Songbook,” featuring favorites like Irving Berlin, Gershwins, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Kander & Ebb, Carole King, and more! 

Joel
​Hoffman
Dr. Joel Hoffman brings the Bible alive with "fresh insights and interpretations about religious life in the 21st century." He has delighted and enriched churches, synagogues, and university audiences across the world. He holds a Ph.D. in linguistics and has served on the faculties of Brandeis University and HUC-JIR. 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
​Kaye
Saul Kaye is an international touring artist whose music takes the listener on a journey from Torah to the Delta.  Hailed as 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.

​Jane
​Larkin
Jane 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.

Eliana
​Light
An 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, and she's performed and taught throughout the U.S. She is the author of Hebrew in Harmony, and received her MA in Jewish Experiential Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary.

Rabbi Rachel
Mikva 
Rabbi Dr. Rachel S. Mikva is the Herman E. Schaalman Chair in Jewish Studies and Senior Faculty Fellow of the InterReligious Institute at Chicago Theological Seminary.  With a passion for justice and academic expertise in the history of scriptural interpretation, Rabbi Mikva's courses and publications address a range of Jewish and comparative studies, with a special interest in the intersections of sacred texts, culture and ethics.  

Tim
​Lorsch
Tim Lorsch performs The Suitcase, a one-man, one-hour show based on his German Jewish heritage. Through music and story, the performance shares his relatives' lives in Germany, 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. The piece reflects the vulnerability, hopes, dreams, and resilience of immigrant families.  

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Benji
​Lovitt
Comedian Benji Lovitt’s observations on Israeli society, combined with his lifelong involvement in Jewish education, create a hilarious narrative that has brought smiles to faces all over the world.
Since making aliyah in 2006, Benji has shared his hilarious insights into cultural differences as he translates both the challenges and marvels of life in Israel. Known for his “finger on the pulse” musings, many count on Benji for their online morale boost during both the good times and the bad.

Peter
​Maer
Peter Maer draws on his four decades as a White House correspondent to offer a unique description of presidential coverage. Your audience will hear  accounts of his singular Jewish experiences with Presidents from Carter to Obama, including intimate moments aboard Air Force One. Maer will draw some laughs as he relates a number of humorous moments in travels that took him to 50+ countries and nearly every state. He can also discuss the state of play in today’s media. 

Josh
​Parshall
Dr. 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.

Anthony
​Russell
Ten 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 (wordless melodies). 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.

The
​Braid
The Braid, formerly Jewish Women’s Theatre, is the go-to Jewish story company and the leading national non-profit organization creating, curating, producing and preserving stories grounded in Jewish culture and experience.  Their popular theatrical offerings have delighted ISJL audiences in the room AND on-the-Zoom! ​​

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T.K. Thorne
T. K. Thorne has been passionate about stories ever since she was a young girl. Graduating with a master’s in social work from the University of Alabama, Thorne  served for more than two decades in the Birmingham police force. She then became the executive director of City Action Partnership, a downtown business improvement district focused on safety, until retiring to write full-time. She and her books will amaze your audience!