Staff
Keren Soffer-Sharon
Project Director
Keren Soffer-Sharon (she/her) came to Rise Up with over a decade of leadership experience in the Jewish social justice sector and nearly two decades of experience in education and leadership development work in both the government and nonprofit sectors. As a senior organizer at Jews For Racial & Economic Justice (JFREJ), Keren co-founded the first ever Mizrahi & Sephardi Caucus in the country and built the organization’s largest education and organizing program in its 30 year history. Throughout her career, she has trained over 5,000 people, developed over 500 leaders, and stewarded over 30 teams. Keren is also the co-author of Understanding Antisemitism: An Offering To Our Movement.
Josh Bloom
Project Administrator
Josh Bloom (he/him) has spent 25 years engaged in international peace-building, human rights, and socially conscious travel planning. In addition to working for Rise Up, Josh is a travel planner with MEJDI Tours. He has previously worked or consulted for the Nathan Cummings Foundation, Beloved Garden, T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, Rabbis for Human Rights, Mercy Corps, American Jewish World Service, the Conflict and Health Programme at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Amnesty International USA, the Health and Human Rights Programme at the University of Cape Town, and UNICEF.
Leadership Team
Rise Up's Leadership Team provides strategic thinking and grant recommendations.
The Leadership Team includes:
April Baskin
Founder and Director, Joyous Justice
Rabbi Elan Babchuck
Founding Director, Glean Network and Director of Innovation, CLAL
Rev. Jen Bailey
Founder and Executive Director, Faith Matters Network
Shifra Bronznick
Social Change Strategist-in-Residence, Auburn Seminary
Zahara Zahav
Community Organizer, Jews for Racial and Economic Justice
Advisor
Isaac Luria
Director of Voice, Creativity and Culture at the Nathan Cummings Foundation
Rise Up Stewardship Team
Rise Up’s first Community of Practice is stewarded by five grantee members:
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Arielle Korman, Executive Director, Ammud: Jews of Color Torah Academy
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Aurora Levins Morales, Poet-in-Residence, Rimonim Liturgy Project
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Ayana Morse, Executive Director, SVARA: A Traditionally Radical Yeshivah
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R. Mónica Gomery, Kol Tzedek Synagogue and co-founder of Let My People Sing!
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Rachel Plattus, founding steward of Taproot