Our Staff
Joey
Joseph Wolf
Rabbi
Rabbi Joseph Wolf came to Havurah Shalom in 1987, where he discovered a community hard at work at teaching Torah in a contemporary idiom, along with inventing a spiritual path that took pluralistic cultural opportunities into account. What’s more, he was immediately engaged by activist leaders intent on developing a collaborative model for decision-making and participation. Joey is fervently committed to the idea that all Jews determine what it means to pray and do meaningful work in the world, not just the professional clergy. While teaching texts and both traditional and innovative spiritual practices, he has brought local and global social change issues to the forefront. In particular, he has been a supporter of conflict reduction in the Middle East, and has advocated for strategies to combat poverty.
He grew up in Boston, and he received his BA from Brandeis University in 1973, his MA and ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 1979, and an honorary doctorate from that institution in 2005. Additionally, Rabbi Joey also spent two separate years studying at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, during 1971-2 and 1976-7. Learn More
Deborah
Deborah Eisenbach-Budner
Director of Education
Deborah brings her passion for Judaism and a questioning mind to her various roles: teacher, organizer/manager of education programs, synagogue and community developer, and facilitator of life-cycle and other rituals. She has been working in the field of Jewish Education for 20 years. Deborah grew up in Portland and then lived in Israel, Asia, and Boston before happily returning to Portland in 2000. Learn More
Mario
Mario Castellar
Synagogue Operations Manager
Mario Castellar started working at Havurah in June of 2008 as the Administrative Coordinator and as of Janauary 2012, he is Havurah’s Operations Manager. His main duties are daily building operations, administrative duties including the Hakol and community email, and being the first point of contact at the office. He makes sure that everything is being taken care of behind the scenes and enjoys working with members in the community including the Building Committee, Membership Committee and office volunteers. Learn More
Doug
Douglas Paul Ambort
Community Engagement Manager
Doug enthusiastically brings a set of diverse skills and experience to Havurah. Community organizing. Team development. Community engagement frameworks, tools and practices. Large group methodologies. Teaching. Coaching. Instructional design. Software development. Network, computer, and information technologies. Software product management. Political activism. Political campaign management. Performing arts administration. Fundraising. Event management. Marketing and PR. Doug has two adult children. One a talented musician, writer, and cook, and the other recently returned from a Peace Corps assignment in Guyana now studying International Law. Doug lives in West Linn with his beloved wife, Lisa, a specialist in fields of counter-terrorism and international transitional justice now working on her PhD.
THIS WEEKEND
