150th Anniversary Celebration Speakers
Dr. Zev Eleff is Scholar-in-Residence for the 150th Anniversary Celebration.
Dr. Eleff is the twelfth president of Gratz College. Eleff was previously chief academic officer of Hebrew Theological College and vice provost of Touro College Illinois.
A prolific scholar, Eleff holds an international reputation for academic rigor and sophistication. He is the author or editor of nine books and more than fifty scholarly articles in the fields of Jewish Studies and American Religion.
Chazzan Avraham (“Avi”) Albrecht was the cantor at Beth Tfiloh Congregation in Pikesville for more than 26 years. He now leads the musical trio Cantori.
Read more about Chazzan Albrecht below:
Cantor Avi Albrecht to retire after nearly three decades of service
Interview with Cantor Avi Albrecht about his new trio, Cantori, and his musical tribute Kol HaLev
Rabbi Hershel Reichman has been a Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva University for over thirty years, and is a student of Rabbi Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik. In addition to directing and inspiring hundreds of students in his Talmud class, he has also written six books, entitled Reshimos Shiurim, based on the notes of the Talmud classes of Rabbi Soloveitchik.
Rabbi Etan Mintz is the spiritual leader of B'nai Israel Congregation Mintz received his rabbinical ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary at Yeshiva University. He also holds an M.P.A. degree from the Kennedy School at Harvard University and a master's degree in Jewish Philosophy and Mysticism from the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies.
Dr. Laura Shaw Frank serves as AJC’s Director of William Petschek Contemporary Jewish Life. She holds a PhD in Jewish history from the University of Maryland, College Park and undergraduate and law degrees from Columbia University. Previously, Shaw Frank held educational and administrative roles at Yeshivat Maharat and SAR High School in Riverdale, NY. In addition to her secondary school and post-graduate teaching, Shaw Frank has worked extensively on national and international Jewish history and Israel education initiatives.
Alan Ronkin, Regional Director of American Jewish Committee Washington DC, is an accomplished advocate and career Jewish professional who has been involved in Jewish community relations for nearly 30 years. In that time, he has worked in Jewish communal institutions in Los Angeles, Cleveland, Seattle, and Boston.
