Yoni Kretzmer, Rabbinic Team
Before moving to NYC in 2010, Yoni, a Jerusalem-born tenor saxophonist and composer, was an active member in the growing Tel Aviv nu-music scene leading various groups such as “New Dilemma” (chamber/free jazz string quintet) and “Far From Home” (free/folk quintet with two acoustic guitars). He has performed and curated many shows and festivals including October Jazz Fest, RedSea Jazz Festival and Tel Aviv Jazz Festival.
Yonatan Gutfeld, Music Director
Yonatan Gutfeld grew up in Jerusalem, where he studied music composition. He was active in the Tel Aviv singer-songwriter scene and toured the country with his band after releasing his debut album. Since 2012, Yonatan has lived in NYC where he records his songs, writes music for theater productions and works as a music educator. In 2017 he released Time’s Tyranny, an album of new compositions to Shakespeare’s sonnets in Hebrew translation. In 2019 he released In Exile Even In His Own Room, a selection of songs set to lyrics by poet Ory Bernstein. In 2020 he released Acht U Shtaim, an album of original Hebrew children’s songs.
Arnan Raz
Arnan Raz was born in Kibbutz Merhavia, a small village in the north of Israel, to a musical family; his grandfather was a music teacher and a painter, his uncle a famous conductor, and his mom and brother are both professional guitar players. Until the age of 13 Arnan’s passion was soccer. Suddenly, out of nowhere and without much reason, Arnan decided that he wanted to play the saxophone. You can listen to some of Arnan’s music at www.arnanrazmusic.com
Eden Bareket
Eden was born in Buenos Aires and grew up in Israel. He attended a TALI elementary school, and the Democratic School in Hadera for middle and high school. He later studied jazz at the Israeli Conservatory of Music. Eden has been playing the saxophone since the age of 9, and music is the reason he moved to NYC in 2015. He has been living in Brooklyn ever since — playing music, teaching Hebrew and Jewish studies, and teaching saxophone — and mostly trying to find good places to eat.
Mor Cohen
Mor Cohen is an actress and a filmmaker. She was born and raised in Israel and works as a Jewish educator focusing on Hebrew teaching, Bar/Bat Mitzvah tutoring, Modern Judaism, Israeli Spirit, and Film-related topics. She has been working with students of all ages, all around the United States.
Ran Livneh
Ran is a musician and teacher, born and raised in Zichron Yaakov, Israel.
Since moving to Brooklyn in 2012 Ran has been teaching Hebrew, Judaism and music around the city and with the School for Creative Judaism.
Ran brings to his students an open minded and personal approach together with mindfulness, music, movement and art.