COMMUNITY NEWS
The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia mobilizes
financial and volunteer resources to address the
communities’ most critical priorities locally, in Israel and
around the world.

A Building a Community of Pride:
Tribe 12’s New Staff Expand
LGBTQIA+ Programming
fter volunteering with Tribe 12 for many years and
tiatives, including the year-round LGBTQIA+ programming.

seeing firsthand the power of connection within a
Not working in isolation, Tribe 12 is also a member of
community, Jess Meyers decided to further dedicate their
the J.PROUD Consortium. A Jewish Family and Children’s
professional life to forwarding the mission of the organi-
Service initiative, J.PROUD is the Philadelphia collective of
zation. Jewish organizations committed to LGBTQIA+ inclusion.

“It’s important to create spaces that are inclusive and
Currently, J.PROUD has more than 40 members, including
welcoming for young people in the Jewish community
the Jewish Federation.

who have similar experiences,” said Meyers, Tribe 12’s
The versatility and wide reach of Tribe 12’s various micro-
LGBTQIA+ program director and social justice organizer.

communities are what the organization’s new Executive
Made up of several niche microcommunities, Tribe 12
Director Rabbi Megan GoldMarche gravitated toward while
speaks to the individual needs and interests of Philadelphians From left: Tribe 12’s new Executive Director Rabbi searching for the next step in her career.

in their 20s and 30s. One of the most active of these micro- Megan GoldMarche and LGBTQIA+ Program
Before her move to Philadelphia, GoldMarche served six
Director and Social Justice Organizer Jess
communities is the LGBTQIA+ program.

years as the senior base rabbi for Jews in their 20s and 30s
Meyers are passionate about creating safe and
After stepping into their new role in October, Meyers accepting spaces for Jews in their 20s and 30s. at Metro Chicago Hillel. She and her wife, Paige, created a
expanded the LGBTQIA+ programming to feature events,
Courtesy of Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia community for young Jews out of their home, and one of her
like Ga(y)me Nights and Queeraoke. Among the creative
favorite memories was opening their home to young adults
and fun monthly events, Meyers has continued to build a welcoming and safe space for weekly Shabbat dinners.

for Philadelphia’s queer young adults to explore the intersection of their Jewish and
It’s this same feeling of warmth, openness and acceptance that Rabbi GoldMarche
queer identities.

wants to replicate in Tribe 12.

Tribe 12 is one of several local programs that the Jewish Federation of Greater
“DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) work requires an internal and external lens
Philadelphia funds to support LGBTQIA+ inclusion. Among these locally supported and we plan to build on each simultaneously,” GoldMarche said. “We need our com-
organizations, include Moving Traditions and Jewish Learning Venture’s JkidPRIDE. munity to reflect the diversity of the Jewish people.”
“At the core of the Jewish Federation is the commitment to inclusion and diversity
GoldMarche and Meyers are determined to have Tribe 12 continue and increase its
within the community,” said Kelly Romirowsky, Jewish Federation’s chief strategy offerings of Jewish wisdom and resources to the 20s and 30s community, while also
and impact officer. “By proudly supporting organizations, like Tribe 12, that provide providing safe spaces for connection.

safe and welcoming spaces for all, we continue to move our mission forward.”
“I believe people are searching for a community, especially after the last few years
during COVID,” GoldMarche reflected. “We want to be ready to fill the need.”
The funding Tribe 12 receives from the Jewish Federation supports its various ini-
Philadelphia Civil Rights Mission
Walk together in American history with the
Philadelphia Civil Rights Mission to
Atlanta, Georgia and Montgomery and Selma, Alabama.

Space is limited! Learn more and register:
jewishphilly.org/civilrights Sponsored by:
Jewish Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council
AJC and ADL
8 JUNE 30, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM



YOU SHOULD KNOW ...

Sam Sittenfield
Courtesy of Sam Sittenfield
SASHA ROGELBERG | STAFF WRITER
R epair the World Director of National Partnerships Sam
Sittenfield is fond of a quote spoken by the organization’s
Senior Director of Education Rabbi Jessy Dressin: “Every
time there is a specific Jewish value, there’s a nod to the universal.”
“Jewish values don’t live in a vacuum,” he added. “They are a
particular expression of things that everyone cares about.”
A 2022 Tribe 12 fellow, Sittenfield, 31, is also bringing his venture
Roots of Resilience — a mental health organization for Jewish youth
— to life.

Though his hands are in many pies, Sittenfield, a South Philadelphia
resident, is looking for the harmony
between the specific and universal in
all he does: How can someone’s Jewish
identity mesh with their political,
racial and gender identity? How does
one bring their Jewish values into the
real world?
Sittenfield’s eight years of work at
Repair the World gave him the oppor-
tunities to address these issues. On
the day-to-day, he brings “the secret
sauce,” or Repair the World’s social jus-
tice pedagogy, to other organizations,
such as Hillel International, Moishe
House and Honeymoon Israel, giving
them insight on how young Jews want
to connect politically and socially.

Most recently, Sittenfield has collected
data from Hillel International interns in
preparation for the launch of 200 new
Hillel service engagement interns.

Sittenfield grew up steeped in the
local Jewish community himself.

Hailing from Lower Merion, Sittenfield
was bar mitzvahed at Beth Am Israel
in Penn Valley. He attended Perelman
Jewish Day School before graduating
to Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy
(then Akiba Hebrew Academy).

He became a Repair the World fellow
after graduating from Tufts University;
he was involved in the Jewish commu-
nity throughout his time as an under-
graduate. After attending area Repair the World
events during college, Sittenfield’s
interest was piqued: “I said to myself
after going to those events, I have a lot
to contribute in terms of my experience
with Judaism and programming and
things like that, and I have a lot to learn
— a lot, a lot to learn — as it relates to
social justice.”
Sittenfield’s passion for mental
health and creating Jewish connectiv-
ity that he honed during his fellowship
stemmed from first-hand experience.

During his time at Tufts, Sittenfield
was a baritone for a Jewish a cappella
group, Shir Appeal.

“We were all singing together and
supporting each other both through
song, but also through community,”
Sittenfield said.

Sittenfield took a semester off from
college during his second semester of
senior year, due to his own mental
health struggles. Taking a break meant
stepping down as president of Shir
Appeal. “One of the other members of the
group … took over the group with
grace, with intelligence, with a great
attitude,” Sittenfield said.

He felt proud “to be part of a
community that supported me through
the time that I needed them and didn’t
make me feel bad or worse or less
than.” In his venture Roots of Resilience,
Sittenfield hopes to design a mental
health intervention for young people
that is proactive, supporting them
before they are in times of crisis.

“Currently, there’s a lot of focus on
things like mental health first aid,
which is extremely important, but
that’s taking care of the emergency
that happens at a given moment,”
Sittenfield said.

Sittenfield wants to address the root
of mental health issues, which can
stem from a lack of connectivity and
isolation. While meditation, yoga and
exercise facilitated by a group leader
help relieve some stress, it’s addressing
a symptom, not a cause, Sittenfield
believes. In designing Roots of Resilience —
hoping to receive additional funding
and interest as it develops — Sittenfield
is asking himself big questions: “How
do we use leadership development to
cultivate competency, confidence, con-
nection and community for our young
people? How do we build that into our
program structures both on a one-
off program and over the course of a
young person’s engagement with the
Jewish community?”
For Sittenfield, he finds those
moments around the Shabbat dinner
table, singing harmonies with friends.

He hopes to give others that same
feeling of harmony in whatever Jewish
path they pursue.

“How do we ensure that the fields
are lush and healthy?” Sittenfield said.

“That a small spark doesn’t cause a big
fire?” JE
srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
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