Since 2014, The Jewish Federation’s NuRoots Community Fellowship has been shaking up what Jewish life in L.A. looks like for young adults. Dedicated to building community among people in their 20s and 30s, NuRoots Fellows are full-time community builders who focus on reimagining Jewish life through creative experiences, unique communal gatherings, and deep personal connection, helping young adults envision and define what being Jewish means to them personally — on their terms.
Our seven current NuRoots Community Fellows (below) are passionate community connectors and creative concierges working to spark unique Jewish journeys and an openness to Jewish life. Our Fellows are reflections of our diverse young adult community in L.A.: Some are local Angelenos, others are transplants from all over world; some are activists, others are artists; some grew up with a Shabbat ritual, others are exploring for the first time.
Here’s how the Fellows build community: First, each Fellow meets young adults one on one, where they are — intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, and geographically — working to fuel self-exploration, one relationship at a time. They chat at local coffee shops and juice bars, attentively learning the full story of their peer — needs, desires, and interests. Then, with their knowledge of the community, Fellows connect young adults to meaningful, relevant, and interesting Jewish experiences, people, and opportunities across our Los Angeles ecosystem. They collaborate with community members to produce innovative and remixed Jewish gatherings, knitting together rich local micro-communities. Over time, this trailblazing work serves to empower and inspire young adults to take ownership over their own visions of Judaism and Jewishness and invest in the future of their community.
Chelsea Snyder
• Focus: The Valley – #RallyintheValley
• Astro sign: Libra
• Where is your favorite spot in L.A. to unwind? Zuma beach and the Hollywood Bowl
• What does Jewish L.A. mean to you? Jewish L.A. to me is a positive, inclusive, and innovative tribe driven by community. Hearing our community members’ stories and connecting them with different opportunities fills me with gratitude and joy.
• You’re planning your dream Shabbat dinner. Which three people dead, alive, or fictional do you invite? RuPaul, Leslie Feinberg, and Lizzo
Donna Maher
• Focus: Engaging the Iranian Jewish Community
• Astro sign Taurus
• Where is your favorite spot in L.A. to unwind? I love a sunny rooftop restaurant/lounge with a view or anywhere along the beach
• What does Jewish L.A. mean to you? Diversity in terms of culture, ritual, tradition, and opinions, as well as endless opportunities to “do Jewish” and “be Jewish” in ways that are meaningful for each unique individual
• You’re planning your dream Shabbat dinner. Which three people dead, alive, or fictional do you invite? Jennifer Lopez, Ghandi, Mark Cuban
Ian Schiffer
• Focus: Mid-City
• Astro sign: Sagittarius
• Where is your favorite spot in L.A. to unwind?: Lake Shrine
• What does Jewish L.A. mean to you? I’m excited to be supporting people in my hometown and helping them connect and weave through joy, rest, love, and meaning. Jewish L.A. creates possibilities for solidarity, spirituality, and reclamation of radical ancestral rituals. I’m looking forward to building experiences that make all people feel held, heard, and seen in all their identities.
• You’re planning your dream Shabbat dinner. Which three people dead, alive, or fictional do you invite? Anshl Bondi, bell hooks, Sam Cooke
Laura Schiff
• Focus: Young Couples across the city
• Astro sign: Scorpio but super don’t care about Astrology signs, way more into Astronomy
• Where is your favorite spot in L.A. to unwind? Just walking around my neighborhood. I’m an East Coaster used to walking everywhere and I’m trying to maintain that.
• What does Jewish L.A. mean to you? Jewish L.A. is like walking into the cheese section of a supermarket and trying to decide which one to buy. There’s a crazy number of options for Jewish life. That also means there’s going to be something for everyone. I love learning alongside side my community members about the smorgasbord that is L.A. and then getting to be that person who can explain the cheese.
• You’re planning your dream Shabbat dinner. Which three people dead, alive, or fictional do you invite? Arthur Weasley, Oprah Winfrey, Mindy Kaling
Nina Carlin
• Focus: Westside (From Culver City to the beach!) and Intergenerational
• Astro sign: Aries
• Where is your favorite spot in L.A. to unwind?: The beach! Swimming in the ocean is my happy place.
• What does Jewish L.A. mean to you?: I’m passionate about creating community rooted in Judaism and open-mindedness, and Jewish L.A. provides so many creative ways to reconnect, reengage, and find your tribe.
• You’re planning your dream Shabbat dinner. Which three people dead, alive, or fictional do you invite? Larry David, Sacha Baron Cohen, Bette Midler
Oren Peleg
• Focus: Eastside – Los Feliz, Echo Park, Silverlake, Atwater Village, Highland Park, DTLA
• Astro sign: Aquarius
• Where is your favorite spot in L.A. to unwind? Tie between the Griffith Observatory & The Dresden
• What does Jewish L.A. mean to you? Jewish L.A. is a way to make sense of time and place. Also, friends and food!
• You’re planning your dream Shabbat dinner. Which three people dead, alive, or fictional do you invite? Holden Caulfield, Muhammad Ali, Nicole Krauss
Sasha Zlobina
• Focus: Engaging Russian-speaking Jewish (RSJ) Community across the city
• Astro sign: Libra
• Where is your favorite spot in L.A. to unwind? The beach and any cozy café with good coffee
• What does Jewish L.A. mean to you? Freedom, creativity, and diversity and the opportunity to inspire young adults along their Jewish journey while building a meaningful community with them — together.
• You’re planning your dream Shabbat dinner. Which three people dead, alive, or fictional do you invite? Albert Einstein, Sherlock Holmes, Audrey Hepburn
