Staff

MATTHEW SILVERMAN, Executive director

Matthew Silverman became the Executive Director of the Haberman Institute for Jewish Studies in April 2020. He is native of Northern VA and graduated magna cum laude from James Madison University with a bachelor’s degree in economics and religion. He also attended the Candler School of Theology at Emory University where he received a Master of Theological Studies degree and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College where he received a Master of Arts in Jewish Studies degree.

Prior to moving to Maryland, he lived in numerous cities including: Houston, Seattle, Philadelphia, Jerusalem, New York City, and Atlanta. Most recently he served as the Assistant Director of the religious school at Congregation Emanu El in Houston, TX where he developed and implemented programs for all ages.  Matt has worked and taught in numerous Jewish organizations throughout the country including: the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, Camp Ramah Darom, Hillels of Georgia, and Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Philadelphia.

Matt lives in Maryland with his wife, Jill, and two daughters, Nava and Miri. Family time is filled with gardening, fused glass art projects, chasing their dog, and bouncing on their new trampoline.

Thank you to the Washington Jewish Week for featuring our Executive Director, Matthew Silverman in their April 21, 2022 edition.

 

Rebecca Newman Leavey, Program & Communications Director

Rebecca (Becky) Newman Leavey is a communications professional with a background in directing strategic communication campaigns for non-profit, community, and media organizations. With a degree in communications from Boston University, she spent a decade as a television producer in both the Boston and Washington, DC markets. She transferred her skillset to Moment Magazine, where she served as the Director of Marketing and Community Outreach for seven years.

Becky began with the Haberman Institute in Fall 2017, and received her Master of Arts Degree in Jewish Professional Studies from Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership in May 2022. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and a sweet little shih tzu named “Lady.”

 

Fania Yangarber,
associate director of Operations

Fania Yangarber has a BA in Political Science from Barnard College, an MS in Food Policy and Applied Nutrition from Tufts University, and a JD from Chicago-Kent College of Law.

She has worked in health-related advocacy fields in a professional and volunteer capacity. She worked at the US Department of Agriculture as a food safety specialist, helping to develop international food safety standards and regulations; for the Social Security Administration, on disability cases; advocated for victims' rights and patients' rights to informed consent, and worked in nutrition research environments.

Before attending law and graduate school, she worked for several years in financial information services.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Past Presidents

Arnold A. Hammer, z”l, 2012-2015  
Dr. Sander H. Mendelson, 2009-2012
Michael D. Goldman, 2006-2009
Michael C. Gelfand, z'“l, 2004-2006
Rabbi Joshua O. Haberman, z”l, 1983-2004

OFFICERS

Rabbi Joshua O. Haberman z”l, Founder
Elaine Amir, President
Arthur Hessel, Vice President 
Bill Halpern, Treasurer
Bobbie Goldman, Secretary

 

BOARD

Art Hessel, Debby Perelmuter (daughter of Rabbi Haberman), Elaine Amir and Arnold Hammer, z”l

Rabbi George Driesen
Dr. Rachel Eitches
Harvey Iglarsh
Jeffrey Kaufman
Rabbi Jack Luxemburg
Dr. Sander H. Mendelson
Rabbi Janet Ozur Bass
Debby Perelmuter
Lewis Winarsky

 

ACADEMIC ADVISORY COUNCIL

Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, American Jewish University
Michal Bar-Asher Siegal, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Jacques Berlinerblau, Georgetown University
Amy-Jill Levine, Vanderbilt University
Vanessa Ochs, University of Virginia
Marsha Rozenblit, University of Maryland
Jonathan Sarna, Brandeis University
Benjamin Sommer, Jewish Theological Seminary
Lauren Strauss, American University