Samples of Passion Projects
If you are looking for a novel approach to honoring individuals, assembling a digital ad book, a digital scrapbook, or even a tool for teaching, let me help curate and organize your project.
Abby is a thriver. She faced one her life's biggest challenges, and has channeled her creativity and energy into supporting the institutions and organizations that have provided care for her family and her. This video is part of a social media campaign created for her "Rain on Me" Challenge to garner support for the The Abby Match Fund at MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper. (Link to Donate). I directed and edited this video. Scott Nibauer generously donated his time to film it.
The Harold and Renee Berger Synagogue Network is the result of a partnership between the Bergers and Jewish Learning Venture (JLV). In the winter of 2022, I interviewed Judge Berger for this short video. In addition to the material you see here, we delved into his fascinating life story and philanthropic endeavors. The beauty of capturing this interview is that his children and grandchildren have the stories in the judge's own voice for perpetuity. This was filmed by Scott Nibauer and I produced, directed, wrote and edited it. This was for the 2023 gala, honoring Judge Berger, whose memory, along with his beloved Renee's, will be cherished.
Beth Sholom Congregation in Elkins Park, PA wanted to celebrate their outgoing rabbi with a meaningful tribute. Working with a committee of lay leaders during the an early phase of the
COVID 19 pandemic, I created a website to honor Rabbi Andrea Merow's impactful tenure.
The Jewish holiday of Purim is celebrated with exuberance and creativity – even when relegated to a Zoom platform. In 2021, my synagogue's cantor, Hazzan Howard Glantz, wrote, directed and did a huge amount of editing for Congregation Adath Jeshurun's 'Purim Shpiel'. I offered to help in assembling, organizing, captioning and playing back the over-35 minutes of video content during a live event. To enhance the videos, mostly based on parodies of Rock n' Roll One Hit Wonders, I also challenged myself to start learning Apple Motion for Special Effects.
During the age of COVID-19, when in-person programs were curtailed, Beth Sholom Congregation still wanted to gather virtually to honor long-time members, Harold and Sylvia Paul, whose memories are a blessing. The synagogue leadership landed on creating a "video love letter" from the community to the Pauls. Using Zoom to gather personal stories, a delve into historical digital archives and some assets from Beth Sholom's archives, I created this tribute.
In order to honor our congregation's outgoing rabbi, the farewell committee gathered assets, and I assembled this website in her honor by using wix.com.
During the self-isolation period of 2020, our seders went virtual so, once again using wix.com, I created this virtual Haggadah.
When family and framily have celebrated smachot, my family's gift has been celebratory montages for the Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah.
Creating opportunities to celebrate community is a passion. With a team of neighbors, I am part our our annual Melrose Park Block-and-Beyond Party. In addition to helping with program ideas and execution, I curate the Facebook page and utilize Google Forms to disseminate information and utilize the backend data to organize aspects of the party and lay groundwork for future party-planning. Most of the artwork is cobbled together by me in PowerPoint. It is all done with very strong intention for bringing people together.
While co-chair of Adath Jeshurun's social action committee, AJ Acts, our committee launched "Signs of Solidarity" to express our rejection of the injustices that are systemic throughout our country and which were brought to the fore by the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day, 2020. The fundraising campaign, benefiting Project Home, included development of signs that would be our proxies, since we were not comfortable organizing an in-person demonstration during a
time of COVID-19 quarantine.