Rabbinic Intern

Avi is currently in his final year at the Ziegler School for Rabbinic Studies and is excited to enter his second year of professional training as the Rabbinic intern at Valley Beth Shalom, his family’s spiritual home for the last few years. Born in Palo Alto, CA, Avi was raised in a strong Conservative Jewish household and experienced communal life and service through his stepfather Steve, a Reform rabbi. As a part-time rancher and certified shochet u’bodek, Avi takes great pride in practicing and promoting small-scale ethical animal husbandry and slaughter practices. Academically, he has been honored with the Chancellor’s Award for Academic Excellence, the David Aronson Award for Excellence in Rabbinic Literature, and the Eliezer Slomovic Award in Talmud.

Before entering Rabbinical school Avi worked in collegiate and professional football, as well as spending the better part of a decade as a software engineer in the educational technology field. He is the leader of the Chaverim Minyan at Valley Beth Shalom and is a regular tot Shabbat participant with his family. Avi lives in Encino with his wife Kathryn, children Ira, Miriam, and Abigail (all ECC students), one dog, and three cats in a home full of life and perpetual chaos.