Who We Are

Nati Passow

Co-Founder & Executive Director

Nati is a writer, carpenter and educator living in Philadelphia. From 2005 to 2007 Nati ran an award-winning garden construction program for the Urban Nutrition Initiative at University City High School.  Over the last several years Nati has led service–learning trips in the developing world for American Jewish World Service, and in the US for Jewish Funds for Justice.  He enjoyed two fall seasons at the Teva Learning Center and has continued to work for Teva as a curriculum writer.  Nati has studied sustainable building design and natural building and is a certified Permaculture designer.  Nati holds a B.A. in Religion and Environmental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania, and is a recipient of the Joshua Venture Group Fellowship for Jewish social entrepreneurs.

Nati can be reached at nati@jewishfarmschool.org

Rabbi Jacob Fine

Rabbi and Director of Programs

A graduate of Vassar College, Jacob was ordained by the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies.  Prior to joining JFS, Jacob served as Rabbi and Assistant Director at the University of Washington Hillel as well as the Director of Jconnect, Seattle’s largest Jewish community for young adults. Under Jacob's leadership, Jconnect gained national recognition as a leading innovator serving post-college Jewish young adults, and received awards from Slingshot and Great Nonprofits, among others.  A Wexner Graduate Fellow, Jacob has served as a rabbi and educator for a number of leading Jewish environmental organizations including the Teva Learning Center, the Adamah Fellowship, where he also served as Farm Manager, and Hazon, where he co-led a beit midrash on the topic of food and Judaism. Jacob lives in Amherst, Massachusetts with his wife Julie and their daughter Meira.

Jacob can be reached at jacob@jewishfarmschool.org

Cassie Peña

Marketing & Operations Associate

Cassie Peña is passionate about food, human rights and sustainable Judaism. She hails from North Carolina and Texas, where she first formed her interest in food justice after viewing the effects of agro-business on the environment and the livelihood of small farmers. Cassie moved to Brooklyn, New York in 2010 to submerge in a Jewish community dedicated to justice and innovative, egalitarian learning. With a belief that Judaism is about engaging the world towards improvement and believing that Torah is not just about what you put in your mind but also in your body, Cassie is excited to promote the mission of Jewish Farm School.  She previously worked for Romemu: Judaism for Mind, Body and Spirit, a synagogue dedicated to integrating the body with traditional Jewish liturgy. Cassie received her B.A. from the University of North Texas in Anthropology. Cassie hopes to constantly increase her knowledge of Torah and Jewish food justice.

Cassie can be reached at cassie@jewishfarmschool.org

Arielle Rosenberg
Rabbinic Intern

Arielle Rosenberg is a second year rabbinical student at Hebrew College. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Arielle spent the last decade working as an organizer with migrant and indigenous rights communities in Honduras, Phoenix, Arizona and Seattle, Washington. Most recently, Arielle founded and worked with the Worker Defense Committee, a committee of migrant workers and community allies that worked to fight wage theft and other workers' rights abuses in Seattle, Washington. In Boston, Arielle facilitates an interfaith group on prison justice and is glad to be working with the Jewish Farm School on food justice issues.

Arielle can be reached at arielle@jewishfarmschool.org

Ilya Shmulenson

Year-Round Programs Coordinator and Operations Manager

Ilya recently completed a Master of Education degree at the University of Washington where he focused on curriculum development and instruction in informal education settings.  As part of his degree, he was an environmental educator at IslandWood, an environmental education center outside of Seattle.  He received his B.A. in Anthropology from Hunter College-CUNY and his interest in primate behavior and conservation evolved into an interest in bridging the gap between the scientific community and the lay public.  Ilya is excited to work for both Eden Village Camp and the Jewish Farm School to help create meaningful, experiential education experiences.

Ilya can be reached at ilya@edenvillagecamp.org

Sarah Brown

Farm Director

Sarah received a B.A. in Social Relations and Policy from Michigan State University where she focused on understanding the complexity of food deserts and sustainable food systems. In 2007, she lived in a community on Findhorn Ecovillage in Scotland, which inspired her to spend the next five years studying, traveling and learning how to live a more sustainable lifestyle. In her journeys, Sarah accumulated ample crew and management experience on organic farms in Michigan, Connecticut (as an Adamah fellow), California and in the Hudson River Valley of New York. As a child Sarah attended Habonim Dror Camp Tavor, later spending five years on staff and as the Camp Director. She loves to grow, harvest, dance and eat delicious food with intention and community.

Sarah can be reached at sarah@jewishfarmschool.org

Jonah Adels
Lead Educator

Jonah is a farmer, filmmaker, and environmental educator living in the Hudson River Valley. He holds a B.A. in both Film and the History of Science from Bard College, and has taught documentary filmmaking in Portland, OR and Khatmandu, Nepal. After bicycling across the subcontinent of India, Jonah devoted his energies full time to farming and teaching, spending the last two years building the farm and orchards at Eden Village Camp, and running the . As a crew member of the veggie oil powered Teva Topsy Turvy Bus, Jonah has traveled throughout the east coast leading workshops in Jewish communities on alternative energy and sustainable design. He holds s'micha as a Maggid from Rabbi Sarah Etz Alon. He enjoys swimming, singing, and planting trees.

Jonah can be contacted at jonah@jewishfarmschool.org

Diane Litwin
Farmer/Educator

After graduating with a degree in Elementary Education from SUNY New Paltz, Diane Litwin made the decision to take her education outside of the classroom. That decision gave her the opportunity to work for Land's Sake Farm, the Teva Learning Alliance and Teva's Topsy Turvy Bus Tour as a Farm and Environmental Educator respectively. Most recently, Diane completed a season at the Farm at Eden Village as a Farm Education Apprentice with the Jewish Farm School. She is excited to apply her skills and knowledge to the Jewish Farm School team. Sarah loves nothing more than working and playing with people of all ages on the farm.

Diane can be reached at diane@jewishfarmschool.org

Simcha Schwartz

Co-Founder and Former Associate Director

Simcha Schwartz, Co-founder of the Jewish Farm School, served as Co-Director and Associate Director from 2006-2011.  His work was essential in the development of JFS's Alternative Break department and farm programs at Eden Village.  He came to JFS after working for the Teva Learning Center, Hazon, American Jewish World Service and Serenbe Farms.  Simcha supported the JFS mission through hard work, determination and great vision.  He is currently studying herbal medicine in Israel and will be returning to the Hudson Valley to farm for the 2012 season at Common Ground.  

Simcha can be reached at simcha.education@gmail.com