she/her ~ Amee has been working as a Jewish Educator in the Seattle area for over 30 years. She has taught almost every age group from first grade to adults, and before returning to Hillel in July of 2015, she served on the faculty at the Seattle Jewish Community School for 13 years. She has her BA in Jewish Studies and her Masters in Education, both from UW. Amee is delighted to be back at Hillel at the University of Washington, where she was the program director for three years in the early nineties, and the Acting Director when Rabbi Dan Bridge took a sabbatical in 1995. Amee is married and has two adult children. She is a fan of all things purple (Go Huskies!) and has been known to find the best deals in town because she loves coupons and sales. She always has a good stash of chocolate in her office so stop by and say hello!

she/her ~ Rabbi Lauren treasures Judaism's charge to ask questions, engage in dialogue and participate in respectful disagreement, all the while placing relationships and reflection at the the center. Formerly, she worked as director of student engagement at the Stroum Center for Jewish Studies at the UW, where she was nominated for a James D. Clowes Award for her work connecting students with one another and with faculty members to advance learning. She previously worked at American Jewish World Service in New York City, supervising the creation and expansion of materials used on immersive Jewish volunteer programs in the developing world. Rabbi Lauren loves living in the PNW. An avid walker, she tries to get outside every day, no matter the weather. She is a fan of fair-trade dark chocolate (75% or bust!), PB&J, and Shabbat naps. She has her famous hummus recipe memorized (ask her for it!), and thanks to her days as a former high school trombonist, can blow a mean shofar.

Jonathan is a lifelong resident of NE Seattle and has been active in Jewish communal affairs his entire adult life. A graduate of Colby College in Waterville, ME, (where he was president of Hillel during his senior year!), a student at the WUJS Institute in Arad, Israel, and a camper at Camp Solomon Schechter in Tumwater, WA, he spent 27 years working in medical group administration in the Seattle area. Jonathan loves to travel –  to Israel, France and all around Washington State – and takes great pride in the growing number of Jews, synagogues, and Jewish communal institutions in the Puget Sound area. In addition to his two grown sons and his 30 year marriage to his wife, he is most proud to have guided the opening of the Seattle Jewish Primary School in 1992. Jonathan is passionate about Jewish community, education, identity, observance, and continuity and is excited to help promote these values through Hillel at UW!

she/her ~ Anna is thrilled to be returning to Jewish communal work after a 5-year hiatus and overjoyed to call Hillel UW her new professional home. Born, raised, and educated in New York (University of Rochester: BA, ‘98; MS, ‘99), Anna spent her early career working among Houston’s vibrant Jewish community (Houston Hillel, The Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, and Houston Hillel, again!) before relocating to Seattle in 2007. A PNW resident for 17 years, Anna’s local stomping grounds as a fundraiser and marketing/communications professional have included The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, Starlight Children’s Foundation NW, The Jewish Day School, Kindering, and The Salvation Army Northwest Division. Anna is married to and caffeinated by her coffee enthusiast husband, has one son entering middle school this fall (Time, please slow down!), and two silly pugs. A 25-year knitter, she always has a project nearby and will happily talk, knit, or teach anyone interested in learning the craft. Anna attributes her love of Judaism and commitment to Jewish continuity to her beloved Bubbe (z”l) and her high school youth group experience, believing meaningful Jewish moments really do matter.

Sigal has been a documentary filmmaker for more than twenty years, specializing in international productions for media outlets such as National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Travel Channel and PBS. More recently, Sigal worked at Jewish Family Service leading the Israeli Community Services program in response to the urgent needs of the local Israeli community after October 7th.  The program provided individuals with food access, financial aid, mental health support and community integration; developed and implemented an emotional support program for individuals impacted by the Hamas/Israel war; and gathered people within the Israeli and Jewish communities for 14 community and cultural events. Sigal is delighted to be joining the Hillel UW team to continue her impactful work on campus.

she/her ~ Ellie was born and raised in Rossmoor, California. She graduated from Cal State Long Beach in 2019 with a BA in Human Development, and she was very active in Hillel and SSI. After college, Ellie moved to Houston, Texas to work for Houston Hillel as their Springboard Innovation Fellow. In her two years in Houston, Ellie survived multiple historic floods, hurricanes, and winter freezes, so she is very excited to be back on the West Coast! Ellie has been to Israel several times-- on Birthright, a JNF service trip, as well as with her family for her twin brothers’ B'nai Mitzvah.  Some of her favorite things to do in Israel are relaxing on the beach in Tel Aviv, standing under the waterfalls in Ein Gedi, and eating delicious shawarma.  Besides Israel, Ellie loves going to Yosemite and traveling to new places.  In addition, she likes seeing concerts and shows, hosting game nights, reading, and going to baseball games (go Angels!). Ellie considers herself a Trader Joe’s aficionado, so if you ever need any recommendations, let her know! Ellie is looking forward to connecting with students and creating programs for the school year.

he/they ~ Solomon is thrilled to be joining the Hillel UW and greater Seattle Jewish community! Solomon was born and raised in White Plains, New York, and went to Dickinson College where he received his BA in Theatre Arts and Judaic Studies. A proud product of the Schechter and Ramah institutions, Solomon has spent their life being apart of and  working in countless Jewish settings. Most recently they were working as the Director of Jewish Education at Hillel at the University of Rochester. When not at work you can find him watching baseball or hockey games (go Mets and go Devils!), going on long walks, listening to podcasts, exploring local coffee shops, jamming out to musical theater while painting his nails, and telling everyone why Yom Kippur is his favorite holiday. Solomon could not be more excited to spearhead Hillel UW’s Jconnect program and looks forward to helping cultivate a thriving young Jewish community in Seattle!

Lucas Sachs, originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Jewish Studies at Tulane. He became deeply involved with the Tulane Hillel and worked with a Jewish youth group at Touro synagogue. During his undergraduate years, Lucas showcased his passion for music by hosting a progressive musical variety show on the radio station WTUL 91.5fm and he became a member of the professional business fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi. During the weekends, you could find Lucas cheering on the green wave football, baseball and basketball teams. Lucas sees the springboard fellowship as an opportunity to contribute to the world and promote positive change. He firmly believes that by embracing inclusivity, conducting outreach efforts, and adhering to Jewish values, we can create a better and more inclusive society.

she/her ~ Dafna was born and raised in Dimona, Israel. She graduated in 2021 with a BSc in Biotechnology and Marine Biology from Ben-Gurion University, specializing in the Red Sea. When she was not working in the lab, you could find her scuba diving, working out, hiking, or watching her favorite basketball team, Maccabi Tel Aviv. She was living in Kibbutz Tzuba with her husband, Yotam, and their cat, Elisha before joining the Hillel UW team and moving to Seattle. This will be her third Shlichut with the Jewish Agency and her first time as an Israel Fellow.

She/her – Amital is a proud life-long member of the Seattle Jewish Community and is excited to be joining Hillel UW as the Administrative Coordinator. While earning her B.A. in Planning, Public Policy, and Management from the University of Oregon, Amital could be found at the Hillel house every Friday, cooking meals and baking challah for her fellow students to welcome in Shabbat. In addition to her love of baking, Amital enjoys gardening, crafting and volunteering with environmental nonprofits. Prior to her role at Hillel UW, Amital worked as a preschool teacher, youth group advisor, conservationist, and disaster responder. She is a firm believer and practitioner of tikkun olam (repairing the world) through acts of service on behalf of the environment and future generations who are looking at us to set an example. Amital is looking forward to supporting the important work of Hillel UW and being a part of this amazing community.

she/her ~ Orliyah is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with 18 years of experience as a psychotherapist working with adolescents and their families. She is a Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional (CCATP) as well as a nationally registered Art Therapist (AT-R). Since 2004, she has practiced in non-profit setting serving low-income families of Downtown Los Angeles and Brooklyn, NY. By 2012, she had settled into private practice where she saw clients ranging in age from 5 to 75. She holds three permanent licenses to practice in CA, NY and WA state. She has her BA in English with a minor in Biology from the University of California Riverside and her Masters in Psychology from Phillips Graduate University of California. Orliyah lives in Kirkland, WA with her three children, her husband, and their German Shepherd dog, Baxter. She enjoys time with her family, getting outside in the beautiful PNW, skiing/snowboarding in the winters, summer concerts in the park and Shabbat Fridays with her family. To learn about her therapeutic techniques, you can read more about her on her website at www.orliyahmft.com.

Rabbi Dan served as Rabbi and Executive Director of Hillel UW from 1988-2007. He continues to serve as a mentor and leader in the Seattle Jewish and non-profit community.