About

I am a sociologist of contemporary Jewish life who focuses in particular on the American Jewish community.  I have held various academic positions at Brandeis University, Duke University, and Wesleyan University. Currently, I am an Executive Director at the UJA-Federation of New York where I direct the research, evaluation, and measurement department. I recently finished a book project about the historical and contemporary encounter between Judaism and Buddhism in America. This book, American JewBu: Jews, Buddhists, and Religious Change, (Princeton University Press, forthcoming November 2019) explains how Judaism and Buddhism met, combined, and changed in relation to each other in America since 1893.  

I have published over a dozen academic articles and book chapters while also engaging with the broader Jewish community through research presentations, popular articles, and other social media appearances. I hold a B.A. in Sociology/Anthropology with a minor in Mathematics from Swarthmore College, a M.A in the History of the Jewish People from Ben Gurion University, and a Ph.D in Sociology & Near Eastern and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University.