YourJewish was formed as a Minnesota nonprofit organization by Rabbi Jill Avrin and Steve Barberio in July 2023 with a goal of meeting people where they are on their Jewish journey. They both recognized the need for reaching out to those who are unengaged and under-engaged in Jewish life and to offer new pathways for connecting. They worked together throughout the summer and fall to build a foundation for the organization.
In the Winter of 2024, YourJewish launched a first set of pilot programs, established an initial Board of Directors, and started to envision how the organization can have the most meaningful impact in the Twin Cities. Over the course of the year, they met with over 200 individuals to get a sense of the needs of the community.
In the Summer of 2024, after successfully helping to launch the organization, Steve stepped down from his role in operations and is proud to remain a Co-Founder of the organization.
As we enter the fall of 2024, Rabbi Jill Avrin is working to launch a wide range of programmatic initiatives to reach those who are most eager for new options here in the Twin Cities. She is focusing primarily on the launch of a series of small groups, creative programming in the public sphere, growing independent life cycle options, and engaging in outreach at local fairs and festivals. She could not be more thrilled to be doing this work with the support of an amazing initial Board of Directors and can't wait to lead this organization through this next phase!
Jill grew up in an unaffiliated and interfaith family in the suburbs of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. That meant that until high school, her primary connection to Judaism was through her personal network of family and friends. In high school she joined BBYO, which was open to all Jewish youth regardless of synagogue affiliation. As she became more involved in BBYO, she started to realize how isolating it was to be unaffiliated and wrestled with the fact that there were very few opportunities for unaffiliated Jews to engage in organized Jewish life. Through this experience, she started to dream about one day becoming a rabbi to serve those like her, who did not belong to a synagogue.
Instead, her journey led her toward becoming more entrenched in institutional Jewish life. She went to college at the University of Minnesota and became active in Hillel, and started to work as a teacher and youth advisor at Bet Shalom Congregation in Minnetonka. She worked at OSRUI and participated in a variety of URJ programs for young adults. She fell in love with Reform Judaism and shortly after college, she started rabbinical school at HUC-JIR, first in Israel and then on the New York campus.
Upon ordination, Jill returned to Bet Shalom to work as a rabbi and spent ten years at the synagogue, first as the Rabbi Educator and then as the Associate Rabbi. During that time, she became an active participant and leader in the broader community, serving as a Co-Chair of the Minnesota Rabbinical Association for three years. She currently serves on the board of Minnesota Hillel, the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition, the Hopkins Race and Equity Initiative, and is the chair of the Overseas Committee of Minneapolis Jewish Federation.
She is excited and proud to return to her original dream that led her to the rabbinate through the founding of YourJewish. She is grateful to be able to do work that validates the experiences of those who grew up like her, help those who haven't found their place in Jewish life yet, and bring joy, meaning, and connection to all those who are looking for new and creative avenues of engagement.
Listen to a Rabbi Jill Avrin talk with Lonny Goldsmith on TCJewfolk's "Who the Folk" podcast.
Steve was born and raised in the Twin Cities, growing up at Adath Jeshurun on Dupont Avenue in Minneapolis. He became active in Adath USY, taught theater at Camp Tikvah and Camp Herz, while studying at the Universities of Minnesota and Wisconsin. His first job out of college was teaching theater to youth at the Minneapolis JCC.
Steve went on to enjoy a successful career in the nonprofit arts industry, with frequent stops working with Jewish cultural and educational institutions. He was the artistic director of Stages Theatre Company for 17 years and led the effort to build the Hopkins Center for the Arts. He served in leadership positions on many arts and arts education boards, locally and nationally. He has also led Jewish and performing arts organizations in Albuquerque, NM and Washington, D.C.
1. Established as a non-profit in Minnesota
2. Achieved 501(c)(3) Status
3. Engaged 250+ individuals in 1:1 or small group conversations.
4. Established an initial Board of Directors
5. Received Atra Fellowship for Rabbinic Innovation
Touched 150+ unique individuals, 10% of whom were repeat attendees
Guided 12 wedding couples, Officiated 1 Bat Mitzvah, 6 funerals, 1 baby naming, 2 divorce ceremonies, 1 unveiling
My soul needed this. It’s been tough to be a Jew, especially after 10/7 and to be in a space with Jewish joy? For me and not my kids? It was so special.
~ Challah Bake Participant
I just wanted to thank you for including me in this amazing group! It's very comforting to be together at this difficult time.
~ Book Club Participant
Thank you!!!! You made it so perfect and magical! It was the best day of my life! We are so lucky to have you as our rabbi!
~ Wedding Couple
I had such a good time at Shabbat! It was everything I have been looking and hoping for and I’m so grateful that you’ve created that space.
~Young Adult Shabbat Participant
Thank you so much! The class was very well planned and executed. I learned a lot!!
~ Safe Space Series Participant
