Adult Education Instructors

Wendy Galson (psychologist) and Susan Windle (poet) have been life partners for 49 years, and are the parents of two grown sons. They delight in sharing and supporting each other’s spiritual growth, and teaching what they learn to others. Most recently,  after three years of intensive study of the Song of Songs (Shir HaShirim), they have received Smicha (ordination) from Rabbi Shefa Gold, with their chosen titles as Ohavot (Lovers). They are charged with conveying the wisdom of The Song, which puts love at the very center of our lives. Ohevet Susan and Ohevet Wendy share a daily practice of chanting and meditating through the eight chapters of Shir HaShirim.

Rabbinic intern Noah Dor Lind is an artist and fourth-year rabbinical student dedicated to building religious communities that value mindfulness, radical love and transparency. We are excited to be welcoming Noah for a second year at Mishkan Shalom.  For much of their childhood and early adulthood, Noah lived in different parts of the Pacific Northwest. They graduated from the University of Oregon with a bachelor's degree in digital art. After university, Noah moved to Chicago. During the day, Noah worked as a restaurant host, a math tutor and a marketing administrator to pay their bills. During their evenings and weekends, they volunteered with young artists in Logan Square, helped raise money for charitable organizations through DIY basement performances, and explored a diverse range of spiritual practices in their weekly sacred book club. Noah's background in visual narrative informs every aspect of their future rabbinate. They believe through art and storytelling we can create a more human world.

Rabbi Shawn Zevit is a dynamic and widely known spiritual leader and spiritual director, teacher, activist, composer and singer, author and consultant. In 2023, he celebrated 25 years as a rabbi and 10 years at Mishkan Shalom. Rabbi Shawn is also the founding co-director of the award-winning Davvenen' Leadership Training Institute, where he coaches rabbis, cantors and lay leaders of all Jewish streams. He is also director of the ALEPH Hashpa’ah Training Program for Jewish Spirtual Directors, training Jewish spiritual directors to serve the world today. He has consulted with myriad congregations, organizations, Jewish men’s circles and social justice initiatives in the Jewish and larger world. Rabbi Shawn and his wife, Rabbi Simcha Zevit, make their home in Mt. Airy.