Rabbis and Staff

Shawn Zevit

Lead Rabbi
rabbishawn@mishkan.org

Rabbi Shawn Zevit is a dynamic and widely known liturgist, teacher, singer, author, and consultant to Jewish communities.

He is a 1998 graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and worked for the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation for 14 years as the director of congregational services, outreach, and tikkun olam. In 2023, Rabbi Shawn celebrated 25 years as a rabbi and 10 years at Mishkan Shalom.

Rabbi Shawn has been a sought-after teacher and leader of spiritual practice programs, including co-director of the award-winning Davennen Leader’s Training Institute, where he coaches rabbis, cantors and lay leaders of all denominations. He is also a spiritual director for the ALEPH Hashpa’ah program.

An accomplished singer and guitarist, Rabbi Shawn is a founding member of the popular Jewish musical group Shabbat Unplugged. He has led Shabbaton programs, and has been guest artist and scholar-in-residence in more than 100 congregations and "havurot." Among his many publications is his most recent book, "Brotherkeepers: New Explorations in Jewish Masculinity" and "Offerings of the Heart: Money and Values in Faith Community."

Rabbi Shawn and his wife, Rabbi Simcha Zevit, make their home in Mt. Airy. Their children/stepchildren and granddaughters live in Cleveland, Ohio.

Sai Koros

Rabbinical Intern

Thanks to Pittsburgh’s Congregation Dor Hadash in Pittsburgh, Koros was inspired to become a student rabbi through their work as Congregational Manager, Lay-Cantor, and Religious School Teacher. Since then, Koros has served as a Climate Torah and Spiritual Adaptation Fellow at Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action; a teacher at Rodeph Shalom’s Torah Queeries; a teacher at Beth David Reform Congregation’s Women’s Beit Midrash; and a life cycle officiator and guide.

Koros enjoys making all types of art and music and loves spending time with their cat, friends, family, and partner in their hometown of Philadelphia. They believe that intergenerational connection, creative expression, and deep learning can build a more just and empathetic world.

Maria Paranzino

Office Administrator
maria@mishkan.org

Maria Paranzino joined Mishkan Shalom in 2005. She skillfully juggles the varied needs of the Mishkan office and daily interactions with our rabbi, staff, board, congregants, vendors, visitors and renters. She is a degreed professional with experience in business administration, marketing and event planning.

Paranzino has been married for 46 years and has two children and four wonderful grandchildren. She is a lifelong resident of Roxborough, with strong ties to the Mishkan community and the surrounding area.

Daniel Ricken

Director of Engagement and Communications
daniel@mishkan.org

Daniel Ricken is a collaborative leader, educator, recruiter and project manager. He is actively involved with the National Association for Temple Administration and currently serves on both the Nominating Committee and the Education Committee.

Ricken earned his doctoral degree from Bowling Green State University and his undergraduate degree from Lafayette College. He worked for over a decade as a director and stage manager in professional and educational theatre both in the United States and abroad. Prior to coming to Mishkan, he worked as the Admissions Manager at the New York Film Academy. Ricken has taught undergraduate classes and led graduate students through on-campus governance and focus group representation for the international Association for Theatre in Higher Education.

Ricken and his husband live in Philadelphia. He is an active runner, reader, and theatregoer.

Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer

Curriculum Developer, Teacher Support

Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer began her work at Mishkan Shalom as a teacher in 1998 and has considered Mishkan to be one of her spiritual homes ever since! Her family — husband Fred and kids George and Jeremy — have also been part of the Mishkan community for many years. Kaplan-Mayer is now the curriculum developer for the Mishkan school and leads children's services for the High Holy Days.

Kaplan-Mayer is well-known as an author and Jewish educator whose work focuses on spirituality, creativity and disability. She is the proud recipient of the 2022 Covenant Award and currently edits the Jewish Disability Inclusion News. Kaplan-Mayer also leads Feed Your Spirit Writing, facilitating expressive writing workshops focused on spiritual curiosity and also writes a Substack called "Journey with the Seasons," a weekly practice of meditative reading, expressive writing prompts and deepening practices.

Sharon Parker

Volunteer Office Staff

Sharon and her wife, Susan Richards, joined Mishkan Shalom in September 2010 shortly after they relocated to Pennsylvania from California. Soon after joining, Sharon began volunteering weekly in the synagogue office, and also sang in the choir for a few years. In San Diego, Sharon and Susan were active members of Dor Hadash Reconstructionist congregation. Sharon sang in the choir, served on the Tikkun Olam committee, volunteered in the synagogue office, and was editor of the monthly newsletter. She and Susan also were active members of the Havdallah group.

After Sharon moved from New Jersey to the West Coast, following severe cuts to the arts budgets, she used her office and organizing skills to work in the nonprofit sector for programs including homeless housing, domestic violence safe houses, and supporting AIDS organizations for many years as a volunteer and later a member of the executive staff. Following her nonprofit years of employment, Sharon worked in the corporate world for two decades prior to retirement. Sharon enjoys being involved in weekly support at Mishkan Shalom at the administrative level, working with Maria in the synagogue office and , interacting with other staff, clergy, and congregants. She appreciates the dynamic community of Mishkan Shalom.

Brian Walt

Rabbi Emeritus

Brian Walt was the founding rabbi of Mishkan Shalom and served as rabbi from 1988 to 2002. After leaving Mishkan Shalom, Walt helped found and served as the first director of Rabbis for Human Rights — North America, currently called T’ruah. In response to “Operation Cast Lead” in 2008-09, he co-founded, with Rabbi Brant Rosen Taanit Tzedek, Jewish Fast for Gaza.

In 2012, Walt led the Dorothy Cotton Institute Civil and Human Rights delegation to the West Bank. The delegation included veterans of the American civil rights movement, who met with leaders of the Palestinian nonviolent resistance movement and their Israeli allies.

Drawing on his own life experience and faith, Walt speaks and writes about the struggle against racism and apartheid in South Africa, Israel and America. He is a member of the Jewish Voice for Peace Rabbinical Council. Most recently, he served on the organizing committee of Expanding the Conversation about Israel/Palestine in the Reconstructionist movement.

Yael Levy

Rabbi Emerita

Yael Levy served as one of the rabbis at Mishkan Shalom from 1993 to 2020.

Levy is the founder and rabbinic director of A Way In, a Jewish mindfulness practice that grew out of her work at Mishkan Shalom. Her approach to mindfulness is deeply rooted in Jewish tradition, yet her teachings are accessible to all. She passionately believes in the power of spiritual practice to transform individuals and the world.

Levy is the author of several books, including "Directing the Heart: Weekly Mindfulness Teachings and Practices from the Torah" and "Journey Through the Wilderness: A Mindfulness Approach to the Ancient Jewish Practice of Counting the Omer."