Experience

New York Insight Meditation Center

• United States
• Religious Institutions
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Leadership Team

  • Aug 2023 - Present

  New York, New York, United States I'm on the leadership team of New York Insight Meditation Center, with primary responsibility for programming.



CNN, Rolling Stone, The Daily Beast, New York Magazine

• Journalist

  • Jan 2002 - Present

  New York City Metropolitan Area I am currently a commentator on CNN Tonight and a regular contributor to Rolling Stone, New York Magazine, and other publications, having been a weekly columnist for The Daily Beast for eight years. I write primarily on law, religion, the Supreme Court, LGBTQ equality, climate change, and the relationship between mental health and politics. I have twice won the New York Society for Professional Journalists' "Deadline Club" Award for Opinion Writing. Wish me luck: I'm up for #3 this month!



Self Employed

• United States
• 700 & Above Employee

• Author, Rabbi, and Teacher

  • Jan 2003 - Present

  I'm the author of eight nonfiction books and two books of poetry: The Heresy of Jacob Frank: From Jewish Messianism to Esoteric Myth (2022) Enlightenment by Trial and Error (2019) is: Heretical Blessings and Poems (2017) The Gate of Tears: Sadness and the Spiritual Path (2015) Evolving Dharma: Meditation, Buddhism, and the Next Generation of Enlightenment (2013) Redefining Religious Liberty: The Covert Campaign Against Civil Rights (2013) God vs. Gay? The Religious Case… Show more I'm the author of eight nonfiction books and two books of poetry: The Heresy of Jacob Frank: From Jewish Messianism to Esoteric Myth (2022) Enlightenment by Trial and Error (2019) is: Heretical Blessings and Poems (2017) The Gate of Tears: Sadness and the Spiritual Path (2015) Evolving Dharma: Meditation, Buddhism, and the Next Generation of Enlightenment (2013) Redefining Religious Liberty: The Covert Campaign Against Civil Rights (2013) God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality (2011) Everything Is God: The Radical Path of Nondual Judaism (2009) Another Word for Sky: Poems (2007) God in Your Body: Kabbalah, Mindfulness and Embodied Spiritual Practice (2006) As a keynote speaker, teacher, and scholar in residence, I've spoken at over 300 institutions, ranging from universities to synagogues, festivals to corporate events. I've led numerous silent meditation retreats in Buddhist and Jewish communities, taught advanced seminars in mysticism, taught secular mindfulness corporate clients including Apple and Delta Air Lines, given university lectures on law and religion, trained activists, and appeared on countless podcasts, commenting on religion, law, meditation, and social justice. I was ordained as a non-denominational rabbi in 2013, and was authorized to teach in a Theravadan Buddhist lineage by my teacher, Leigh Brasington, in 2015. Show less



Chicago Theological Seminary

• United States
• Higher Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Affiliated Assistant Professor

  • Jan 2015 - Present

  I'm a longtime "alt-ac" or alternative-academic. I hold a PhD in Jewish Thought from Hebrew University and have held academic positions at Boston University Law School, Brown University, City College of New York, and other institutions. I am presently an Affiliated Assistant Professor at Chicago Theological Seminary and a Visiting Scholar at the Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion, part of the Pacific School of Religion. At Chicago Theological Seminary, I teach… Show more I'm a longtime "alt-ac" or alternative-academic. I hold a PhD in Jewish Thought from Hebrew University and have held academic positions at Boston University Law School, Brown University, City College of New York, and other institutions. I am presently an Affiliated Assistant Professor at Chicago Theological Seminary and a Visiting Scholar at the Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion, part of the Pacific School of Religion. At Chicago Theological Seminary, I teach courses in Religious Liberty, Jewish mysticism, and LGBTQ issues. I am also the article of several academic articles on the same cluster of issues. Most of these are accessible on my academia.edu page . I've published widely on queer theology and queer theory in the context of religion. My 2022 book, "The Heresy of Jacob Frank: From Jewish Messianism to Esoteric Myth," was published by Oxford University Press and won the 2022 National Jewish Book Award for scholarship. Show less



Ten Percent Happier

• United States
• Wellness and Fitness Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Senior Editor and Content Strategist

  • Jun 2018 - Jan 2023

  - Created, edited, and wrote for Ten Percent's weekly newsletter on mindfulness and meditation, Ten Percent Weekly, which went out to over 1m readers each week. - Created, developed, and hosted Ten Percent's "Teacher Talks" podcast, which features short teachings from leading meditation teachers, scientists, and other experts. - Led dozens of guided meditations and talks for Ten Percent Happier subscribers and for partners at Apple, Delta, and other organizations. - Created and… Show more - Created, edited, and wrote for Ten Percent's weekly newsletter on mindfulness and meditation, Ten Percent Weekly, which went out to over 1m readers each week. - Created, developed, and hosted Ten Percent's "Teacher Talks" podcast, which features short teachings from leading meditation teachers, scientists, and other experts. - Led dozens of guided meditations and talks for Ten Percent Happier subscribers and for partners at Apple, Delta, and other organizations. - Created and edited the Home page of the Ten Percent app, developing a new way for users to access Ten Percent content. - Led and advised numerous company initiatives, challenges, and other programs in a senior content strategist role. Show less



The Daily Beast

• United States
• Book and Periodical Publishing
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Columnist

  • Sep 2013 - Jun 2022

  Weekly columnist primarily covering the Supreme Court, LGBTQ equality, and religion. I frequently offered analysis of breaking news, including newly released court decisions and court arguments I attended. I was a frequent podcast and TV guest commenting on these issues. In 2013, I was the first journalist to cover the weaponization of "religious liberty" by Christian conservatives. In 2015, I co-developed the "Quorum: Global LGBT Voices" project, featuring TED-style talks from LGBTQI… Show more Weekly columnist primarily covering the Supreme Court, LGBTQ equality, and religion. I frequently offered analysis of breaking news, including newly released court decisions and court arguments I attended. I was a frequent podcast and TV guest commenting on these issues. In 2013, I was the first journalist to cover the weaponization of "religious liberty" by Christian conservatives. In 2015, I co-developed the "Quorum: Global LGBT Voices" project, featuring TED-style talks from LGBTQI leaders from the Global South. And in 2018, I broke the story of how Leonard Leo and the Federalist Society were engaged in a coordinated campaign to transform the Supreme Court and the federal judiciary. Show less



The Forward

• Internet News
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Columnist and Contributing Editor

  • 2004 - Aug 2017



Democracy Council

• Director, LGBT Global Rights Initiative

  • Oct 2013 - Aug 2015

  As consultant to a leading state department implementer, planned and launched new program focusing on assisting LGBTQI communities in repressive environments.



Brown University

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Visiting Scholar

  • Dec 2013 - Dec 2014

  One year post-doctoral position



Arcus Foundation

• United States
• Philanthropic Fundraising Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Vice President, Social Justice Programs

  • Feb 2013 - Sep 2013

  During my time at the Arcus Foundation, I launched three new LGBTQ funding initiatives, implemented new processes for grant intake and management, created a new social justice strategy in partnership with the foundation's executive team, managed a team of eight full-time professionals, and developed an emergency strategy for responding to the crisis of LGBTQ populations in Russia.



Nehirim

• Executive Director

  • Apr 2004 - Feb 2013

  I founded this Jewish LGBTQ religious organization in my living room and grew it into a thriving nonprofit that provided cultural and spiritual programming for hundreds of queer Jews and allies every year. I created Nehirim's programming, managed its budget, and raised funds from individuals and foundations, all the while counseling hundreds of queer Jews on reconciling their spirituality and their sexual and gender identities. As an LGBTQ activist in the 2000s and 2010s, I was grateful to be… Show more I founded this Jewish LGBTQ religious organization in my living room and grew it into a thriving nonprofit that provided cultural and spiritual programming for hundreds of queer Jews and allies every year. I created Nehirim's programming, managed its budget, and raised funds from individuals and foundations, all the while counseling hundreds of queer Jews on reconciling their spirituality and their sexual and gender identities. As an LGBTQ activist in the 2000s and 2010s, I was grateful to be named to the Advocate's list of "Our Leading Religious Allies" and to the Forward 50 list of the most influential Jews in America. Show less



Boston University

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Visiting Professor

  • Sep 2007 - Jun 2008

  I taught courses in law and religion, and in environmental law and ethics.



Zeek: A Jewish Journal of Thought & Culture

• Editor in Chief

  • Jan 2002 - Aug 2007



Wasabi Systems Inc.

• Founder

  • Mar 2000 - Jun 2007

  New York, New York, United States As the founder and chief operations officer of an open-source embedded systems startup in the first dot-com boom, I wrote the company's initial business plans, built internal operations, scaled the company from nothing to 20 employees, and helped hire the company's CEO in 2002. From 2002-2007, I continued working at Wasabi as a senior advisor and general counsel.



New York University School of Law

• United States
• Higher Education
• 300 - 400 Employee

• Golieb Fellow in Legal History

  • Aug 1999 - Mar 2000

  New York, New York, United States



D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals

• Law Clerk

  • Jun 1998 - Jun 1999

  Law clerk to Judge Merrick Garland.