About Us

Jofa advocates for expanding women’s rights and opportunities within the framework of halakha,
to build a vibrant and equitable Orthodox community.

Meet our team
Read our mission
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WHO WE ARE

Our Mission

Jofa advocates for expanding women’s rights and opportunities within the framework of halakha, to build a vibrant and equitable Orthodox community.

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Events, publications, podcasts, guidebooks, women-friendly minyanim, divrei Torah by female scholars, and more.

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THE PEOPLE BEHIND JOFA

Jofa Team

Dr. Mindy Feldman Hecht

Executive Director
mindy@jofa.org

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Jordana Fichtenbaum

Program Manager
jordana@jofa.org

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Sarah Small

Communications Director
sarah.small@jofa.org

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OUR LEADERSHIP

Board & Officers

Executive Committee

  • Rabba Dr. Carmella Abraham, Co-President
  • Rabbi Marianne Novak, Co-President
  • Rachel Berke, Treasurer
  • Sarah Blechner
  • Carolyn Hochstadter Dicker
  • Atara Margolies
  • Pam Scheininger

General Board

  • Angel Alvarez-Mapp
  • Paula Eiselt
  • Dr. Laura Shaw Frank
  • Blu Greenberg
  • Rivka Herzfeld
  • Dr. Talia Hurwich
  • Gail Katz
  • Tamar Lindenbaum
  • Carol Kaufman Newman

Past Presidents

  • Blu Greenberg, Founding President
  • Judy Heicklen
  • Carol Kaufman Newman
  • Pam Scheininger
Three Jofa Ambassadors smiling together in an office
Board Bios
OUR COMMITMENT

Anti-Harassment Policy

Any individual who believes that he or she has witnessed or has been subjected to conduct that may violate Jofa’s policy (by an employee or non-employee of Jofa) is required to report the conduct to the Executive Director or any officer of the organization. Complaints of harassment may be made using the complaint form attached to the policy.

Read the full policy

Dr. Mindy Feldman Hecht

Executive Director

Dr. Mindy Feldman Hecht is a mission-driven nonprofit and academic leader committed to advancing women’s leadership, scholarship, learning and participation within halakhic Jewish life. She served on the Board of Directors of Jofa for eight years, including as Board President, where she helped shape the organization’s strategic direction, led a successful international conference, strengthened governance, and steered its long-term growth and impact.

 

Mindy brings more than a decade of experience leading equity-centered, community-engaged initiatives at the intersection of public health, research, and social change. She previously served as Program Director of the Office of Community Health at Columbia University, where she built and managed cross-sector partnerships and programs designed to translate academic research into meaningful community benefit.

 

She holds a doctorate in Applied Exercise Physiology from Teachers College, Columbia University, where her research focused on innovative approaches to improving physical activity and cognitive outcomes in underserved school communities. Mindy earned her BA from Columbia University and her Master of Public Health from the Mailman School of Public Health.

 

Earlier in her career, she served as Chief Compliance Officer for Uri L’Zedek’s Tav HaYosher (Ethical Seal) restaurant program in New York, advancing ethical labor standards within the kosher food industry. She is also an alumna of Migdal Oz. She lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with her husband and children and is an active member of Darkhei Noam, where her commitment to partnership minyanim and inclusive communal leadership is deeply rooted.

Jordana Fichtenbaum

Program Manager

Jordana Fichtenbaum has led a career spanning community engagement, social media and even space hospitality! After six years in the Community Affairs group in the NYC Mayor’s Office under Mike Bloomberg, she led a social media business serving local hotels and prominent restaurants. Later she took hospitality to the next level as co-Founder of Zero G Kitchen, which baked the first food on the International Space Station. Jordana currently runs a book club and newsletter called “What’s Jordana Reading?” covering her favorite books on Instagram (@whatsjordanareading).

Jewishly, Jordana is passionate about kosher cooking and recently led the campaign of the Dorshei Torah V’Tzion slate in the World Zionist Congress elections. She is affiliated with the Hudson Yards Synagogue and Fifth Avenue Synagogue, the latter of which has been her spiritual and community home since childhood.

Sarah Small

Communications Director

Sarah Small is JOFA’s Communications Director, bringing a strong background in strategic communications, digital storytelling, and Jewish community engagement. As the creator of @thatrelatablejew, she has built a vibrant online platform with over 300,000 followers, creating content that explores Jewish identity, mental health, and empowerment through a feminist lens. A passionate advocate for accessible and inclusive Jewish life, Sarah has worked across nonprofits and media to develop impactful messaging and foster authentic community connection. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, AJC, Lionsgate, and The Jerusalem Post. She holds a BFA in Illustration and Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology and currently lives in Queens, NY. Sarah is proud to bring her creativity, conviction, and voice to JOFA’s mission.