Staff

Josh Rolnick

(Publisher) is a fiction writer whose short stories have won the Arts & Letters Fiction Prize and the Florida Review Editor’s Choice Prize. His fiction has also appeared in Western Humanities Review, Bellingham Review, and Gulf Coast . He is the former managing editor of Moment , a magazine of Jewish culture, politics, and religion, and founder of the journal’s short story contest. Rolnick is also the former editorial director of the Stanford Social Innovation Review, a magazine covering best strategies for nonprofits, foundations, and socially responsible businesses. He has reported for news organizations including the Associated Press , in Jerusalem and Trenton, N.J., and Congressional Quarterly in Washington, D.C . Rolnick is currently a director on the boards of trustees of the National Jewish Democratic Council, the Save a Child’s Heart Foundation, and the Lippman Kanfer Family Foundation. He is a member of Moment ’s editorial advisory board.

Susan Berrin

(Editor) is Editor of Sh’ma: A Journal of Jewish Responsibility. She is also Editor of two landmark Jewish anthologies, Celebrating the New Moon: A Rosh Chodesh Anthology (Jason Aronson Publishers) and A Heart of Wisdom: Making the Jewish Journey from Midlife through the Elder Years (Jewish Lights Publishing). Her writing has been included in several anthologies including Praise Her Works: Conversations With Biblical Women and The Women’s Passover Companion: Women’s Reflections on the Festival of Freedom. Susan is a member of the Academic Board of the Hadassah Brandeis Institute, and also serves on the board of Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism. She lives outside Palo Alto, California.

Robert J. Saferstein

(Market Development Director, prev. Online Director & Editor) Interested in the interfacing of ritual, experience, and technology, Robert J. Saferstein has used his background in the arts and technology to broaden the definition of what ‘Jewish’ can look like by building community and realizing new points of engagement across multiple platforms. Currently the Market Development Director of Sh’ma Journal, and named to The Jewish Week’s “36 Under 36” for his leadership in the LGBTQ Jewish world, Saferstein is the recipient of two Natan Grants for ROI Entrepreneurs for his series of upscale Shabbat and holiday dinners for gay Jewish professionals, Friday Night Lights (FNLights.com). His latest initiative is Eighteen:22, a Schusterman Connection Point that launched in August 2015 in Salzburg, Austria, that brought together over 70 Jewish LGBTQ and ally influencers from around the globe in order to cultivate an international network of visionaries working to advance ideas and initiatives that make the world a more inclusive and equal place. For more info, visit eighteen22.com. Prior to joining Sh’ma, Saferstein served as the founding Creative Director of BroadwaysBestShows.com, a leading Broadway website. Represented by Smart.MAGNA, Saferstein’s fine art and Broadway production photography has been featured in numerous publications, including, "The New York Times. " He is the author and composer of the musicals "Oedipus for Kids," (NYMF Next Link Selection, Samuel French, Inc.), and "The Zegend of Lelda" (Best Musical, WVMTF). Film work include "Generation Um," "The Confession," and "Gun Hill Road." He is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, a member of the ROI Community for Jewish leaders and innovators, and a PresenTense Social Start Trainer.

Emily Rich

(Art Director) is an award-winning graphic designer with over 20 years of experience, Emily specializes in nonprofit marketing, brand identity and publication design. After working in the music and publishing industries, and as the creative director for two in-house marketing teams, she founded Emily Rich Design, Inc. in 2003. Emily's work has been featured annually in Graphic Design:usa and her experience with magazine redesign has earned her recognition from Western Publications Association's Maggie awards. Emily's passion for design originates from her fine art background. She developed her proficiency in oil pastels, acrylics, watercolors and collage and received her bachelor's degree in Art History and French from the University of California, Los Angeles, where she graduated Cum Laude.