Rabbi Joshua (Shuki) Klein is from Concord, California. After receiving his bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University, Rabbi Joshua traversed Eastern Europe to study the Holocaust. Visiting the various sites was a transformational experience and led Rabbi Joshua to study Jewish culture and Hebrew in Israel. Rabbi Joshua continued his education with a master’s degree in Jewish Civilization from Hebrew University, followed by two years at Yeshivat HaMivtar in Efrat, and then a master’s degree in Jewish Philosophy from YU and semicha from RIETS. Rabbi Joshua spent three summers at Camp Yavneh, in New Hampshire, as an educator and “Rosh Sport.” During his time at YU, he was an OU-JLIC Rabbinic Fellow at the University of Maryland. Prior to this exciting move to Philly, Rabbi Joshua worked at the Manhattan Jewish Experience as a Rabbi and Director of Community Engagement for young Jewish professionals in New York City.
Sara Klein grew up in Lower Merion, PA, just a short drive from Penn’s campus, and loved going to basketball games at the Palestra with her family. Sara majored in Psychology at Penn, and was a two-time captain of the women’s tennis team. One of the highlights of her college years was playing tennis in the 2005 Maccabiah Games in Israel, which kindled her love for Israel and her Jewish growth. After serving as a college tennis coach for six years (three at Penn and three at Columbia), Sara earned her master’s degree from Teacher’s College, Columbia University in Organizational Psychology, and studied to be a health coach at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where she also worked as the head of the human resources department. It was during this time that she went back to Israel many times, first with Birthright, then with the Jewish Enrichment Center (JEC), the Manhattan Jewish Experience (MJE), and as a Madricha on two Birthright trips. Sara completed MJE’s year-long fellowship program in Jewish studies.
Rabbi Joshua and Sara are thrilled to join the OU-JLIC Penn family! They and their three adorable children can’t wait to learn with, host, and get to know the amazing Penn community.