Advisors

Jordan Mann

Jordan is a Professional Track Athlete for New Balance / Ocean State Athletic Club in addition to his role as Community Fundraising and Development Officer at the Jewish Liberation Fund (JLF). He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Ritzah from the Jewish and running worlds, having worked for four years years at Brown Hillel prior to JLF, and earning NCAA All-American honors in the steeplechase while completing his MBA at Providence College. He finished 5th in 2018 at the US Track and Field Championships in the steeplechase and was part of the Team USA Mixed Relay that finished in 4th place at Cross Country World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark in 2019.

Rabbi Lee Friedlander

Lee Friedlander has spent his rabbinate in congregational life.  Having graduated from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 1975, Lee has served as a rabbi at the Reconstructionist Synagogue of the North Shore in Manhasset, New York for more than forty years.  In addition, he is a past president of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association and the “Readings” editor of the Reconstructionist Prayerbook.

As a Reconstructionist Jew, Lee embraces the many facets of Jewish belonging.  He sees Judaism expansively to include not only study, ritual and religion, but also the arts – visual, oral and musical – dance, food and athletics.  Lee began running therapeutically, but medical necessity quickly evolved into a spiritual, meditative practice.  He has also witnessed and appreciates the communal aspect of running as manifested in teams, clubs and in competitions like the Maccabiah Games.  After thirty-five years running on his own, he now runs after his two grandchildren who will soon outrun him.