Who We Are
Rabbi Dr. Leila Gal Berner
President
Rabbi Leila Gal Berner received her B.A. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem She Berner received her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles in medieval Spanish Jewish History. Dr. Berner was ordained at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (1989) and received a second rabbinical ordination from Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, founder of the Jewish Renewal Movement, in 2009. She founded Ezra Uganda Assistance in 2016 with the goal of supporting the Abayudaya Jewish community of Namutumba, Uganda, and currently serves as Ezra Uganda’s President. Rabbi Leila lives in Frederick, Maryland with her wife, Franna Ruddell and is the happy savta (grandmother) of Olivia, Aliya and Lucy.
(703) 371-3017
Rabbi Avraham Bachman
Board Member
Rabbi Avraham is the spiritual leader of Ruach Hamidbar, a Jewish Renewal community in Scottsdale, Arizona. Avraham was born in Rochester, NY. He received his degree in Special Education and Psychology at Syracuse University in 1974 and J.D. from Gonzaga University in 1977. He also attended extracurricular classes at the Eastman School of Music. In his youth, he attended a Conservative synagogue with Orthodox services. He served as president of USY while in High School. Rabbi Avraham is involved in interfaith activities, including serving as chair of the Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable, chair of the annual interfaith event at the Mormon Tabernacle, and current chair of the North American Interfaith Network. Avraham is a partner of the law firm Fetzer Simonsen Booth and Jenkins, while also being a professional musician with his talented wife Andalin, recording engineer, and producer. Andalin and Avraham have three married children and nine grandchildren.
Rabbinic Pastor Ruth Delfiner
Board Member
Ruth Delfiner was born in Vienna, Austria and came to the U.S as a schoolgirl. As an adult, she has worked in a number of professions, most recently as a hospital chaplain in Boston. In pursuing ordination to better serve her patient population, she met Reb Leila and fellow student Shadrach Mugoya. Since then she has been very interested in the Jewish community of Namutumba, and how cooperation between their community and ours can strengthen both.
Brenda Gates-Monasch
Vice President
Brenda first went to Africa – Benin (then Dahomey) and Lagos, Nigeria – on a summer program, Operation Crossroads Africa, when she was 19, and fell in love with the warmth and positive attitudes that prevailed despite the hardships faced by the people she met. Concerned about their potential for longer, healthier lives, upon returning to college, she learned everything she could about Africa. After graduating, she spent 2 years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Senegal and traveled widely in West Africa before returning to graduate school in the US to study African education. Subsequently, she worked for the Peace Corps in Washington, DC, creating and leading an informal education program to support worldwide development efforts. However, when her life circumstances changed, while she maintained her deep interest in Africa, she focused her career on non-profit organizations in the US.
Brenda is the daughter of a pulpit Rabbi who was also a full time public school teacher. She has been active in Jewish communal organizations throughout her life. She celebrates every day that she is blessed with 5 grandchildren who live less than an hour away from her!
Josh Jeffreys
Board Member
RABBI JOSH JEFFREYS works at the University of Richmond where he has served as the Jewish Chaplain and Director of Religious Life since May 2018 (after serving for two years as the Interim Jewish Life Advisor). He received his undergraduate degree in Jewish Studies from Rutgers University, completed a Master in Business Administration in the Robins School of Business in December 2019, and was ordained as a Rabbi - with a special concentration in Earth-Based Jewish traditions and practices - through ALEPH: The Alliance for Jewish Renewal in January 2025. Josh has worked in a variety of nonprofit roles both in and beyond the Jewish community, with work focused on alumni and donor relations, operations management, and Jewish and multifaith education for people of all ages. In addition to Ezra Uganda Assistance, Josh is on the board of ALEPH, the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, and the VIrginia Holocaust Museum, and assists with several other nonprofits including the local Federation in Richmond and his shul. Josh is blessed to live in Virginia with his partner Amy and their wonderful son.
Chaya Lerner
Board Member
Rabbinic Chaplain Chaya Lerner received smicha in 2021 from Aleph Ordination Program as a Rabbinic Chaplain. She is the former president of the Rabbinic Pastor Association and currently serves on the Ohalah board of Directors. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker in private practice, Chaya lives with her partner, dog Bella and cat Sweetie in Miami Fl. She is the author of The Torah of Trauma.
Brielle Rassler
Board Member
Rabbi Dr. Brielle Paige Rassler is a licensed psychologist, mashpiah ruchanit (spiritual director), author, and artist. She maintains a private practice and serves as Lead Chaplain of Integrative Wellness at Penn Medicine Princeton Health, where she previously served as director and lead therapist of the Grief Counseling Program, implemented as a crisis intervention response to the Covid-19 pandemic. She has released two albums of original liturgical music and has served with prayer leadership teams at various congregations, including Romemu in NYC and Mishkan Shalom in Philly. In addition to her emerging series of sacred text translations, R. Dr. Brielle has authored a reference guide to the Talmud and a manual for religiously integrated treatment of Jewish women with Eating Disorders. She travels widely, bringing Joyful Judaism and sharing her wisdom on the nature of eating disorders in the Jewish community to institutions and communities of all kinds. Her Psalms translations have been featured in multiple publications and her full translation, “Psalms: A Millennial’s Poetic Interpretation” was selected as a Gold Award winner of the 2023 Nautilus Book Awards. www.BriellePaigeRassler.com
Jeff Schulman
Board Member
Jeff Schulman, Ph.D. is a Clinical Psychologist who recently retired. As a Psychologist he worked primarily with children, adolescents and families. Before entering private practice he was on the faculty of the George Washington University Medical Center. After the October 7 attack he served on a support phone line for English speaking Israelis. He was also a volunteer with the IDF’s Sar-El program in Israel. As a member of the Board of Ezra Uganda Assistance he has a strong commitment to assist the Abayudaya community of Namutumba.