About Us

SUPPORTING JOYOUS JUDAISM & CONFRONTING ANTISEMITISM

We exist for Jewish people, for people who aren’t Jewish but are part of a Jewish community, for anyone who has felt like a Jewish outsider, and especially for Disengaged Jews (DJs for short). That’s literally why our name/tagline is JewBelong: for when you feel you don’t! 

so really...

Why jewbelong?

Let’s face it, Judaism can be a little/lot intimidating. Sometimes all of the rules and regulations keep people away, and then they miss out on the good stuff. JewBelong is out to change that by helping you find the joy, meaning and relevance that Judaism has to offer.

These days, antisemitism is growing, and well, it can be hard to be a Joyous Jew when there’s a target on your back. That’s why we’re raising awareness about the problem! Our signature pink and white billboards, billboard trucks, and strong social media presence powerfully confront antisemitism, so you have room to discover Joyous Judaism.

JewBelong helps you find the joy, meaning, relevance and connection that Judaism has to offer. JewBelong’s Judaism always stands for inclusion and welcomes everyone wherever they are (or aren’t) on their Jewish journey. Our easy explanations and meaningful rituals are just the beginning. We exist for Jews, and for people who aren’t Jewish but are part of a Jewish community, for anyone who has felt like a Jewish outsider (which TBH is probably most of us), and especially for Disengaged Jews (DJs for short). That’s literally why our name/tagline is JewBelong: for when you feel you don’t!

We don’t care which of your parents is Jewish, or if neither of them is, whether you’ve ever set foot in a synagogue or if you don’t believe in God. Unlike so many other belief systems, Judaism, especially at JewBelong, can be flexible AF. Everything we say at JewBelong is welcoming and low barrier. JewBelong is filled with easy-to-follow, fun, relevant, sometimes humorous, and meaningful content.

So, find what inspires you and share it with the world.

There is no best way to use JewBelong. Maybe you’re here because you’re pregnant and want readings for a bris, or maybe Passover is coming, and you’re about to host or go to your first Seder, or maybe you are falling in love with someone who is Jewish and you’re not and you want to see what all the fuss is about. Great. We have booklets for each of the Jewish holidays and for some milestones, but everything else is more free-form. 

P.S. Everything on JewBelong is free, but we love when people make donations to help keep JewBelong going! 

Get in on the big picture

We’d love to show you around. Whether you’re new to Judaism, preparing for a significant Jewish event, or simply curious, our resources are designed to empower you with knowledge and understanding. 

Is JewBelong a synagogue?

JewBelong isn't a synagogue. But it’s complicated. Judaism is, at its core, a communal religion, and it’s very hard to do alone. For some people, synagogue is a place they look forward to being.

We're putting an end to japathy

Whether you call it Japathy (Jewish Apathy), Jewish Continuity, future of the Jewish People, or just a crying shame, the question of whether Judaism will even exist several generations from now is real.

Disclaimer: we say what we believe

JewBelong’s mission is to welcome people to Judaism with Jewish readings and rituals that many people can relate to. And guess what, JewBelong isn’t for everyone. 

jewbarassment®

YOU'VE FELT IT. YOU JUST DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS A WORD FOR IT.

JewBarrassment® is that feeling we’ve all had at some point when we do, or think we do, something Jewish wrong. Like going to someone’s home for Passover and bringing cookies as a gift. (Whoops. You’re not supposed to eat cookies during Passover.) Maybe you go to someone else’s home that keeps strict Shabbat rules and you turn on a light. (Another no-no). What with all the rules and guidelines and different denominations, it’s hard to know what to do all the time, pretty much like anything else in life! (Trust us – JewBarrassment® happens to everyone. We’ve even had Yeshiva students tell us that they’ve felt JewBarrassed.)

WE MAY NEVER ACTUALLY END JEWBARRASSMENT®, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY DECREASE IT.

We can do this by a) asking more questions! There is no such thing as a stupid question when it comes to religious rules. And b) answering questions with kindness when someone does ask! Sometimes people are shy about explaining a custom fully. Instead, it would be wonderful to look at religious ritual and practice as a chance to teach others about an interesting tradition that might add meaning to their lives too.

Our free booklets are fun and meaningful guides to Jewish holidays and ritual. We promise to never Jewbarrass you.

The Team

Archie Gottesman

CO-FOUNDER

Archie Gottesman

CO-FOUNDER

Stacy Stuart

CO-FOUNDER

Stacy Stuart

CO-FOUNDER

Dane Goodwin

SENIOR DIGITAL DESIGNER

Dane Goodwin

SENIOR DIGITAL DESIGNER

Alex Thilen

MARKETING CONSULTANT

Alex Thilen

MARKETING CONSULTANT

Bill Crotty

PROJECT MANAGER

Bill Crotty

PROJECT MANAGER

Carrie Hall

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Carrie Hall

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Kayla Bloch

Kayla Bloch

Board

Alison Lebovitz

Alison Lebovitz

Kimmy Scotti Metzger

Kimmy Scotti Metzger

advisory board

Adam David

Adam David

Alysia Reiner

Alysia Reiner

Bari Mattes

Bari Mattes

Cari Sommer

Cari Sommer

Dan Bucatinsky

Dan Bucatinsky

Eboni K. Williams

Eboni K. Williams

Ethan Zohn

Ethan Zohn

Hen Mazzig

Hen Mazzig

John Schreiber

John Schreiber

Mark G. Reisbaum

Mark G. Reisbaum

Neal Zuckerman