Warren, NYC
In 2005, there was not a lot happening for Jewish 20s and 30s in Philly. There was definitely nothing if you were Jewish and LGBTQIA+ and looking to build a community with others who shared this dual identity. Warren was working in the theatre community, involved in a local chavurah (prayer group), and occasionally hosted friends for a Shabbat dinner. He came to Tribe 12 with the question of how to build the community he was seeking. It only took an hour of chatting to make an easy decision — if Warren would step up as a lead volunteer, Tribe 12 would back the project. Queer@thecollaborative was born, which later morphed in Spectrum Philly and is today Tribe 12 LGBTQIA+. As for Warren, his volunteer roles soon led him to a career as a Jewish communal professional, where he is currently the Executive Director of an organization that advances the understanding of Jewish scholarship.