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building. “I view myself 
as a research-informed 
practitioner,” Horwitz says. 
While some practices were 
as fundamental and widely 
used as coffee dates, other 
practices, such as super-
creative events like biblically 
inspired escape rooms, came 
directly from the minds of 
The Well team. 
One of the original 
team members was Jessica 
Katz, the panel facilitator. 
Katz “is an exceptional 
communal Jewish leader 
with a global perspective 
on Jewish life,” Horwitz 
says. Katz is a past 
JDC Entwine Ralph I. 
Goldman Fellow, a fellowship 
that took her around the 
world experiencing and 
learning from diverse Jewish 
communities. 
When the COVID pandemic 
swept the world, Horwitz 
first started to think he 
should write a book about his 
experience with The Well. 
Then, in May 2020, still in 
widespread lockdown, Horwitz 
and his family moved to 
Miami, Florida, where he took 
on the position of CEO of the 
Dave & Mary Alper Jewish 
Community Center. This 
became the exact laboratory 
needed to see whether the 
practices that established and 
grew The Well would work 
at a different organization, 
one that is a more traditional, 
establishment model. And he 
found that they did.
Barely a year passed, and 
Horwitz and his family 
returned to Michigan where 
he joined the rabbinical staff 
at Adat Shalom Synagogue in 
Farmington Hills. 
Suddenly, Horwitz 
found himself with a gift of 
Wednesdays off. On Saturdays 

and Sundays, Horwitz 
had commitments at the 
synagogue. His day off was 
Wednesdays. More specifically 
the six hours each Wednesday 
while his kids were at Hillel 
Day School.
“I am not someone who 
idles well,” Horwitz says. “I am 
going to write a book! This is 
my chance.”
And he did. 
Horwitz takes great pride 
that The Well has continued 
to flourish and grow without 
him. 
“Great leaders are those 
who can create organizations 
that can thrive without them,” 
Yedwab says. 

A ONE-OF-A-KIND PANEL
In 2020, Rabbi Stombaugh 
stepped in as the executive 
director of The Well and 
continues to lead and innovate 
the group with passion and 
vision, a testament to the 
great leadership of Horwitz, 
Stombaugh and The Well staff.
“The Well is a grand 
experiment of disruptive 
innovation and Jewish 
identity building. As such, the 

transition from Rabbi 
Dan to myself has 
reflected change that 
continues to support 
evolving community 
needs,” Stombaugh says.
Marisa Meyerson, 
director of operations at 
The Well who worked 
with both Horwitz and 
Stombaugh, invites all to 
the panel. “
At The Well, 
we strive to utilize the 
best practices for building 
deep and meaningful 
relationships, she says.”
“Having Rabbi Jeff, 
Rabbi Dan and Rabbi 
Yedwab all together is 
such a special opportunity 
to think about 
Jewish young 
adult engagement 
from three unique 
perspectives.”
Yedwab adds, 
“The Well has 
become an 
innovation engine 
for our community and, 
indeed, the nation.” 
The panel is an opportunity 
to meet and learn together so 
we as a community continue 
to grow from strength to 
strength.
These days, Horwitz lives 
in Nashville and serves as the 
CEO of Jewish Federation of 
Greater Nashville. That said, it 
was never a question where to 
have his book launch — just 
when. 
Horwitz is coming home 
to Michigan and, more 
specifically, Hillel Day School, 
for this professional and 
personal milestone. 

“Just Jewish: Book Signing, Reception 

& Panel Discussion” takes place 

Sunday, March 10, at 12:30 p.m. at 

Hillel Day School (32200 Middlebelt 

Road). Register for the event at https://

jlive.app/events/6985

Marisa 
Meyerson

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