SVARA Scholars-in-Residence

Scholars-in-Residence are experienced Jewish educators, facilitators, and/or rabbis who bring their unique experiences to SVARA’s learning spaces, offering new perspectives and insights based on the specific lens through which they view the world. Scholars-in-Residence understand that experiences of marginalization can lead to powerful insights and strive to center these insights, both their own and those of their students, in their teaching. 

As we continue to invest in growing leaders through our batei midrash and mentorship, we’re working to ensure that our dazzling community is reflected by our teaching team. Each zman (season), we’re holding a specific Scholar-in-Residence role for queer and/or trans teachers who identify as Black Jews and/or Jews of Color.

MEET OUR SCHOLARS-IN-RESIDENCE:

Spring 2022

Enzi Tanner is a trans, disabled, Black American, Jew living on Dakota land (also known as Minneapolis). Enzi is a Community organizer, a consultant, a licensed social worker, and an ICF-certified life coach. Enzi most recently worked for a little over the last year working to support the Jewish community in the twin cities to explore community safety beyond policing.
 

 

 

Fall 2021

Devin Samuels (he/him) is a poet educator who has been performing on local and national stages for the last 10 years. With a strong investment in community, Devin Samuels has spent years cultivating youth arts spaces throughout New England. In Detroit, Devin Samuels worked with Inside Out Literary Arts Project supplying poetry programming to youth throughout the city. His pedagogy utilizes poetics to grow critical thinking, self-reflection, and empathy within students. Devin is a 2017 Poetry Foundation Incubator Fellow and his work can be found in City & Sea Poetry Anthology, Slag Review, Wayne Literary Review 2018 and Systematic Crises of Global Climate Change: Intersections of Race, Class, and Gender.