Our Mission

Togethering is a new endeavor designed to support young, modern couples as they explore how Jewish values, traditions, and culture can bring something meaningful to the lives they build together - on their own terms and in their own time. We do this through awe-inspiring immersive travel, authentic personal exploration, and ongoing opportunities to build community with other great couples.

Meet The Team

Sophie Hearne, Senior Director

Sophie is the Senior Director of Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives on the Community and Jewish Life team at JFNA where she oversees the development of innovative, groundbreaking programs. Raised in a mixed-heritage family (Jewish mom and atheist dad), Sophie has a deep appreciation for how her parents and grandparents navigated what it meant to meld and embrace each other’s traditions, teachings, and holidays. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time in Maine with her husband, Chris, and gardening.

Sumiko Zayon, Program Manager

Sumiko is delighted to support all elements of program design and implementation because Togethering resonates so strongly with her own personal experience. Originally from Cuba, Sumiko accompanied her husband on his Jewish conversion journey and was inspired by their shared experiences and the sense of belonging he found in the community. Together, they emigrated to Israel and a few years later made Miami home with their two young children. Sumiko was the Youth Engagement Director at Temple Beth Am, a prominent reform congregation in Miami, and is a skilled salsa dancer and passionate amateur singer.

Miriam Bader, Lead Experience Designer and Co-Facilitator

Miriam is a learning designer on a quest to strengthen our ability to lead, learn, and make social impact. She creates dynamic in-person and online programs, trainings, and gatherings for NGOs, cultural organizations, and small businesses to strengthen their leadership. As a traveler and digital nomad, Miriam balances curiosity and cultural humility with confidence in our ability to solve complex problems together.

Rabbi Brent Chaim Spodek, Rabbinic Advisor and Co-Facilitator

Brent is widely recognized as one of the most inspiring rabbis in America. In his work with soon-to-be-wed couples, he is committed to helping couples work together as a team, regardless of gender, sexual orientations or faith backgrounds. Describing himself as “an accidental Rabbi”, Brent grew up in a Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn but without much religious influence – he never even had a bar mitzvah. Today, Brent lives in Beacon with his wife and their two children.

Amanda Brooks, Ops Specialist

Amanda manages the many logistics for delivering Togethering retreats. Working as a Trips Operations Specialist at Honeymoon Israel provided her with the expertise and know-how for ensuring smooth operations. Prior to Honeymoon Israel, she worked as an educator teaching the culinary arts to high school students. She is very involved in the Phoenix Jewish community, serving on different boards, working at various Jewish summer camps, and teaching at local schools. In her spare time, she enjoys finding trendy brunch spots and hanging out with her family.

Rabbi Samuel Klein, Rabbinic Advisor and Co-Facilitator

As Director of Jewish Engagement at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, Samuel believes that curiosity and inquiry are central to Jewish practice. Across two decades of accompanying couples and young families craft their Jewish journey with intentionality, Samuel has designed and led initiatives for couples of mixed heritage backgrounds in a variety of community settings including Synagogues, JCCs, and Federations nationally. Originally from London, Samuel is the proud father of three (all living on different continents!) and lives in Seattle. An avid runner and hiker and you can often find him running the Seward Park loop

Our Partners

Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA)

JFNA is the fiscal sponsor for Togethering, and several of its staff are leading its strategy development, program design, and overall implementation. JFNA represents nearly 400 independent Jewish communities, which raise and distribute more than $2 billion annually to build flourishing Jewish communities domestically, in Israel, and around the world.

One8 Foundation

The One8 Foundation is proud to support Togethering as one of the programs in their Jewish Life portfolio. The One8 Foundation supports user-centric organizations like Togethering that serve the needs of young couples and families and create innovative Jewish experiences in local communities that are flexible, joyful, meaningful, and non-prescriptive. The One8 Foundation believes that education is the doorway to individual success and self-determination and is anchored in the Jewish values of human dignity, social justice, repairing the world and building robust caring communities of meaning and purpose.

Since its founding in 2014, Honeymoon Israel (HMI) has served over 3,000 couples with at least one Jewish partner through immersive experiences in Israel and local engagement in their communities. HMI is partnering closely with Togethering to provide operational and educational resources to support Togethering's execution of 10 trips in the U.S. HMI’s additional support will ensure that both organizations can reach the maximum number of couples.

Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle

As part of select Togethering alumni experiences, some cohorts will have the opportunity to participate in Reset & Refresh following the retreat. Reset & Refresh is originally a program of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle. This post-trip series is a learning adventure crafted to provide couples with a welcoming space to deepen relationships with their new Togethering friends and co-author their shared Jew-ish journey once they return home.

Rosov Consulting

Rosov Consulting is supporting the strategy and evaluation of Togethering. Rosov’s mission is to provide high-quality research, evaluation, and insights to Jewish organizations, enabling them to make informed decisions and effectively pursue their strategic goals. Their work is driven by a vision of diverse, thriving, data-informed ecosystems of Jewish organizations that understand and effectively meet the needs of the people and communities they serve.

Togethering is uniquely grateful to the many organizations and individuals that have helped bring this idea to fruition.