Rabbi Evan is all about the vision. He truly believes that Australian Uni Students will unite together and be a part of the Ohrsom dream. His passion is to give young aspiring Jewish Students the tools to be proud of their Jewish values and embrace them and integrate them into the world they live in. Rabbi Evan has travelled the world and grew up in South Africa, lived in Israel for 8 years and then Sydney for 5. He is all about family and his wife and 4 children are always game for an adventure. He has degrees in Accounting and Finance (CFA), Studied in the Ohr Somayach and Mir Yeshivas and worked in a variety of fields, including, Youth Rabbi in Kehillat Masada Sydney, Head of Informal Education in Masada College. He currently runs a successful company (Rimon) which focuses on the startup revolution in Australia.
RABBI MENACHEM CHANNEN
Rabbi Channen is the WOW factor in the Ohrsom team. His lectures are challenging and inspiring, full of interactive moments and lots of laughs. He has a knack for shmoozing - once he starts talking he can't stop!
Rabbi Channen was born in Israel in Gush Etzion and has spent all of his life soaking up the wisdom of Torah. He is passionate about learning Torah and inspiring others to learn as well. He is a builder of Jewish communities and recently left Sydney where he built up a learning centre that inspired many young Jewish students.
CARA Widmonte
Cara adds the much needed feminine touch to Ohrsom Student. Every event, program, dinner will always have her unique input and a five star rating. Cara grew up in South Africa and has been travelling the world with her family teaching Jewish values wherever she goes. Her home is always open to guests and her listening ear has helped many a Uni Student navigate the challenges of life.
Dani Kosofsky
Dani Kosofsky is a South African born, Sydneysider, whose passion for Jewish life manifests in the world of education, marketing and media as the Co-Director of Ohrsom Student in Sydney. Upon gaining her double degree from Macquarie University, she worked within the management consulting and financial advisory spheres in New York City. It was in the US that Jewish geography prevailed, with her aunt’s best friend introducing her to her now husband, David. Dani has pursued her love for Judaism in the advanced learning programs at Midreshet Harova and Midreshet Rachel V’Chaya and is an honoured recipient of the Order of Australia Youth Medallion and ZONTA ‘Women in Public Affairs Award’. With creative perceptiveness, unwavering dedication and a dash of humour for good measure, Dani offers refreshing insights into the centrality of Jewish values in our fast-paced world and, has forged a fool-proof method of getting herself to Israel as often as possible, leading more trips there than she can count on one hand.
David Kosofsky
Hailing from America, David gained a double degree in Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology and Spanish Literature from Washington University in St. Louis. It is, therefore, no surprise that David enjoys probing deeply into philosophy, able to make even the most esoteric concepts integral to the daily lives of university students. David lived in Israel for three years, learning at Machon Yaakov and then under Rabbi Barry Klein. His role in Jewish education has taken many forms, running trips to Israel and Poland for American students and young professionals through MEOR, as a formal high school and middle school educator, and mentor to groups across The US and now Australia. Australia was not a place David ever thought he’d call home, but with two compelling reasons, namely his wife Dani, and the opportunity to build something beautiful with Ohrsom Student, he started eating Vegemite and saying ‘G’day’, knowing it was worth heading Down Under! As a man of the people, David is distinguished by his ability to infuse timeless spirituality with contemporary sophistication.
