Administration || Storahtellers || Collaborating Artists
Advisory Board || Board of Directors || Supporters & Partners

AMICHAI LAU-LAVIE (EXECUTIVE & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, ACTOR) is the founder, executive and artistic director of Storahtelling. An Israeli-born teacher of Judaic Literature and performance artist, he is described as 'one of the most interesting thinkers in the Jewish world" by the NY Jewish Week, 'iconoclastic mystic' by Time OUT NY, and "a Judaic Pied Piper who spins gold out of the inherent drama of biblical legends and scripture' by the Denver Westword.

Amichai studied at various yeshivot, including the Shalom Hartman Institute and the Elul Center in Jerusalem. Between 1992 and 1996 he directed the summer programs at Melitz: the Jewish Zionist Centers in Jerusalem , focusing on the integration of Jewish education via the arts. His theatrical experience as a writer and performer includes the Theatre Company Jerusalem, The Acco Theatre Group in Israel and the Avodah Dance Ensemble in the U.S. Between 1997-2000 he served as Artist-in-Residence at Congregation B'nai Jeshurun in New York City.

Amichai is a consultant to the Reboot Network, a member of the Synagogue 3000 Leadership Network , serves on the Advisory Council for the Six Points Fellowship, the Advisory Board for faithhouse manhattan , and the Boards of Directors of Zeek Magazine.

SARAH SOKOLIC (ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ACTOR) joined the Storahtelling Company of Artists in 2004 and currently serves as the organization's Associate Executive Director. A professionally trained actress, Sarah has credits both Off and Off-Off Broadway and has appeared in numerous independent films and TV commercials, and on television in Law & Order: SVU, and Sesame Street. Sarah was the recipient of the Best Actress Award for her performance in the short film "Seder" at the 2004 Arlene's Grocery Picture Show.  

In addition to her acting work, Sarah has spent more than a decade designing and delivering training programs for both Fortune 500 companies and professional service firms including Viacom, Inc., MTV Networks, Nickelodeon, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Credit Suisse First Boston. She holds an M.A. in Organizational Psychology from Teachers College Columbia University and a B.A. in Sociology and Near Eastern and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University. Sarah also works with synagogues and unaffiliated families to develop and facilitate B'nai Mitzvah study and educational programs that incorporate the performing arts in Torah study, prayer, and Jewish ritual.  

In her personal life, Sarah is a long-time Ramahnik and also serves as a board member for Camp Ramah in the Berkshires and the Ramah Berkshires Alumni Association. She lives with her husband and two sons in New York City.


JAKE GOODMAN (Program Director,  Actor) is a storyteller, performer and Jewish educator. Jake holds an MA in Informal Jewish Education from the Davidson School at the Jewish Theological Seminary and a BFA in Acting from Emerson College. Over the past few years, Jake has worked increasingly to educate toward full inclusion of LGBTQs in everyday and ritual life—Jewish and otherwise. He has collaboratively designed and facilitated related workshops/trainings at JTS, Camp Ramah and the JCC of Manhattan, and worked with Keshet-Boston, Nehirim and Keshet-JTS. He was a 2005 recipient of The Spielberg Fellowship in Theatre Arts Education from the Foundation for Jewish Camping, served as Theatre Director at Camp Ramah Darom for the past three years and currently teaches 3 and 4 year olds at Kane Street Synagogue in Brooklyn.

Jake spends the rest of his time going to various and diverse Jewish settings, telling wild and wacky stories about his Yugoslakian relatives: great-grandfather Boris and his wonderful wife Olga Katrina Smirnoff; great-aunt Helga, who sweated a lot; frugal Udel who had a French poodle named Mr. Noodle and only ate rice strudel...

NAOMI LESS (Director of Education , & Training, Musician), an accomplished performer and experiential educator. Based on her educational experience around girls’ development issues, Naomi is using her musical talents to launch “Jewish Chicks Rock” – a music project to place more positive girls’ empowerment and self-esteem messaging in Jewish rock music. (For music samples, visit Naomi at Naomiless or Jewish Chicks Rock)

Naomi is a founding company member who frequently performs for the organization. Before joining Storahtelling’s professional team, Naomi developed over 10 years of training experience in Jewish camps through the Foundation for Jewish Camping and the National Ramah Commission. Her passions for helping educators to better nurture spiritual and social and emotional intelligence development, especially in adolescent girls, are a basis for her educational consulting work (Jewish Theological Seminary’s “Addressing the Evaded Curriculum” project and the Florence Melton Communiteen High School program).

Naomi received her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University in vocal performance and choral conducting, and a Masters Degree in Jewish education from the Davidson School at the Jewish Theological Seminary. She has completed two post-masters certificate programs: the Institute for Jewish Spirituality’s educators’ course and the Institute for Informal Jewish Education’s Professional Leadership Seminar.

Administration || Storahtellers || Collaborating Artists
Advisory Board || Board of Directors || Supporters & Partner