Staff

RABBI MAURY KELMAN, FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN

Maury Kelman is a rabbi and attorney, chairman of Kedma, and also oversees Route 613, a halakhic conversion program. Rabbi Kelman started Kedma in September 1996 in order to enable gap year students to give back within Israeli society, and has overseen the organization’s growth ever since. He resides in Jerusalem with his wife and three children.

ORIT BARNEA SEIF, DIRECTOR

Orit Seif has been working in the Jewish community for nearly twenty years. Following her graduation from Columbia University, Orit, along with her husband, Yehuda, started the OU’s Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus program at the University of Pennsylvania, where she taught and ran innovative programs for University students for four years. Following her work at Penn, Orit practiced law at a tax litigation firm representing Fortune 500 companies. Orit’s true passion for working in the Jewish community beckoned, and in 2012, Orit joined a Philadelphia-based Foundation where she started and managed a project geared at enhancing the Jewish Day Schools in the Philadelphia region. Orit resides in Efrat with her husband Yehuda and their six children. She joined Kedma as its Director in 2018.

SHIRA LEVITT, WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

Shira Levitt lived in Florida, Texas, and Maryland before attending MMY in 2017 for her gap year. In 2021, she graduated from Yeshiva University with a Bachelor's Degree in Studio Art with a focus in Graphic Design before making Aliyah. She now works in the marketing industry in addition to the work she does for Kedma.

OREL SHACHAR, CHESED COORDINATOR

Orel Shachar, originally from LA, made Aliyah in 2021 after finishing her gap year at Midreshet Harova. She just finished her Sherut Leumi year, where she served as a nurses' assistant in a delivery hospital in Jerusalem. Orel has always been passionate about giving back, and she's so excited to help you complete that goal during your gap year.

LIORA GUBERMAN, CHESED COORDINATOR

Liora Guberman recently made Aliyah to Yerushalayim and did a year of Sherut Leumi. She is now so excited to be working for Kedma as a coordinator and is looking forward to visiting you all at your Chesed placements!