Jewish Life at Georgetown

Rabbi Daniel Schaefer is the Interim Director for Jewish Life. In this role, he oversees the Jewish Life program and supervises the Jewish Life staff team to foster a welcoming, dynamic, and supportive Jewish community at Georgetown. Rabbi Schaefer is excited to build relationships with students and connect around issues of ethics, social justice, and mental and emotional wellness. He is passionate about building pluralistic Jewish communities, making Torah accessible to everyone, and engaging in interfaith dialogue. He offers one-on-one supportive rabbinic counseling and leads Shabbat and holiday services throughout the year. Originally from Connecticut, Rabbi Schaefer graduated with a BA in History from Stanford University and wrote his honors thesis on early 20th-century American Judaism. He earned his MA in Jewish Studies and received ordination from the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College. Before becoming a rabbi, he worked as an entrepreneur and ghostwriter, guided students at a therapeutic wilderness program, and served in AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps. He has studied at Mechon Hadar, the Hartman Institute, the Jewish Theological Seminary, and Hebrew Union College. In his free time, he loves writing, basketball, and hiking in the woods with his dog Ruby.

Deb Silver is the Associate Director of Jewish Life. In this role, she oversees the depth, breadth, and success of Jewish Life programs and coaches students to create meaningful connections across campus. Deb previously served as the campus director at the College of Charleston Hillel in South Carolina where she also worked with Jewish cadets and students from the Military College of South Carolina, The Citadel. In Charleston, she created and strengthened relationships with campus and community partners and introduced new student engagement and leadership opportunities. Deb’s love of community building and appreciation for the many ways individuals connect with spirituality blossomed at Capital Camps, a Jewish overnight camp where she was a camper, summer staff member, and later a year-round team member. She earned a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Salisbury University. A DMV area native, Deb loves spending time with family and friends and trying new restaurants. You can also find her taking tap dancing classes and checking out the latest book releases at the library in her free time.

Noam Kara is the Jewish Agency Israel Fellow at Georgetown. Noam (she/her/hers) was born and raised in Israel. She recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and management from Ben Gurion University. She loves to travel, spend time in nature, and have exciting experiences. Noam comes to the program out of a true mission and love for Israel and Jewish culture. She brings a desire to help Jewish students strengthen their own Jewish identity. She is very excited to meet everyone and walk together on this journey.

Courtney Henderson-Adams is the Interreligious Coordinator, assisting in Jewish, Muslim, and Dharmic life, and other interreligious programs and initiatives. Before joining Georgetown, Courtney worked at the Virginia Theological Seminary’s Center for Anglican Communion Studies where she coordinated the department’s events and international guests across the Anglican communion. Courtney has a BA in Communications from Pace University (2019), and an MA in Religious Studies from Athens State University (2022). Her thesis research focused on the sociological definition of religion and new religious movements. She also enjoys researching the history of major, minor, and new religions, and the relationship between mass media and religion. Courtney is a loyal Dunkin’ customer and enjoys her quality time with her pug, Barbra.