Meet the Staff
Rabbi Adam Heavenrich
Executive Director
Born and raised in the suburbs of Detroit, Rabbi Heavenrich attended Berklee College of Music in Boston (he plays piano, guitar, bluegrass banjo and harmonica), where he specialized in Jazz Composition and Film Scoring. He moved to the Bay Area, where he taught science and music, while pursuing independent film comedy and music projects. He then headed to Jerusalem, where he studied at Shapell’s College of Jewish Studies, Kollel Kamenetsky and Mir Yeshiva, receiving his ordination in Shabbat from the Chief Rabbinate of Jerusalem. During his 11 years studying and teaching in Jerusalem, Rabbi H specialized in Mussar (a particular approach to Torah study focusing on ethical development), taking advantage of the wealth of brilliant scholars who are accessible there. Though his heart still pines for Israel, he loves being here at Yale and sharing all he has learned with the students and all their penetrating questions. He is often seen through the window of Starbucks, delving into topics philosophical and spiritual. Although he’s not much of a coffee drinker, he remains one of Starbucks’ most faithful customers.
Amy Heavenrich
Assistant Director
Amy grew up in Westchester, NY and hopped the Metro North to New Haven, where she attended Yale, graduating with a degree in American Studies. She spent most of her non-academic hours either in the painting studio or at local New Haven schools where she was active with the Yale Children’s Theater. Once she left the hallowed halls of Yale and her excellent view of the Lipstick from her Morse Tower room, Amy never imagined she would one day return in the capacity of Jewish educator. Amy met her husband-to-be in San Francisco, while working at the Exploratorium Science Museum. She then traveled to Israel where she studied at Midreshet Rachel College of Jewish Studies. She continued on there as a tutor and teacher of Hebrew textual skills—specifically translation and analysis. She has also worked for five years as a freelance editor, where all those years writing and rewriting Amstud papers really paid off. Currently residing in Waterbury, Connecticut with her husband and children, Amy now spends her mornings with students, happily cracking the codes of our ancient texts over vanilla lattes.
Billy Crotty
Student President
The main thing we look for in a student president is an infectious smile, so Billy was a shoe-in. Billy joined The Vaad in the fall of his freshman year and has continually been involved in Meor at Yale ever since. Born in the Boston area, raised in Massachusetts and Connecticut, Billy loves the outdoors and makes time to enjoy it whenever he can. He is an avid fly fisherman (comes from a long line of Jewish fishermen starting with Jonah), a hiking enthusiast, a tennis player and a die hard New England sports fan. Billy is a premed majoring in biomedical engineering and is the Spiritual Life Chair for the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity.
Josh Isackson
Student Board
Josh is a senior in Jonathan Edwards College, studying Architecture and Urban Studies. He came to Yale from Tenafly, New Jersey, and joined the Vaad his freshman year. After an invigorating summer journey to Israel, Josh is excited to meet new Vaadnicks and continue his Jewish learning. He’s an avid IM soccer player and is fascinated by New Haven’s urban development.
Amanda Lounsbury
Student Board
After growing up in Westport, CT and completing her B.A. and M.S. in sunny California (Occidental College and Stanford U, respectively), Amanda finds herself back in the temperamental seasonal climate of Connecticut to complete her PhD in Environmental Engineering. Amanda brings energy and enthusiasm to everything she does, whether it’s investigating the use of iron nanoparticles as green technology while boiling inside her anti-contamination suit, training for marathons, or sliding down a 100-meter zip-line in the Judean desert. Since coming to Yale, Amanda has enjoyed exploring her Jewish heritage through classes, trips and 1-on-1 learning. Amanda looks forward to continuing to learn and connect with others who are on their own unique paths of Jewish study.
Josh Feinzig
Student Board
Josh is a junior in Calhoun College, currently majoring in History. After being a part of the Meor Yale Vaad Adventure Trek, and given his certain academic interests in Jewish ethics and the philosophy of religion, Josh is excited to help foster an open Jewish intellectual community at Yale. Outside of the Vaad program, Josh enjoys playing bass, bluegrass music, and venturing through mountains. He is involved with the Yale Climbing Team, Project New Haven, L.E.A.D., and serves as vice president for Yale Friends of Israel.
Liz Jones
Student Board
Liz hails from Cleveland, Ohio and is a senior in Branford. She has a natural flair for both the sciences and the arts. She majors in cognitive science, conducts behavioral research with primates and dogs in the Yale Comparative Cognition Lab, and works as a conference assistant in the MacMillan International Center. On her creative side, Liz plays clarinet in the Yale Concert Band, also serving as social chair, and trombone in the Yale Precision Marching Band, where she arranges pop music and is the low brass section leader. Recently returning from Meor’s powerful Poland/Vienna winter trip, Liz is turning her many talents toward connecting other Yalies to enriching Jewish experiences.