Stories from the Tribe

Ann Miller is a self-described insomniac, lucky wife to C-PAP mask-wearing Todd, and proud mom to Josh and Eve. A fourth-generation leader in her family’s 107-year-old business, she embraces storytelling to preserve values and legacy. At 2 a.m., Ann loves to write about life, geek out on leadership development (her day job for nearly 30 years), and eat a sleeve of Thin Mint cookies -- which count...

Stacey Dinner-Levin is the mother of four boys — now adults — the eldest of whom has autism. For over 25 years she’s worked with children with disabilities including PACER Center’s “Count Me In” program where she wrote several scripts. Her play Autistic License was named one of 2007’s Ten Best Plays by St. Paul Pioneer Press and was featured in American Theater Magazine. Autistic License was remou...

Emily Simon is a writer, mother, and lifelong interrogator of Jewish identity. She is originally from Buffalo, NY and landed in Saint Paul in 2019 after spending 20+ years in Los Angeles working in television. She has worked with Carol Burnett a lot (most recently this past March) and is always thrilled to report that Carol is as great as you hope she is. Emily is currently a copywriter at Playwri...

Janessa Prawer is an artist, advocate, and owner of Tiny Art With Heart, which aims to create more caring communities through channels of artistic kindness. She spent the majority of her career as a mental healthcare executive and uses her experience to advocate for mental health in the community and on the youth boards she serves on. Janessa grew up in northern Minnesota doing a plethora of manua...

Adina Lebowitz, MA is a family mediator / coach – a career she pursued after her own high conflict divorce. Her goal is to help families find less stress and more peace in their co-parenting. She supports families facing day to day co-parenting challenges and mediates bigger issues related to school, medical decisions, job change, or new relationships. She’s a contributing author to the 2024 inter...

Jessica Lipschultz is an education researcher and practitioner, currently working at The Blake School and adjuncting in the sociology department at various colleges and universities. After having lived in New York for almost 18 years, she now lives in SW Minneapolis with her husband, Jeremy, and daughters, Sylvie and Sabina. She loves gathering at her parents’ house (her childhood home) on Sundays...

Rachel Orzoff is an eccentric creative. She spends much of her time as a Peer Supporter for disabled adults through Sha’arim+Gateways, and the rest enjoying her amazing kid, Elle, fantastic partner, Nick, and glorious cat, Sven. She relishes good food, good music, and good company. As a survivor of severe traumatic brain injuries, she is proud to be enabling a renewed life for herself. And be fore...

Renee Segal owns Evolve Therapy, a group therapy practice focused on helping couples reconnect, reduce conflict and recover from affairs. Before becoming a therapist, she worked as an accountant—an unconventional path that ultimately led to her passion. Outside of work, Renee can be found at the gym, swimming, doing HIIT or Pilates classes. She also enjoys biking, running, and walking outdoors. He...

Elisa Bernick is an award-winning writer and journalist. She has worked as a reporter and producer for MPR, PBS, WCCO-TV, and TPT. Her travel and parenting articles have been published by Parents Magazine, Minnesota Parent, and Transitions Abroad, among others. She is the author of The Family Sabbatical Handbook: The Budget Guide to Living Abroad with Your Family (Intrepid Traveler 2007), and Depa...

Naomi Rose is a social worker and therapist who feels lucky to be able to take a break from clinical practice to care for her twin toddlers, Ruby and Vivian. The three of them enjoy playing dress up, having dance parties, and eating Nutella. When Naomi isn’t with her daughters, she enjoys swimming, reading fiction, and singing with her Acapella group, “Prairie Fire Choir.” Naomi lives with her hus...

Robin Gale is in the third Act of her life. Act 1: Surviving childhood and adolescence. Act 2: Surviving marriage, children, and work. After the successful survival of Acts 1 and 2, Robin is now happily in her 3rd Act: focusing on simply flourishing. Being a Mimah to her seven grandchildren fills her with nachas. When she’s not busy with the family, she can be found writing, doing yoga, or in her...

Debbie Spencer is living her best life, recently retired after 37 years as a Vice President at U.S.Bank. When she is not working on her various fiber arts projects or honing her baking skills, she considers herself an eating and drinking enthusiast! Debbie’s late father inspired her to begin writing short stories. Debbie and her siblings recently read his stories. They were not only a gift from th...

TC Jewfolk’s Stories From the Tribe Podcast is the behind-the-scenes look at each of the 12 storytellers from TC Jewfolk’s live, on-the-bima show. An event by TC Jewfolk, Stories from the Tribe features 12 women on the bima telling their true Jewish stories that have a thread to Jewish motherhood, and includes all of the ups and downs, highs and lows, laughs and tears that come with the real-life...

Laura Taple is a professional “life purpose seeker.” Former small business owner, she had the privilege of creating beautiful headstones for families dealing with loss and prior to that, philanthropy fundraiser for 15+ years. Laura currently enjoys consulting for businesses and non-profits while pondering what she wants to be when she grows up (please let her know if you know!). In addition to sto...

Janessa Prawer is an artist, mental health advocate, and owner of Tiny Art With Heart, which aims to create more caring communities through artistic kindness.  She spent the majority of her career focused on the business of mental healthcare and uses this experience to advocate both in the community and on the nonprofit boards in which she serves. Janessa grew up in northern Minnesota at her paren...

Robin Gale is in Act 3 of her life. After working in many capacities while raising her three children – including but not limited to being a Blackjack Dealer, HR Trainer, and a 5-year stint in Development at JFCS – she owned and operated a Mainstream Boutique for 10 years. Being Mimah to her seven grandchildren fills her with nachas. When she’s not occupied with kids, she can be found in her garde...

Erin Miller likes to write poems and essays and email them to her colleagues. She lives in Oakdale with her husband, their two daughters, and their dog Winston. She is a biology teacher who appreciates the places where art and science intersect, and is fascinated by the ways that people learn. She loves to walk and play Mah Jong with her friends, and is going to try again this summer to enjoy gard...

Laura Zimmermann is the award-winning author of My Eyes Are Up Here and the Edgar-nominated Just Do This One Thing For Me . When she’s not squirreled away writing, you might find her telling stories onstage, biking to her favorite coffee shop, or looking for the perfect place to hang a hammock. This week's sponsor: Bluestem Remodeling ( https://bluestemremodeling.com/ )! MN Mammalehs: Stories from...

Judy Victor is the Senior Leadership Development Manager at Momentum where she gets to put her passion and skills to work on behalf of Jewish women around the world. In the 30 years of her professional life, from traveling the globe for Aveda to personal shopping, she’s always kept one thing in mind … bringing joy to others. When Judy’s not working, you’ll most likely find her cooking in her semi...

Elisa Bernick is an award-winning writer and journalist. She has worked as a reporter and producer for MPR, PBS, WCCO-TV, and TPT. Her travel and parenting articles have been published by Parents Magazine, Minnesota Parent, and Transitions Abroad, among others. She is the author of The Family Sabbatical Handbook: The Budget Guide to Living Abroad with Your Family (Intrepid Traveler 2007), and Depa...

Robyn Awend has made a significant impact in the Jewish arts community where she curates, directs, and organizes exhibitions and programs that explore the intersection of creativity and connectivity. Robyn is a practicing artist using words and word fragments to inspire her work. An energetic champion of the arts, she has been working extensively with the Minnesota Center for Book Arts newly-commi...

Rachel Orzoff is an eccentric creative. She spends much of her time as a Peer Supporter for disabled adults through Sha’arim+Gateways, and the rest enjoying her amazing kid, Elle, fantastic partner, Nick, and glorious cat, Sven. She relishes good food, good music, and good company. As a survivor of severe traumatic brain injuries, she is proud to be enabling a renewed life for herself. And be fore...

Jenna Zark is a writer and playwright. Her book, Crooked Lines: A Single Mom’s Jewish Journey received six awards in 2023 — including First Prize for the Overcoming Adversity Memoir from Next Generation Indie Book Awards and the Silver Religious/Spiritual award from Nautilus Books. Zark’s play A Body of Water, produced at Circle Repertory Company in New York, was cited by the National Foundation f...

Marissa Bader is a writer and children’s book author with a background in mental health. Her books, The Only Me, Stella’s Brave Voice, and Petunia the Perfectionist are inspired by her three daughters – an 11-year-old and 8-year-old twins. Her husband, Robb, hopes she’ll never write a book about him! Marissa also enjoys writing articles about mental health and parenthood, and her work has appeared...

Stacey Dinner-Levin is the mother of four boys — now adults — the eldest of whom has autism. For over 25 years she’s worked with children with disabilities including PACER Center’s “Count Me In” program where she wrote several scripts. Her play Autistic License was named one of 2007’s Ten Best Plays by St. Paul Pioneer Press and was featured in American Theater Magazine. Autistic License was remou...