Who The Folk?! Cincinnati

Rabbi Scott Schaffrin didn’t set out to become a rabbi. Growing up in Milwaukee, he was drawn to music and thought his future might be at a piano, not a pulpit. But over time—through college, community organizing work, and a formative summer back home—his path shifted. What started as an interest in helping people eventually became a calling. Now, after stops in Boston, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and S...

Elise Cole had always wanted to be a writer and was drawn to performance, but never planned on being a stand-up comedian. In her early 30s, while attending grad school, a chance encounter with the founder of Brave New Theater started her on the path. After getting on stage for the first time, she was hooked. Now, over a decade later, the Twin Cities-based stand-up is heading to Cincinnati, featuri...

Hey y’all, before the launch of season 2 of Who the Folk Cincinnati   We’ve got a special episode with Josh Gondelman.  Josh is an Emmy Award-winning comedian, author, and writer.  He has worked on shows such as Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and Desus & Mero. Josh has written for Esquire magazine, The New Yorker, and The New York Times.  His last two stand-up specials, "People Pleaser" an...

Laurence Essig was born and raised in the Cincinnati area. He grew up in Newport, Kentucky, a first-generation American and one of seven siblings. He went to medical school during World War II and, through an Army program, skipped undergrad and entered medical school directly. He was a cornerstone of the Cincinnati community for years, and through his medical practice, he touched the lives of coun...

Adam Teitelbaum is the founder and CEO of Level III Industries, a strategy and storytelling firm advancing Jewish life and resilience. He now—somewhat to his own surprise—calls Cincinnati home with his wife and children.

Liam Reis is a 5th generation Cincinnati Jew who moved to Israel in early 2024 at the beginning of the war in Israel following October 7th. Liam works in business development in the security and investigations field, and is passionate about the Jewish story, meditation, and geopolitics. 

Ifat Lahyani is a classically trained chef and Le Cordon Bleu graduate, founder of Koriela Kitchen, and the creative heart behind tables filled with flavor and unique style. After moving from Israel to Cincinnati with her husband and five children, she transformed her passion for food, culture, and community into a thriving business. A breast cancer survivor, Ifat believes food is a vessel for hea...

Evelyn Fisher is a first-generation American. She was born in Augusta, Kentucky, the eldest of three siblings. Her family moved to Cincinnati, and she has been a lifelong Cincinnatian since. She is a graduate of Hughes High School and the University of Cincinnati. Evelyn is a supporter of the arts, theater, and an amateur Jewish art collector. She is a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. S...

Chandler Waite brings extensive experience in diplomacy and governmental affairs to his role as Director of the JCRC, where his passion for building bridges between communities serves the organization’s mission. A native of Huntsville, Alabama, Chandler most recently served as Director of Governmental Affairs for the Israeli Consulate, where he advised on political and economic issues while foster...

A former journalist turned community advocate and bridge-builder, Congedo spent six years as the director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, which works to ensure Jewish security by working in coalition across diverse communities to build a more just society for all people. In this role, she served as the chief architect of the Leaders in Light Instit...

Rabbi Zachary S. Goodman was born and raised in Dallas, Texas and attended the University of Texas at Austin before he was ordained on the Cincinnati campus of HUC-JIR. Following his ordination in 2019, Rabbi Goodman served as the Assistant Rabbi at Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto before joining the Wise Temple family in the summer of 2022. Rabbi Goodman is passionate about Israel education, youth...

Rick Lefton is currently the Director of Development at the Mayerson JCC and a Development Officer with the Jewish Federation in Cincinnati, Ohio. Prior to joining the JCC and Federation in 2013, Rick had a career as a Realtor for five years but spent most of his professional career as an owner/operator of a family business, Provident Camera Shop in Downtown Cincinnati from 1997 until the business...

Yair Richler was born in Montreal, Canada, and raised in Efrat (Jerusalem), Israel. While completing his BA in Business Management and Sociology, he managed his parents’ beloved bakery in Jerusalem. After marrying Lainey, that passion followed him to Cincinnati and opened Café Alma with Lainey in 2022. They have three beautiful kids. 

Lainey Paul Richler was born and raised in Cincinnati. After graduating from Sycamore High School, she moved to Israel, where she served in the army for seven years. During that time, she met and married Yair. In 2019, Lainey earned her certification in Nutritional Medicine and decided to travel the world with Yair. When Covid hit, she decided to move back to Cincinnati and opened Café Alma with Y...

On this week's episode of Who the Folk?! Cincy, I sit down with Rabbi Ari Jun. Rabbi Ari Jun is a respected spiritual leader, scholar, and community activist. As the son of two rabbis, Rabbi Jun was born and raised in a vibrant Jewish household, and from a young age, he developed a deep passion for Judaism and serving others. Rabbi Jun’s devotion to social justice and tikkun olam (repairing the wo...

Meet Sam Fisher, the editor of Cincy Jewfolk, as he tells you about our new show, Who The Folk?! Cincinnati, Cincy Jewfolk’s new podcast spotlighting the diverse voices shaping Jewish life in the Queen City. Each episode dives into personal stories, passions, and perspectives, showing that Jewish life here is anything but one-size-fits-all. Cincy Jewfolk: https://cincyjewfolk.com