Meet The Staff

Rabbi Julie Roth, Executive Director
Marni Blitz, Assistant Director
Rabbi David Wolkenfeld, JLI Educational Director
Sara Wolkenfeld, JLI Educational Director
Arielle Greenwald, Student Life Coordinator
Ruth Palmer, Administrator

Rabbi Julie Roth, Executive Director
julroth@princeton.edu

Rabbi Julie Roth is the Executive Director of the Princeton Center for Jewish Life/Hillel. She enjoys nothing more than meeting with students, faculty, and alumni so please join her for coffee or a friendly lunch in the CJL Dining Hall. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Rabbi Julie has lived in New York City, Boston, and Washington where she worked for Hillel on the local and international levels. She and her husband Justus love living in Princeton with their twin boys, Ilan and Rafael. Rabbi Julie was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2005. She is a recipient of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship and holds a BA in Comparative Religion from Brown University. Her passion for pluralism, Jewish life, and multi-culturalism make campus work an ideal match. When she's not building a framework for a vibrant Jewish campus life, Julie enjoys ballroom dancing, swimming, movies, and cooking vegetarian food.

Marni Blitz, Assistant Director
mblitz@princeton.edu

Marni Blitz is the Assistant Director of the Princeton Center for Jewish Life/Hillel.

Marni joyfully adheres to an "open door" policy, so please feel free to stop in at any time and say hello! Marni is originally from the Washington, DC area, and has lived in Atlanta, Israel and New York. She holds a BA in International Relations from Emory University and an MA in Middle East Studies from New York University. Before coming to Princeton, Marni was the Director of Education at Temple Beth-El of Great Neck. Marni now lives in Robbinsville, NJ with her husband, Neil, and her two daughters, Daniella and Rebecca.

Rabbi David Wolkenfeld, JLI Educational Director
dwolkenf@Princeton.EDU

Rabbi David Wolkenfeld grew up in Manhattan where he attended Stuyvesant High School. He has a B.A in History from Harvard University and has taken graduate courses in Medieval Jewish History at Yeshiva University. He studied for two years at Yeshivat Hamivtar in Efrat, for one year at Yeshivat Har Etzion in Alon Shvut and received semikhah from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah in New York and from Rabbi Zalman Nehemiah Goldberg and Rabbi She’ar Yashuv Kohen in Israel. He has worked as a rabbinic intern at The Hampton Synagogue in Westhampton Beach, at the Kemp Mill Synagogue in Silver Spring, and at United Orthodox Synagogues of Houston.

His specific Torah interests include the interaction of halakha and social thought, philosophy of halakha, and Jewish political thought. More broadly, David is an obsessive reader of The New Yorker and, when he isn't careful, can spend far too much time reading political blogs. A fanatic coffee and tea drinker, David enjoys hiking, running, music, and hanging out with his kids. A Yekke by heritage, a Litvak by training, David enjoys singing with the Hasidim.

During the summer of 2009 Sara was a member of the faculty at the Drisha Institute for Jewish Education and David served as “summer rabbi” at Lincoln Square Synagogue. They are looking forward to meeting this year’s new students (welcome to Princeton class of 2013!) and getting back in touch with all those they met last year.

We are available for one-on-one study, group learning, coffee, and general hanging out. Our home is always open on Shabbat and holidays for food and conversation. We look forward to meeting all of you

Sara Wolkenfeld, JLI Educational Director
wsara@Princeton.EDU

Sara Tillinger Wolkenfeld has a B.A in Judaica and Comparative Literature from The University of Pennsylvania, but has renounced her allegiance to any former sports teams as a JLIC educator at Princeton (Go Tigers!). Sara has completed coursework towards a Master's Degree in Talmud at Yeshiva University. She also studied Talmud and Jewish Law at Midreshet Lindenbaum, Drisha, Pardes, Nishmat, and Beit Morashah.

Sara has taught at The Hampton Synagogue in Westhampton Beach, NY, at United Orthodox Synagogues of Houston where she was an intern for two years, and as a Beit Midrash Fellow at S.A.R. Academy in Riverdale, NY. Sara also teaches Hilkhot Nidah (laws for married couples) to brides and engaged couples.

Originally from Teaneck, NJ, Sara is excited to be once again living in the Garden State. Sara's interests include theatre, dance, shopping with her sisters, and playing with her sons Noam, Akiva, and Hillel. Her favorite prophet is Jeremiah, her favorite sage is Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Levi, and her favorite modern Jewish writer is Cynthia Ozick.

Arielle Greenwald, Student Life Coordinator
arielleg@princeton.edu

Originally from Cheltenham, PA, Arielle recently relocated to the Princeton area to join the CJL as the Student Life Coordinator. She holds a BA in Psychology from Temple University & maintains her Philadelphia pride. Her responsibilities at the CJL include JGAP, the group for Jewish graduate students and young professionals in the Princeton area, coordinating Shalom Princeton - our e-weekly, JRCs and the Freshman Class Council. Arielle loves spicy food, great movies, live music, blogging for Jewlicious and Philly sports teams, especially the Eagles and Phillies, even when they're not winning! She is excited to meet new and returning students in the upcoming months. Stop into the CJL Programming office to say hello or to plan a time for coffee or ice cream.

Ruth Palmer, Administrator
rpalmer@princeton.edu

It's a pleasure to be a part of the staff here at the Center for Jewish Life/Hillel.  I’m delighted to be working in an environment committed to creating a community that is so supportive of students and welcoming of all people.  I’m a Jersey girl - born and raised in Hunterdon County (Flemington). Today I reside just a few miles north of Princeton in Montgomery Township with my husband, Bob, and our two daughters; Laura, 13 and Rebecca, 16 (and a guinea pig!). I hold a B.A. in Telecommunications from Indiana University, Bloomington.  Most of my working career was spent at AT&T as a Manager supporting business long distance customers. I began my Princeton career as part of the first staff of Whitman College in 2007.  For a few years before Princeton, my primary role was on the home front, but I also served as a freelance writer and substitute teacher in our public schools. I also volunteer for our schools, church, and Girl Scouts. My husband and I also support the Montgomery High School band program as marching band chaperones and do whatever we can to support the band program. I enjoy biking, hiking, and running.