Meet Our Staff
Rabbi Kenny Pollack – Director
Rabbi Kenny Pollack grew up in Los Angeles, CA and attended Hillel Hebrew Academy and YULA High School. Following a year and a half at Sharei Mevaseret in Israel, he enrolled at Yeshiva University where he received his BA in Philosophy, a Masters in Jewish Education from Azrieli and Semicha from RIETS. Kenny also holds a certificate in Experiential Jewish Education and was part of this program’s second cohort at YU.
Kenny’s passion for summer camp came from his time as part of the young leadership program at Camp Stone in Sugar Grove, PA. He then spent time working in New Jersey NCSY where he was program director of the junior division. Kenny went on to become the founding Director of Moshava Malibu where he oversaw the opening of the camp and subsequent purchase of the property where the newly named Moshava California currently operates. He joined SAC as our Camp Director in late 2017. Kenny and his wife Ilana, have five children, (four of whom are SAC campers). Mashala!
Jodi Fried – Operations Director
Originally from Johannesburg, South Africa, Jodi spent her middle-late childhood in Portland, OR, and attended SAC as a camper for several years. She remembers clearly hearing the Sephardi Birkat Amazon for the first time, and the world opened up at that moment! Jodi graduated from the University of Oregon with degrees in Economics and Planning, Public Policy, and Management.
Jewish communal development has been one of Jodi’s passions for a very long time. She serves as an active member of Congregation Kesser Israel in Portland, Oregon. Jodi and her husband Charlie have 4 children ranging in ages from 5 to 10. She is excited to be at camp again this summer and looks forward to meeting and learning from the campers and families!
2024 Staff
Elena Marom – Staff Director
Elana lives in Nehusha, Israel. She and her husband Chaim have three children and two granddaughters. Elana has extensive experience in formal and informal education, with specific expertise (and a huge passion) for summer camps. For over two decades she held a wide range of positions at various camps, including Judaic Teacher, Head of Hebrew Program, Camp Mom, Staff Trainer and Assistant Director. Elana’s love for camp runs in the family as she grew up hearing her father’s stories about how meaningful and impactful camp was from him. Fast forward, her children and grandchildren have made camp a part of their life. Elana believes camp is an ideal place for creating inspirational experiences, building lifelong friendships, and growing personally and professionally. Elana holds a BA in English Literature & Linguistics, LLB in Commercial & Business Law, and a diploma in Life Coaching. She fills her time between the summers working as a marketing leader in the hi-tech sector.
Hazzan Aryeh Greenberg – Sephardic Master
Hazzan Aryeh Greenberg, (aka Haham), was born and raised three doors down from Ezra Bessaroth Congregation in the Seward Park neighborhood of Seattle. His education in Ladino culture began at around age 3 whilst on the receiving end of”Mash’Allah”s, (cheek pinches), from scores of Nona’s (grandmothers). He sat still in services, gradually picking up all the nuances. And, under the careful scrutiny of Hazzan Isaac Azose and his father, Rabbi William Greenberg z’l, both sticklers for precision, he began to lead early parts of the Shabbat service by the age of 8.
A Camper in the 70’s and SAC staffer for over 20 years, he has absorbed and tried to replicate some of the best Sephardic Camp practices developed over the decades. In the teaching of Tefillah and pizmonim, with a focus on mastery and precision, he helps shape a new generation of readers and singers. Beyond conveying a rich legacy, he has steadily innovated an abundance of informal educational techniques over decades of teaching at SAC, 10 years as Haham at the Sephardic Sha’are Rahamim of the Bronx; Hazzan of Ezra Bessaroth 2000 – 2007, Northwest Yeshiva High School Judaics teacher 2000 -2007; and, in recent years, tutoring select students on both coasts. Haham majored in Philosophy as a YU undergrad and took courses in Medieval Jewish philosophy at Bernard Revel Graduate School.
At Camp, Haham is well known for his Joha stories, teaching Te’amim with accompanying hand gestures, teaching Rambam’s Mishneh Torah by means of vivid mnemonic images, teaching kids to read and write secret messages in Solitreo (classical Sephardic Hebrew Script), plus his lively games of GaGa and Ping Pong! We are so very lucky to have Haham back for another amazing SAC summer of unique learning and fun!
Shuli Urenia – Head Chef
Shuli has been part of the Sephardic Adventure Camp family since 2009 as the SAC Head Chef throughout the years. Both of her children (Melina and Michael) grew up enjoying many SAC summers.
Shuli earned a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree with a minor in Indigenous Nations Studies from Portland State University. She owns and runs Kashrootz Catering (Portland, Or) as well as working with the Department of Community Justice Kitchen in Multnomah County.
When she is not in the kitchen, Shuli enjoys traveling, (especially to Israel), attending Pow Wows and other cultural events, and community volunteering. She loves learning new things and believes this world is filled with lots of opportunities to refine ourselves and create positive change. Shuli and her family are active members of Congregation Beit Yosef and live in Portland, Oregon with their cat “Burnside”.
Christin Strong – Head Nurse
Christin Strong is a Registered Nurse (RN) from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. She graduated from Nursing School in 2005 and has worked summers as a Camp Nurse ever since. Christin has worked all over in Nursing, from clinics to inpatient hospital work, then in the ICU and as a hospital supervisor, plus two Gastroenterology procedure centers, and finally served as the full-time District School Nurse for a suburban school district in Wisconsin.
Christin found SAC while looking for something fun to do for the summer, and joined SAC as a Camp Nurse in 2021. She had a great time with the staff and campers, and enjoys the family-like atmosphere of SAC. She fell in love with the SAC family, and the beautiful surroundings of the camp.
Christin is married, with two teenage children. She is currently completing a Masters in Nursing, studying to be an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) to work as a Family Nurse Practitioner.
Sara Avrahamy – Program Director
Sara Avrahamy was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. After graduating from Valley Torah High School she spent a year studying at Bar Ilan University XP and is currently working on a degree in Education. This will be Sara’s seventh year at SAC! She has been a camper, CIT, Art assistant, counselor, Girls Head Counselor, CIT Director and is now looking forward to serving as Program Director! Sara enjoys spending time and doing activities with her friends and family. Her favorite part of camp is Shabbat since she loves spending time with everyone and the spirituality Shabbat entails. She enjoys writing songs for color war and the cabin song at the end of the summer. Sara is really looking forward to a fun SAC Summer 2024 season!
Al Benoliel – Head of Education
Al grew up in Seattle, Washington, graduating in 2019 from Northwest Yeshiva High School. He spent a year and a half studying at Yeshivat Orayta in Jerusalem and is currently a student at Yeshiva University in New York. He has been to SAC for 11 years as a camper, CIT, counselor, and specialty staff member and is very excited to head our education department this year! Al plans on putting together some amazing experiential Sephardic learning at SAC this summer!
Jenn Aghavian – Camper Care Director
Jennifer Aghavian was born and raised in Queens, New York within a Persian home and robust Mizrachi community, strongly shaping her Jewish identity and passion for mental health. Jennifer feels strongly about promoting mental health awareness, especially within the Jewish community, prompting her to pursue her BA in Psychology and Business at Queens College before attending NYU to receive her Masters in Social Work.
Jennifer’s passions have always been at the intersection of promoting mental health while advancing the well-being and strength of the Jewish community. Her previous experiences include her work within multiple clinical and school settings, providing people of all ages with mental health counseling as well as academic and career support. Jennifer also has many years of experience working at various Jewish and Secular camps, the most recent of which she served as a Division Coordinator where she began an initiative to incorporate mental health programming. Jennifer currently works as a social worker at the Hillel at Baruch College in NYC where she directly supports college-age Sephardic students as they navigate and strengthen both their mental health and Jewish identity. Jennifer was inspired by the care, values, and tradition that SAC brings to every aspect of camp and is excited to be back as the Care Director!
Jeffrey Owen – Head of Staff
Jeffrey Owen grew up in Seattle, Washington and has long family ties to Sephardic Adventure Camp where he attended camp for twelve years and has worked for five years. He spent a year studyingin Israel and got his degree from Yeshiva University. He is currently getting his masters in jewish education from Yeshiva University. Jeffrey currently lives in New York City and is excited for his wedding early this summer!
Victor Maimon – CIT Co-Director
Victor comes from a long line of SAC campers and staff members and has been attending SAC since he was in the 4th grade. A native of Seattle, Victor is a member of Sephardic Bikur Holim and a graduate of Northwest Yeshiva High School. Victor is known at SAC for his diligent work as a Tefillah leader. He just completed a year in Israel at Yeshivat HaKotel in Jerusalem and will continue there next year.
Noa Levy – CIT Co-Director
Quinn Rose – Adventure Specialist
Quinn is a native Seattleite who graduated from the University of Washington in 2003 with a BA in Drama and in 2010 with a Masters in Education. He works as a high school completion teacher in the King County jail in Kent and teaches a martial arts class at Ezra Bessaroth. Quinn is a 4th-degree black belt in Taekwondo and often competes in strength and endurance sports. He has worked at various camps for 17 summers now, and this will be his tenth year at SAC. He is excited to focus on fun and safe adventures at, what should prove to be, a great SAC 2022!
Josh Klonoff – Adventure Leader
Joshua resides in Portland, Oregon, where he works as a residential counselor specializing in working with those affected by schizophrenia. With a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Portland State University, Joshua is pursuing a master’s degree in Social Work. His dedication to mental health is deeply rooted in his commitment to serving others, a commitment that keeps him returning to SAC year after year.
Josh finds a special connection at SAC through its impeccable practice of traditional Jewish customs, which reminds him of his roots in Kansas City, Missouri. The strong sense of community he felt during his first year at camp inspired him to share his passion for rock climbing SAC. An avid climber, Josh has climbed extensively across the United States, and loves imparting his skills and enthusiasm to fellow climbers and campers. Rock climbing is a popular camp activity and Josh works tirelessly to make it a safe and fun activity for everyone to enjoy!
Ella Ashkenazi – Head Girls’ Counselor
Bobby Avrahamy – Head Boys’ Counselor
