ImmerseNYC hopes to introduce New York Jews to the myriad ways that mivkeh can add meaning to their Jewish lives, and to build a community mikveh in New York City.

Sara Luria, Founder and Executive Director

Sara is in her final year of rabbinical studies at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in New York City. A former Mayyim Hayyim intern, community organizer and birth doula, Sara integrates her passion for social justice and commitment to meaningful Jewish experience in her rabbinate. Sara served as the community organizing rabbinic intern at East End Temple in Manhattan from 2010-2012. Before entering rabbinical school, she worked as a Jewish educator in the Bay Area. Sara is an alumna of the JOIN for Justice year-long fellowship that trains young Jewish leaders in community organizing, and graduated with honors from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. Sara lives in Brooklyn with her husband, Isaac, and their children, Caleb and Eva.

 Rabbi Sarah Tasman, Mikveh Guide Training Director

Sarah is a trans-denominational rabbi, educator and community organizer. A former Mayyim Hayyim Living Waters Community Mikveh and Education Center mikveh guide, educator, and intern, Sarah brings a depth of knowledge about mikveh immersion, mikveh education, and ritual facilitation to her role at ImmerseNYC. She was ordained in 2012 by the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College, in Newton, MA and holds a Masters in Jewish Education from The Shoolman School of Education at Hebrew College. She is part of the Rabbinic Management Institute at American Jewish University, earning  a certificate of non-profit management in June 2013.  Sarah also directs New Haven Rosh Chodesh, providing Jewish learning and spirituality to graduate students and young professionals in New Haven.  She lives in New Haven, CT with her husband Kyle Hathaway who is an MBA student at Yale School of Management.

Shaina Herring, Outreach Associate

Shaina Herring is a second year student in the Dual Degree Program at NYU studying health policy and management (MPA) and Jewish Studies (MA). Before beginning graduate school at NYU, Shaina was a fellow in the Yeshivat Hadar year long program, where she studied Talmud, Bible, and Jewish thought. Shaina has experience working in Jewish settings including summer camps and youth groups, and also in New York City area hospitals such as NYU Medical Center and Gouverneur Healthcare Services. Shaina is also a trained doula, and this past summer she worked to start a doula program for women delivering at Bellevue Hospital. Shaina is interested in the intersection of Judaism and health, particularly women’s health, and is excited to be a part of Immerse NYC!

Allison Poirier, Jewish Theological Seminary Social Entrepreneurship Fellow