ABOUT
Our Mission
BaMidbar’s mission is to ensure that Jewish youth and young adults have the confidence, skills, and community support to navigate life’s challenges and thrive in the face of adversity.
OUR VISION
BaMidbar envisions a Jewish community that actively supports its members in building mental health and wellness.
We achieve our mission and vision through community education and by providing wilderness-based journeys of self-discovery, hope, and healing.
BaMidbar supports Jewish young adults struggling with mental health challenges through immersive, wilderness-based, Therapeutic Expeditions.
BaMidbar supports all Jewish teens and young adults, regardless of their mental health history, through Wellness Programs focused on building resilience through increased self-confidence, skill-building, and healthy relationships.
BaMidbar provides Professional Development for Jewish community professionals looking to expand their mental health literacy and explore facilitation through the lens of social and emotional growth.
Kavod
כבוד
Promoting honor, dignity, and respect for ourselves and others.
Simcha
שמחה
Finding joyful Jewish meaning in every aspect of our lives.
Tzmicha Ishit
צמיחה אישית
Accepting and pursuing the challenges of personal transformation.
Kehilla
קהילה
Cultivating the power of an inclusive and supportive community.
Jory Hanselman Mayschak (she/her)
Chief Executive Officer
Jory is the Founder and CEO of BaMidbar. Since 2010, Jory has worked in variety of roles in Jewish education, wilderness therapy, and experiential education programs. In 2016, Jory became the founding director of BaMidbar. Jory has a Bachelors of Science from Tufts University in Environmental Science and Philosophy and a Masters Degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Leadership from University of Colorado. She is also a Wexner Field Fellow.
Jory sets the strategic vision for BaMidbar and oversees board development, strategic program development, and fundraising and development efforts. Contact Jory if you’d like to learn more about our work, further our impact, or explore new partnerships with BaMidbar.
Hayden Lilien (she/her)
Chief Operations Officer
Prior to joining BaMidbar, Hayden was the VP of Finance and Operations at Techbridge Girls and before that she was the Director of Finance and Administration at the National Center for Youth Law. Hayden is passionate about conflict resolution, creating healing spaces, dancing, and spending quality time in nature and with her family. Hayden has a B.S. in Finance from University of Florida, a J.D./M.B.A. from Stetson University College of Law and two Mediation Certifications from Northern California Mediation Center and The Center for Understanding in Conflict.
Hayden manages all business systems at BaMidbar with a particular focus on increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization. Contact Hayden if you have questions about BaMidbar’s financial management, human resources, and business operations.
Emily Heeren (she/her)
Program Director
Emily has worked with youth and young adults both in and outside of the formal classroom for over eight years. With a foundation in experiential learning, Emily has applied her skills in high school special education, higher education, Jewish education, outdoor education, and mental health settings. Emily has a masters degree in Curriculum and Teaching with a concentration in Special Education from Boston University.
Emily develops and manages BaMidbar’s program portfolio and plays a key role in facilitating Education programs. Contact Emily if you have questions about BaMidbar’s Prevention and Education programs, would like to offer mental health and wellness training at your workplace or in your community, or would like to learn more about the BaMidbar philosophy.
Nick Magle-Haberek (he/him)
Clinical Director
Nick has worked in the field of wilderness therapy and experiential education for the past twenty years. He earned masters degrees in both Social Work and Outdoor Education at the University of New Hampshire, and is also on the leadership committee for the Therapeutic Adventure Professional Group. Nick is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Clinical Adventure Therapist.
Nick oversees BaMidbar’s Treatment programming and manages our summer wilderness therapy program. He is also one of our lead Education program facilitators. Contact Nick if you have questions about our clinical approach and philosophy.
Brett Hausler (he/him)
Director of External Relations
Brett has been serving as a compassionate leader in the Jewish nonprofit field for over seven years. Most recently he led URJ Crane Lake Camp as its first home-grown Associate Director. Brett holds a master’s degree in public affairs with a concentration in nonprofit management from Indiana University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. When not at his desk, Brett can be found capturing photographs across New England, volunteering for the Medical Reserve Corps, or hiking with his wife and dog.
Brett oversees stakeholder engagement and implements strategic communications, development, and program outreach plans. Brett also works directly with families considering BaMidbar’s treatment programs. Contact Brett to learn more about our wilderness therapy admissions process or to connect around our communications and fundraising efforts.
Moss Herberholz (he/him)
Communications Coordinator
Starting in 2015, Moss has worked as a Jewish nature educator for Jewish organizations including Ramah in the Rockies and Teva (a program of Hazon). Since it’s pilot season, Moss has filled many roles at BaMidbar including as a logistics coordinator, assistant field guide, lead field guide, and most recently in his role as the communications coordinator. He has a B.A. in Psychology and a B.A. in Theater Arts from the University of California, Santa Cruz. He is currently pursuing an MSW as a fellow in the Jewish Communal Leadership Program at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Moss is BaMidbar’s communications swiss army knife. Moss supports the overall implementation of our communications efforts. Contact Moss if you have questions about our social media or the tools we use to connect with our community and audience.
Adam Karp (he/him)
wellness programs manager
Adam graduated from Antioch University with a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in Spring 2021. Prior to pursuing his master’s degree, Adam worked in the fields of wilderness therapy and Jewish experiential education. Adam has also taught English as a Second Language in South Korea and French in Burlington, Vermont. He loves exploring the ways in which our hearts and minds align with Jewish history and philosophy. Most recently, that has involved working as a Field Therapist for BaMidbar, designing curriculum for Moving Traditions, and teaching high school students in Jewish educational settings. Adam enjoys hiking, traveling, languages, tinkering on the harmonica, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Adam is BaMidbar’s project lead with curriculum development and facilitation of the first Wellness Cohort of the Peer Leadership Fellowship; a program offered in partnership with the Jewish Teen Initiative at Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston. Contact Adam if you have questions about this program.
Our Board
Rabbi Matt Shapiro, Co-Chair
Douglas Wolf, Treasurer
Teena Slatkin
Cliff Stockton
Elyssa Hammerman, Co-Chair
Alex Fader
Rabbi Anat Moskowitz
Judy Gerstenblith
Join Our Summer Team!
We are currently hiring for seasonal staff to support our Wilderness Therapy programs. We are hiring for the following roles:
- Primary Therapist
- Field Mentor
- Field Guide
- Jewish Life and Learning Coordinator
- Basecamp Intern
Read below for position information and use THIS LINK to apply today.
Seasonal Summer
Primary Therapist
Are you a licensed mental health professional looking to use wilderness and adventure-based experiences as part of your therapeutic process? Working in BaMidbar’s Wilderness Therapy program, Primary Therapists oversee clinical care for a field group of 7-9 students. The Primary Therapist is responsible for client intake, treatment planning, individual and group therapy, clinical notes, and discharge summaries. The Primary Therapist will work with a team of trained field guides to build a positive group milieu and therapeutic environment and support implementation of student treatment plans through experiential activities. Learn more here.
Seasonal Summer
Field Guide
Working in BaMidbar’s Wilderness Therapy program, Assistant and Lead Field Guides serve as mentors and wilderness guides for young adults struggling with mild to moderate social, emotional, behavioral, and academic challenges. Through applying therapeutic concepts, teaching technical and fundamental skills, integrating Jewish values and traditions, and connecting personally with students, staff serve as a support system for program participants. Using BaMidbar’s supportive, strengths-based approach, Field Guides encourage students to move beyond their comfort zones to experience new, unexpected levels of confidence, personal achievement, and growth. Learn more here.
Seasonal Summer
Field Mentor
Working in BaMidbar’s Wilderness Therapy program, the Field Mentor serves as a mentor and support system for Field Guides over the course of the season. The Field Mentor has a keen eye for risk management, and helps guides promote a culture of safety in all aspects of field life. Through observation in the field, weekly debriefs, teaching technical and fundamental skills, supporting implementation of therapeutic concepts, integrating Jewish values and traditions, and connecting personally with staff, the Field Mentor supports Field Guides in maximizing their impact on the student experience. Learn more here.
Seasonal Summer
Jewish Life & Learning Coordinator
Working in BaMidbar’s Wilderness Therapy program, the Jewish Life and Learning Coordinator serves as a mentor and Jewish educator for young adults struggling with mild to moderate social, emotional, behavioral, and academic challenges. The Jewish Life and Learning Coordinator serves as Shaliach Tzibbur and song leader for the program, guides development and implementation of Shabbat/holiday programming and Jewish learning, and plays a role in curriculum and lesson plan development. Learn more here.
Seasonal Summer
Basecamp Intern
Working in BaMidbar’s Wilderness Therapy program, Basecamp Interns support logistical and programmatic needs for groups while at basecamp. Basecamp Interns serve as mentors for young adults struggling with mild to moderate social, emotional, behavioral, and academic challenges, camping with the group in the field from Thursday-Sunday each week. Basecamp Interns support programmatic logistical needs, and substitute for Field Guides as needed. Learn more here.
Blog
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An Update on the Fire at Ramah in the Rockies
As many of you may know, at 2:00 am MDT Monday morning, a fire broke out in the lodge at Ramah in the Rockies, the parent program of BaMidbar Wilderness Therapy. The building, which included administrative offices, the camp kitchen, and dining hall, was destroyed. There were no …
A Month at Ramah in the Rockies
I just returned from a month at Ramah in the Rockies, overlapping with tzevet (staff) training, and the first few weeks of chalutzim (campers) on the property. After a month at camp, it’s hard to not be both inspired and unbelievably humbled by Ramah in the Rockies, the …
The Hero’s Journey
At the recent Independent Educational Consultant Association conference, I attended a session discussing Joseph Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey.” In The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Campbell asserts that many important stories and myths from around the world share a common structure. Campbell explains that in this shared structure, “A …
A Letter from the Director
Thank You! Over one year ago, Ramah in the Rockies’ staff and key community stakeholders joined together to discuss the need for a Jewish response to addiction and mental health conditions. This past Wednesday night, over 30 stakeholders from the greater Denver area joined together to celebrate how …