Shira Stutman
rabbishira@aspenjewish.org
970-925-8245
Rabbi Shira Stutman became Aspen Jewish Congregation’s full-time rabbi in 2025 after serving part-time in that role since 2023. In addition to leading dynamic services, Shira launched our popular weekly “Cocktails & Conversation” Torah study and leads groups of learners interested in conversion, becoming B’nai Mitzvah, or simply deepening their connection to Jewish wisdom and one another. A nationally recognized rabbi and sought-after speaker, Shira loves teaching Torah and helping people find more joy and meaning in their lives through Judaism. Previously, Shira was the Founding Rabbi of Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. She was named one of “America’s Most Inspiring Rabbis” by The Jewish Forward and a T’ruah Rabbinic Human Rights Hero, among other awards. Rabbi Shira graduated from Columbia University and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, where she was a Wexner Graduate Fellow.
Shira is a nationally known faith-based leader and change-maker with more than twenty years of experience motivating and inspiring groups large and small. She is author of The Jewish Way to a Good Life and co-host of the top-ranked PRX podcast “Chutzpod,” in which she provides Jewish answers to life’s contemporary questions and helps listeners build lives of meaning. Shira speaks nationally on topics including growing welcoming Jewish spiritual communities; building the connective tissues between different types of people; and the current American Jewish community zeitgeist. She is the founder of Mixed Multitudes, a consultancy that exposes diverse groups of Jews and fellow travelers to the beauty and power of Jewish life, tradition, and conversation.
Jason Schnissel
director@aspenjewish.org
970-925-8245, ext. 5
Jason has been responsible for the AJC’s overall financial, operational, and strategic health since 2015. Prior to that, Jason taught in our Hebrew School and oversaw the youth group. He considers himself very fortunate to have attended a Jewish Day School from grade school through high school. This, coupled with being raised by a strong Jewish family, instilled a passion for our heritage, culture and traditions. Jason first moved to Aspen as a recent college graduate with the intent to stay for a year and work for the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. After spending a few months away, he decided to return to the valley. When not working, you’ll find Jason making turns – on skis during snow season and bikes the rest of the year. Other downtime favorites include time in the kitchen and roaming the great outdoors with his wife, Jodi, and their dog, Traynor.
Rabbi Sima Oster
sima@aspenjewish.org
970-925-8245, ext. 4
Sima is responsible for overseeing and growing the AJC’s Hebrew School and the engagement of our young families. She also works to engage our entire community with events, programs, and services that inspire and connect us to relevant Jewish content and each other. Sima focuses her work on curriculum and program development that instills a sense of connection in families, children, and teens, always striving for relevance and developmentally appropriate activities for each age range. Sima holds a master’s degree in the Art of Teaching (MAT), a certification in Jewish Leadership through Teaching from Brandeis University, and in June 2023 became an ordained Rabbi through Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute. She is continuing her rabbinic studies through the Aleph Seminary. She gained experience teaching preschool children in Tribeca’s Jewish Community Project (JCP), while also teaching Hebrew School and building the B’nai Mitzvah program for that community.
Sima grew up on Long Island and attended Jewish Day School from Preschool through High School. After graduating college, she lived on the Upper West Side in NYC where she enjoyed exploring Central Park in running shoes and on bike. Here in the Roaring Fork Valley, Sima and her husband Ethan take their twin daughters, Navah and Maya, hiking, biking, and skiing. Ethan has also dedicated himself to the improvement and safety of our community by joining the Aspen Police Force.
Karen Codd
karen@aspenjewish.org
970-925-8245, ext. 3
Karen provides a wide range of support to ensure that our programs run well and congregants are informed of congregation news and events. After moving to the Roaring Fork Valley in 2018, Karen worked in marketing and graphic design, but her passion for Judaism led her to the Aspen Jewish Congregation. She began teaching at AJC’s Hebrew School in December 2023 and quickly embraced a larger role in the congregation. Karen grew up in Tucson, Arizona, where she was deeply involved in the Jewish community from a young age. She continued that involvement through leadership roles in her local NFTY group and as president of Hillel at Lesley University in Boston. Outside of work, Karen enjoys skiing, exploring the outdoors, and spending time with her husband, Nick, and their dog, Okie.
Oren Schragger
oren@aspenjewish.org
Originally from Wilmington, Delaware, Oren is an East Coast native who has found his breath out here in the Rockies. Oren has a degree in script writing and theatrical production from the University of Delaware. He has served as the Education Director for the Aspen Jewish Congregation, as a manager in many of Aspen’s restaurants, as a bar mitzvah tutor. Currently, Oren is head coach for the Aspen High School boys’ soccer team. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, skiing, playing board games, and building Lego sets.
Abby Anderson, President
Michael Gottdenker, Vice President
Karen Barch, Treasurer
Daniel Lebowitz
Larry Margolis
Craig Navias, Immediate Past-President
Ann Brown
William Brown
Hilary Cohen
Jake Lansburgh
Mark Rothman
Rudi Scheidt
Rabbi Elyse Seidner-Joseph
Joan Wallis
