Ilana Levinson is an audio journalist and founder of Unsettled, an independent podcast about Israel-Palestine and Jewish Diaspora. Family and friend connections led Ilana to join Kolot when she moved to Brooklyn; her aunt joined in the 90’s and her cousin’s baby naming ceremony had taken place there. Ilana went on to become the second grade teacher for Kolot and tutored B’nai Mitzvah students for many years. She loved working in a Jewish education program that was not tied to Zionism, which was very different from her upbringing in a conservative synagogue. Kolot’s ability to connect people with text and ritual is important to Ilana and she has found the Torah Study Group to be particularly meaningful. She is proud to be a member of a congregation that is not about physical location or social status, but about community and a love for Judaism. Ilana believes that conservative and establishment Jewish synagogues are not enough for young people and she is happy to be part of a synagogue that is not zionist and thriving. A word she would use to describe herself is unintimidating.