Alana Joblin Ain
President and Co-Founder
Writer and teacher, Alana’s work has appeared in Rattle, Quarterly West, Tablet, The Forward, The New York Times, Modern Loss, Crab Orchard Review, Dossier, and in the anthology Mothering Through the Darkness,
Alana has taught undergraduate writing at Hunter College, where she earned her MFA in poetry, and has also led writing workshops within organizational and private settings.
In addition, she co-founded the Brooklyn based organization Because Jewish and currently lives in Austin, Texas with Dan and their two children.
Alana leads Moontower Verses, our monthly literary series featuring writers on what it means to be human and alive.
Shai Kushner
Secretary
Shai Kushner, a product of New York’s dynamic spirit, has embraced life from coast to coast, as well as some vibrant cities in between.
At home, Shai is a proud father, guiding two captivating and enchanting daughters through life’s many wonders, and they often return the favor. Professionally, Shai has been a versatile creative for over twenty years, as a screenwriter, sportswriter, and advertising producer.
Embedded in Shai’s lineage lies a profound connection to rabbinical heritage, with his father Paul, sister Haviva, and uncle Harold, all illuminating his journey with their wisdom as rabbis. This lineage, reminiscent of the guidance of Rabbi Dan, has bestowed upon him a treasury of insights and distinctive perspectives.
Now, as secretary of the Moontower Minyan board, Shai looks to blend media savvy with his cherished Jewish heritage, to foster the organization’s noble aspirations of making the tapestry of religion both enriching and accessible.
Mel Farber
Treasurer
Mel Farber is a long-time Austin resident and mother to one son. Professionally, she works in the Cybersecurity and Information Security space. Mel didn’t start her career with dreams of running a security organization and considers herself an accidental information security technologist with a fierce curiosity about how things work.
Whereas her educational background is in linguistics, foreign language acquisition, and information security and privacy, there is a common thread that runs through all of her personal and professional endeavors: the use of language as a tool, whether it be spoken, written, expressionistic, or machine-interpreted, to distill meaning and communicate with clarity. She is putting these talents to use as Moontower Minyan’s Treasurer, with the goal of helping to create a more deeply felt, sustainable, vibrant, and purposeful Jewish community.
Kevin Kerr
Marketing and Communications
Kevin Kerr was born and raised in Miami, attending high school in England. He studied at both the University of Florida and Georgia State University, where he started his career in the technology sector. Kevin currently holds the position of customer experience software solutions consultant for a large, Austin-based firm. His hobbies include sailing, classic cars, and cycling. A devoted husband and a father to one son, Kevin finds grounding and inspiration in his Jewish faith, and brings to his involvement with Moontower Minyan a deep sense of purpose and desire to expand the faith-based offerings within Austin’s Jewish community.
