Our Team / Meet the FED Team
The founder of FED, Deborah is an entrepreneur and network-weaver. With a background in international Jewish cuisine, Deborah works at the intersection of people, food and ideas, weaving together relationships that spark unexpected dialogue, synergy, and connection. Deborah views her mission in life as making sure everyone is fed — physically, intellectually, spiritually and on a basic human level.
DEBORAH FISHMAN SHELBY
Founder & Executive Director
Introducing / FED Board
ASHER BAR LEV
Chief Financial Officer
Asher has been involved in many endeavors, political, artistic and business. He is addicted to exercise and eats no meat.
JACK BEN-HARARI
Vice President
Jack Ben-Harari is a chef in the tradition of Carême and Escoffier. Eschewing academies and industrial training in favor of lived experience, collegial mentorship, and direct sensuality, Jack has apprenticed in the kitchens of New York Times favorites Clay, Deli Kasbah and Sushi Metsuyan; developed speed, organization, and consistency catering 50+ events in New York City (including for FED!); and curated a kaleidoscopic aesthetic palate traveling the globe from Israel and the Levantine, the Altiplano and the Pampas of South America, and the Far East. Jack’s current passion project is to distill his vast experience into a simple, comprehensive meditation that allows you not to copy a recipe or style, but to realize your own.
KEVIN JOEST
Director of Programming
Kevin Joest is a Philadelphia-based composer and percussionist. He works in a woodshop by day, and seeks to explore fundamental truths of human nature via metaphor from the natural, astronomical, and mathematical worlds through his music. A “doer of Jewish,” his values and worldview align with the FED mission of cultivating open creativity, thought-provoking discussion, & diverse community, as well as fostering spaces where those elements exist naturally and organically. Kevin also loves food and the culinary arts, and has a passion for exploring the ways in which art for all the senses can combine as a platform on which to build common ground. More information on Kevin’s musical life can be found at www.kevinjoestmusic.com.
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Starring / Artist-in-Residence
Chanan Ben Simon
Artist-in-Residence
Chanan Ben Simon is a vocalist, composer and a multimedia artist, born in Jerusalem, currently Brooklyn based. Chanan’s work combines voice, sound, visuals, installation art and new media.
Chanan creates Interactive multimedia performances Such us (1) 'Telepresence', In collab with with Yifeat Ziv, created for Israel Festival, Jerusalem, 2020, (2) The Dino Show, in collab with Inkyoung Bae, presented in Vanderbilt gallery NYC 2018, EMAF festival in Korea 2019 and Museum for Digital Art, Hulun Israel, 2021 (3) The Weather Channel, in collab with Inkyoung Bae, presented online for audiences in Korea, Israel and the US in 2020 and presented like in the OilTank gallery, Seoul, 2021, and (4) 'Fire Heart' in collab with Inkyoung Bae, 2021, presented in Lift Off festival, NYC and NEMAF, Seoul.
His discography includes 'Toy Store' (2016) produced by ANOVA record label, 'Bedroom POP' (2019) and Party Tears, (2021-2022), released under the stage name 'Ben Simone', accompanied by flamboyant video work, and often played on Israeli radio and TV.
Chanan has also worked with many different contemporary composers, performed with various orchestras (for example - Castle in time orchestra) and other chamber ensembles, writes music for stage and film, and is a member of the voice-movement ensemble 'Constellation Chor'. Chanan is a true collaborator and works with artists such as - Inkyoung Bae, Maya Baran, Yifeat Ziv, Shimon Tal and more.
Alongside his own artistic work, Chanan currently works as an assistant director at School for Creative Judaism, an Educator at Flatbush Jewish Center, a guest cantor at the New Shul and Curates the artistic program of FEDtables where he also serves as an artist in residence.
He holds a B.mus in composition from the music academy in Jerusalem and an MFA in performance and interactive media from Brooklyn College.
