Director of Youth Engagement

Director of Youth Engagement

Rabbi Emily JK Holtzman is thrilled to be the new Director of Youth Engagement. Rabbi Holtzman grew up in Agoura Hills, attending the Wilshire Boulevard Temple Camps for 10 summers as a camper, CIT, and staff member. Camp was where she discovered her connection to Judaism, where it felt like she had found a home.

Rabbi Holtzman received her Bachelor's of Arts Degree in Art History with a minor in Judaic Studies from the University of Oregon. After graduation, she worked at a number of Jewish institutions around Los Angeles. She began at IKAR as a religious school teacher, transitioning to a program coordinator, to the Assistant Director and eventually to the Interim Director of Education. 

During her time in rabbinical school, Rabbi Holtzman had the pleasure of working for IKAR, Temple Beth Am, the AJU Community Mikveh, Hillel 818, Taglit-Birthright, Congregation B'nai Chaim in Murrieta, and Beit Teshuvah. 

Over the years, Rabbi Holtzman has also been involved with many organizations including, the AIPAC Leffell Fellowship, Pardes Kevah Teaching Fellowship, Limmud Bay Area, the Shalom Hartman Institute, the iCenter (where she received her master’s concentration in Israel Education), Hadar, MAZON, and the Builders of Jewish Education in Los Angeles. 

Rabbi Holtzman has spent her career making and seeking connections with children and their families, deepening her own Jewish learning, and striving to make our tradition relevant for those who she is blessed to teach. 

The mission of the Adat Ari El Youth Department is to “create a sense of community and encourage our learners to push themselves and their thinking”. Rabbi Holtzman wants to motivate learners to be their best selves, to be proud of their Judaism and traditions, and to go out into the world to make it a better place. Her hope is to continue to grow and expand an already thriving program, through thoughtful experiential learning, community building, and engagement. 

As Rabbi Hanina tells us in the Talmud, “I have learned much from my teachers and even more from my friends, but from my students I have learned most of all.” Rabbi Holtzman is looking forward to starting on this journey, learning, exploring, and growing through the guidance of our Torah.  

Click Here to connect with Rabbi Holtzman or at

(8187) 766-9426 ext. 241