Dear JQommunity,
We hope that you are enjoying a meaningful Passover however you are celebrating.
It is with bittersweet excitement that we share today that after five enriching years with JQ as our Managing Director, Arya Marvazy has accepted an amazing opportunity to serve as the new CEO of KAHAL. KAHAL: Your Jewish Home Abroad works to connect college students, families, organizations, and community leaders to immersive Jewish experiences in their local communities wherever they are in the world.
Since joining JQ, Arya has worked to profoundly grow JQ’s mission fulfillment work, community building capacity, educational outputs, and direct support services. In the years since Arya came onboard, we have seen dynamic growth in all organizational outputs, including expansion of JQ’s strategic partnerships with organizations like JDC Entwine, OneTable, and the ROI Community through the Schusterman Family Foundation, as well as an evolution of our educational engagement suite serving Jewish institutions around the world, and greater leadership development strategy. We are of course especially proud of Arya’s work in building JQ’s one-of-a-kind Persian Pride Division. This work has had a tremendous impact in Los Angeles and globally to-date, and will continue to transform the Iranian LGBTQ+ and ally experience moving forward.
He may be leaving as a professional, but we are grateful to know he will always be an active community member. Closing out a month-long transition, Arya’s last day with JQ will be Friday, April 16th. Here is a brief reflection from Arya, whom you will hear more from later this month:
“I will never be able to fully articulate the power that joining JQ has had on my personal and professional life. I have become my full self in the most beautiful ways thanks to the JQ team, board, and community, and I express heartfelt gratitude to everyone who continues to make JQ’s life-saving and life-affirming work possible. The wisdom and experience gained working for this incredible movement is deeply ingrained in my being, and will inform my life, leadership, queerness, and Judaism in every way moving forward. JQ aims to strengthen and celebrate the lives of LGBTQ+ Jews and their allies, and as I leave my professional role of fulfilling this mission, I am grateful to share I feel more strengthened and celebrated than ever before. Thank you JQ & JQommunity for the honor of serving you!”
Please join me in congratulating Arya on the next chapter of his career by replying to this email which will be directed to Arya’s inbox. If you would like to stay in touch with Arya, he can be reached at his personal email HERE.
We invite you to stay tuned for more staffing updates as well! The JQ team will soon complete final round interviews for our Education & Inclusion Director, and we are eager to bring a talented new professional onboard.
Wishing you and your loved ones good health and spirits this Pesach!
Asher Gellis,
On behalf of the JQ team & Board
