The Kedusha Project is a collective of hide workers and scribes centered in Oklahoma. We are on a mission to open the gates of ritual to the historical Jewish ‘other’ by aligning the sacred crafts of tefillin and parchment with the mitzvot of gender liberation, animal dignity, and economic equity.

Meet Our Trustees

  • Yonathan (he/him) is a part-time hide worker and scribe working out of Norman, Oklahoma. In 2022, his search for vegetarian-compatible tefillin and mezuzot led him to start collecting roadkill for parchment and batim. With a background in materials science and civil engineering (and a day job in program management), Yonathan does much of the design and construction needed for hide processing and scribing.

  • Rabbi Juan Mejía (he/him) was born in Bogotá, Colombia. Raised a Catholic, he converted to Judaism after discovering the powerful beauty and message of Judaism. He holds a degree in philosophy from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, and a Masters degree in Jewish Civilization from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Juan was ordained in 2009 by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York. He lives in Oklahoma City, where he serves as the Jewish Educator for Emanuel Synagogue. He also served as Rabbi in Residence for Be’chol Lashon. Juan is a passionate advocate for converts and making Torah available to all. He has been teaching Torah in Spanish for over a decade through his website.

  • Andrew (he/him) is a Jewish convert with a passion for tactile arts and Jewish ritual expression, which helped guide him to The Kedusha Project. Andrew primarily works on processing hides and Torah repairs within the Kedusha Project. He is currently finishing his Masters in Counseling Psychology while working on building his urban garden and apiary.

  • Willow (they/she) lives and learns in Bangor, Maine. They are a Jewish convert and aspiring scribe. Torah is her passion, and she can often be found studying. They are passionate about rural Judaism and about equal access to all mitzvot. She hopes to promote a Judaism that is experiential, experimental, and egalitarian.

  • Hannah (she/her) is a graphic designer and aspiring artist and scribe operating out of Oklahoma City, OK. She is particularly interested in traditional art and art making, foraging for and using locally sourced materials, and making beautiful Jewish sacred objects. Hannah will be working towards an MA in Divinity from the University of Chicago starting in the fall of 2025.