Lunch & Learn: Jewish Gratitude With Rabbi Jeff Dreifus, Temple Har Shalom

Monday, November 9 | 12-1:30 p.m. | JCC Dance Hall
Free and Open to the Public
RSVP to Reserve Your Bagel Lunch: community@slcjcc.org

What does it mean to be a Jew? It starts with thank you. Literally: in Hebrew, todah (“thank you”) and Yehudi (“Jew”) share the same root. Before the turkey and the pie, spend a lunch hour exploring what Jewish tradition teaches about gratitude and how to actually practice it.

About Rabbi Jeff Dreifus

Rabbi Jeff Dreifus became Temple Har Shalom’s senior rabbi in 2025. Before coming to Park City, he served as associate rabbi of Temple Israel in Memphis, Tennessee, one of the largest and most historic congregations in the South. He was ordained at Hebrew Union College in New York City in 2021 and, as a rabbinical student, served congregations in Juneau, Alaska, and Rye, New York.

Before rabbinical school, Rabbi Jeff worked in investment banking and for a clean energy startup. While in finance, he co-founded the TI Fellowship, which Slingshot recognized as one of the most innovative Jewish programs in the U.S. and which became a model for engaging Jewish 20-somethings in communities nationwide. He graduated cum laude from Washington University in St. Louis with a bachelor’s degree in economics and environmental studies.

In his free time, Rabbi Jeff likes to ski, hike, rock climb and travel with his wife, Rachael, their two children, their goldendoodle, Abbey Road, and their cat, Lil.