Executive Director
314-442-3872
Rabbi Scott Shafrin, ordained from the American Jewish University’s Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles in 2013, also holds a Master’s Degree in Education. As a dedicated community organizer, rabbi, and educator, Scott has worked tirelessly to connect people of all ages to the profound meanings within Jewish tradition. He engages with his community through dialogue, Jewish texts, tefillah, music, social justice, and leadership development.
Scott’s extensive experience includes social justice organizing in Boston, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. He has served as Rabbi in Residence at the Epstein School in Atlanta, GA, emphasizing the importance of building relationships and connecting individuals to one another.
Rabbi Shafrin is deeply passionate about interfaith and intergroup partnerships. He represents the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) and the St. Louis Jewish community as a member of the Interfaith Partnership’s Clergy Cabinet. Recently, he was selected for the inaugural Interfaith Leadership Network by the Interfaith Alliance, a nationally recognized organization fighting against religious nationalism in public life.
His accolades include being a CLAL Rabbis Without Borders Fellow (2017-18) and a JOIN for Justice Fellow (2005-06) and Clergy Fellow (2021-22). He previously served as the Associate Rabbi and Religious School Director at Kol Rinah, a Conservative congregation in Clayton, MO. Prior to his current role as Executive Director, Scott was JCRC's Deputy Director and the Lee & Milford Bohm Director of Social Justice.
He is blessed to share his adventures with his wife Rabbi Jessica Shafrin, a hospital chaplain and a passionate teacher of Torah, and their incredible boys, Amitai and Nadav.
Director of Operations
(314) 442-3871
Jennifer Swanson, the Director of Operations, thrives in organizations when she can utilize her appreciation of data and numbers in conjunction with words and relationships. She is happy to work alongside “the few but fierce” team at JCRC who are working passionately to create a more just, equitable, and pluralistic community.
Jennifer is passionate about public health care, museums, libraries, and education. She is not afraid to ask you to donate to one or more of her favorite non-profit organizations and believes every gift can make an impact.
Program Director
(314) 442-3874
Elyse Picker joined the JCRC team in 2022, bringing a range of talents and experience from both the for-profit and non-profit sectors, particularly in project management and education.
Elyse excels in creating and managing meaningful programs and events. She previously served as the PJ Our Way Parent Connector for the St. Louis region, where she created opportunities for tweens to connect and fostered relationships among their parents. Prior to that, she was the co-director for the Kol Rinah Early Childhood Center for five years. In 2024, Elyse was elected to the JProSTL Board, where her dedication and expertise have been invaluable.
Although Elyse is not originally from St. Louis, she has called it home for over a decade. She and her husband love raising their three children in this vibrant community.
Student to Student Director
(314) 442-3873
Lauren Abraham is the Director of the Student to Student program in St. Louis, a program of the Newmark Institute at JCRC. Lauren sees the Jewish high school students that come together from all three branches of Judaism as the torch lighters to combat antisemitism and share the Jewish narrative with students everywhere in order to improve so many aspects of our world today.
Known for her magnetic personality and passion for Jewish education, Lauren was honored with a 2024 JProSTL Peer Award in the Mentor category. She is deeply involved in the St. Louis Jewish community and is frequently sought after by organizations to help plan and execute some of the region's most inspiring events and programs. At Congregation B'nai Amoona, where her husband, Rabbi Jeffrey Abraham, serves as Senior Rabbi, Lauren leads Mini Minyan, a Shabbat service for young children and their families.
A lifelong Jewish educator, Lauren has six years of experience as a Day School leader at the Rodeph Sholom School in New York City. Before joining JCRC, she was the Education and Engagement Coordinator at the Jewish Federation of San Antonio for six years. There, she expanded the PJ Library program, the Partnership2Gether program with the Western Galilee in Israel, and launched new initiatives that energized and engaged the Jewish community.
Originally from Dallas, Texas, Lauren earned her Master's degree at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles. She spent many summers at Camp Sabra on the Lake of the Ozarks as a camper and staff member, nurturing her passion for Jewish community life.
Lauren, her husband Rabbi Jeffrey Abraham, and their three children, Benny, Henry, and Joey are major sports fans. Following their move to St. Louis in 2020, they have embraced the Blues and Cardinals, adding them to their list of favorite teams alongside Lauren’s beloved Dallas Cowboys and Texas Longhorns.
Communications & Engagement Coordinator
Rachel Bray is proud to serve as the Communications and Engagement Coordinator at JCRC, a position she started in early 2023. Rachel holds a Bachelor's degree in studio art from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, IL, and a digital marketing certification from the University of Missouri - St. Louis. Integrating both of these passions allows Rachel to craft creative solutions that engage and motivate the JCRC community.
Rachel brings with her over a decade of experience working and volunteering within the St. Louis Jewish community. Most recently, Rachel served as the Director of Communications at Congregation B'nai Amoona in Creve Coeur, MO.
As a community-focused and social justice-minded professional, Rachel actively participates in events that promote equity and inclusion, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and interfaith relations. Additionally, she is the publicity coordinator for Arts & Faith St. Louis, an interfaith arts organization co-created by Batya Abramson-Goldstein, former JCRC Executive Director.
Rachel, her husband James, and their son Wolfie enjoy attending Cardinals baseball games, taking road trips, and playing with their rescue puggle, Mitis.
