Bio
Andrew J. Rosenthal
Andrew J. Rosenthal was raised in a multi-faith family in Brooklyn New York and consequently has both a personal and professional interest in a multiplicity of religious traditions and spiritual practices. He considers himself to have a dual Jewish and Christian sense of belonging and theologically aligns himself with both Christian and Jewish theologians, specifically the work of Paul Tillich, Martin Buber, and Abraham Joshua Heschel. Andrew identifies as Jewish and is active in congregation Kolot Chayeinu, a progressive Jewish community in Brooklyn. He has traveled extensively in India to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Muslim pilgrimage sites learning about a wide variety of spiritual practices. Andrew has also worked for Global Potential facilitating a youth empowerment program for inner city teens from New York in a batey in the Dominican Republic and participated in a cultural exchange program for children in Calcutta India.
In the past Andrew has worked as a public school teacher, an archivist and a hospital chaplain. Under his pseudonym, “Andrew J Genco,” he is a produced playwright and an award winning photographer. Andrew is currently working on his first Young Adult novel [andrewjgenco.com]. He blogs for Tikkun Daily writing about inter-religious organizations in New York and the interplay of social justice and spirituality. This fall he will begin working toward a masters in social work at Hunter College. Andrew’s goals are to work toward client centered advocacy in partnership with religious communities and to utilize an integrative therapy model inclusive of spiritual practice.
Education:
Masters of Divinity, Union Theological Seminary, New York NY May 2009
- Concentration in Interfaith Dialogue and Education
Bachelor of Arts, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York June 2003
- Majors in Religion and English, Minor in History
Awards and Acknowledgments
- Completed four units of Clinical Pastoral Education, August 2010
- Columbia University Partnership for International Development (CUPID) honorarium, August 2009
- Recipient of the Auburn Theological Seminary “Bennett Fellowship” for social service and advocacy for justice in the public arena, May 2009
- Beatitudes Society scholarship recipient to attend and facilitate the United Religions Initiative Global Assembly – “Pilgrims of Peace” in Mayapur India, November 2008
- Co-founder of the Union Theological Seminary Interfaith Caucus
- Honored by Mercy Hospital as an “Angel of Mercy,” the first chaplain ever to receive this honor, August 2008
- Eagle Scout, 1997
Leigh Rogers:
Leigh Rogers is a public relations executive with a women’s church organization in New York. Always interested in the faith-based social justice movement, she studied the apocalyptic and imperial religiosity of the televangelist Rod Parsley and the religio-political mythology of American history. She led Denison University’s interfaith dialogue group, Denison Religious Understanding before facilitating interfaith dialogue with New York teenagers for the Temple of Understanding’s Dialogue in Action program. She has previously blogged for faithfuldemocrats.org and beatitudessociety.org. Originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, she is a Midwestern transplant to Brooklyn, NY, raised in the Atheist tradition.
Masters of Arts, Union Theological Seminary, New York NY May 2008
- Concentration in Theology
Bachelor of Arts, Denison University, Granville, Ohio May 2006
- Major in Religion and Minor in Psychology
Leigh and Andrew debating as usual
