Who we are
OpenLev is than a co-working space.
We invite you to approach the weekday with curiosity, awe, and a commitment to living your values. Through intention-setting, connection, and embodied rituals inspired by Jewish wisdom, we create a space where community is at the heart of the workday journey.
We’re building a movement and we’d like you to join.
Values
Our values reflect our commitment to embrace inclusion, generosity, growth and authenticity, within a supportive community.
Ahava Raba (abundant love)
Approach the workday from a loving place—for yourself and others.
Treat work relationships as precious and opportunities for transformation. See co-workers and collaborators as full humans. Bring an open heart to your work. Lean in to generosity.
Kahal Kadosh (holy community)
Wisdom lies in the collective.
You don’t have to go it alone. Ask for support. Be vulnerable. Solicit diverse perspectives – wisdom comes in many forms. There is a sense of belonging here and the space emphasizes development through the collective. We value different perspectives and the ability to share them. This is also a space for people to step into a more active engagement with themselves and their community.
Shavat VaYinafash (pause and breathe again)
We are mindful. We take breaks. We slow down.
Pausing is an essential part of creation. Know when it’s time to stop, reflect, and recharge. Draw boundaries around personal time. Practice saying “No” so you can say “Yes” to what really matters. Our worth is not determined by our productivity; it is inherent.
Meet the Team
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Founder
Benjamin is a seeker of meaning and purpose who found his calling through Jewish mysticism, meditation, and community building.
Prior to founding OpenLev, Benjamin amassed nearly two decades of experience in the tech and finance sector, most recently as Managing Director of Digital Currency at Silvergate Bank.
Benjamin is an MBA graduate from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, a certified Yoga and Meditation teacher in the Tantric Hatha lineage, a Muay Thai enthusiast, and an occasional impromptu piano player for singalongs.
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Community Director
Breathwork guide, intuitive bodyworker, and community leader passionate about creating spaces where creativity, healing, and connection thrive.
OpenLev Advisors
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Zvika Krieger is the Spiritual Leader of Chochmat HaLev in Berkeley, CA. He formerly served as Facebook/Meta's first-ever Director of Responsible Innovation, created and led the World Economic Forum's Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and served as the US Department of State's first-ever "Ambassador to Silicon Valley." He has taught courses on design and social impact at Stanford, UC Berkeley, and the Rhode Island School of Design. Zvika has served in board and leadership positions for Milk+Honey camp at Burning Man, Jewish Studio Project, and other organizations dedicated to nourishing the mind, body, and soul.
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A scion of a notable rabbinic ultra-Orthodox family, Rav Jericho was expelled from their community as a teenager for their rebellions and their questions.
After years learning from Buddhist, Sufi, and atheist teachers, they returned to Judaism on their own terms, excavating lost wisdom from our female, trans, mystical, and queer ancestors.
A first-generation college student, Rav Jericho earned an undergraduate degree at Brooklyn College as a night-student on a Presidential Scholarship. They hold a masters degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, where they were a Pforzheimer Fellow. They are ordained by the Aleph Ordination Program in the lineage of Reb Zalman Schachter Shalomi.
Rav Jericho currently serves as an advisor to Beit Kohenet and the Shalom Center. A member of B’not Esh, they are a Wexner Fellow, a member of the ROI: Schusterman Community, and a recent fellow at Atra: The Center for Rabbinic Innovation. Rav Jericho has been named to the Jewish Week’s 36 Under 36 and Forward 50 for their work.
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Ben Poretzky is a community organizer and strategist passionate about bringing impact-driven projects to life. Formerly a technology product manager and strategist at Intuit, Meta, and multiple startups in the Bay Area, Ben currently works for the Sacred Design Lab managing their Accelerating Global Spiritual Innovation project. He is a co-founder of Kinhood, a men’s wellness organization committed to growing men’s capacity to receive and reciprocate care through events and community. He formerly served as the Project Manager of SynagogueX: Reimagining Jewish Spaces of the Future. He is a member of the SF Jewish Federation Jews of Color Giving Circle. He holds a BAS in Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.