Leadership
Daphna Mor
Director, Spiritual and Ritual Leader
Originally from Israel, Daphna Mor is a renowned prayer and ritual leader, educator, vocalist and musician.
After moving to New York in 2000, Daphna served as a Musician in Residency at B'nai Jeshurun Synagogue for over a decade, while leading and developing the robust Early Childhood program and at Brotherhood Synagogue in Gramercy Park. In 2015 Daphna joined Rabbi Laurie Phillips z”l as a partner in Beineinu, fulfilling a dream of co leading a Jewish community grounded in kindness, personal connection, joy, and dedication to making Jewish life relevant and meaningful with an objective of empowering people to engage in Judaism over a lifetime with strength and pride. Together, with Beineinu’s excellent team of educators and musicians, they offered holiday and shabbat services, as well as numerous b’mitzvah, weddings, Jewish education, and life cycle journeys. Following the passing of beloved Rabbi Phillips, Daphna and the team continue the vision and mission of Beineinu.
Mor is a devoted educator and curriculum developer with experience of over 25 years in both Jewish and Art Education. She has been acting as a Musician to the Education Department at the Met Museum since 2001.
Mor is a passionate performer and teacher of liturgical music of the Jewish diaspora (Piyutim), focusing on brining awareness to the global element of prayer and including those melodies in Jewish rituals. Her performances of Jewish repertoire include prestigious venues as the Met Museum in New York, and St Martins in the Fields in London. She recently co-directed with Apollo’s Fire a program for the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln center inspired by themes of exile and resilience that explores music of Jewish and Arabic origin. Mor was invited to Mumbai India to lead a master class of Piyutim, while learning new local Indian ones and incorporating them in Beineinu services and ceremonies.
Mor is an internationally renowned musician, hailed by the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune for her expression virtuosity, and appeared as a soloist on stages as Carnegie Hall and Tanglewood Festival. She also performed in festivals and concerts in the United States, England, Canada, Poland, Italy, Spain, Germany, Slovenia, Croatia, Austria, Greece, and Israel. Christopher Hunt of MSN writes: "Ms. Mor leaves all who witness her playing with a smiling jaw-dropped expression.”
In 2024, Daphna joined Rabbi Misha Shulman as a Ritual Leader at the New Shul, co leading Shabbat and Holiday gatherings.
Daphna lives in Brooklyn with her husband, musician Daniel Freedman and their children Alona and Artie.
Of Blessed Memory
Rabbi Laurie Phillips z”l
Beineinu Founder & Director 2014-2023
“In 2017 Laurie commissioned the production of 10,000 bright red, oblong-shaped pins with the words “BE KIND” emblazoned in white capital letters. With a missionary’s zeal, she handed them out to one and all – strangers she met on the subway, in the coffee shop and grocery store, at the airport – enlisting thousands to join her as kindness ambassadors. The button changed people’s behavior, inspired parades and ‘Be Kind’ days, and engendered a non-profit devoted to spreading her simple gospel. Adorning lapels and backpacks around New York City and beyond, the fiery red buttons symbolize the essence and power of Laurie’s life. With her radiant, effervescent light, Laurie turned an ever-expanding circle of humans into deeply loved friends, making all of those she touched better versions of themselves” (from the obituary by Debbie Mukamal and Rabbi John Franken)