Elana Stein Hain, MPhil.
After leaving Migdal Oz (’99-’00), Elana studied at Columbia University for four years, majoring in Jewish History. During that time, as now, she worked on behalf of Jewish causes both here and abroad. She went to Belarus to run a learning leadership program for teenagers under the auspices of YUSSR; she served as the assistant Head Counselor in Moshava, Indian Orchard, as well as Bnei Akiva’s Torah Va’Avodah Institute (TVI), and she has participated in and led various Yeshiva University-sponsored kollelim in the United States. And, most recently, she founded the Beit Midrash Program in Camp Morasha, an active beis medrash for college students who wish to devote part of their learning time to teaching campers and staff.
Currently she is the full-time Community Scholar of Lincoln Square Synagogue. She is also pursuing her PhD. in Religion at Columbia University, where she has received her BA, MA and MPhil. Her proposed dissertation topic is: Legal Circumventions and False Impressions in Talmudic Law.
Elana Stein Hain is going on her fifth year at Lincoln Square Synagogue. While functioning as the Community Scholar – sermonizing, counseling, building relationships, teaching and collaborating on programs with volunteers – she also lectures to Jewish communities throughout the country and has served on the Wexner Institute Faculty. Several years ago, she was named one of the Jewish Week’s first “36 Under 36.”
As part of her academic studies, she has been privileged to study with Professors David Weiss Halivni, Suzanne Last Stone, and Barry Wimpfheimer. She participated in a two-year fellowship in Jewish Law and Legal Theory and takes part in academic conferences in Talmud and Rabbinics.

Beyond academic interests, Ms. Stein Hain enjoys music and travel, as well as a good comedian’s sketch. She and her husband Yonah and son Azzan live on the Upper West Side.