Miriam Leah Gamliel on the Franciska Show

Miriam Leah Gamliel, originally trained in musical theater, is one of the instrumental producers behind ATARA, organizing women to collaborate in conferences and other projects since 2007 and disseminating its newsletter. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, she studied and performed throughout high school and college before becoming observant, including training at the Pennsylvania Governors School for the Arts, two years of a BFA, and appearances as Anne Frank, Audrey in Little Shop, and in professional productions. Her commitment to kol isha in 1997 led her to 10 years of non-arts pursuits including an undergraduate degree from Barnard, masters degrees in Library Science and Jewish History, and work as a university Jewish Studies Librarian. Since the formation of ATARA in 2007, she has directed and produced events for women in a religious capacity in New York, Israel and Montreal including ATARA weekends, open mic nights, theater productions, and a women-only feature film (2009), and ran an after school arts program in Brooklyn before moving to Montreal in 2013. She has been recognized as one of Jewish Week's "36 Under 36" young innovators, New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) arts administrators, and has received several independent grants and fellowships. She is currently working towards a doctorate in school administration through Yeshiva University with a special interest in the cognitive and emotional strengths of the creatively gifted. She hopes to use her degree to help creative students in the orthodox community, and as the network of observant artists grows, to eventually be able to perform musical theater of rich Jewish content. She thanks Franciska and all of the amazing women who are paving the way for a strong and awesome community of observant artists!

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