Who We Are
Advisors
Choices for Life has experienced stakeholders backing the program. Clinical staff guiding the curriculum development include:
Rabbi Manis Friedman
The course’s core concepts and teachings are created by Lead Author Rabbi Manis Friedman. Manis Friedman is an internationally respected public speaker and media personality. He is among today's leading moral guides, and the most viewed rabbi on YouTube and TikTok, with an international, cross-cultural, and multi-faith following. He is the author of numerous books, including Creating A Life That Matters, The Joy Of Intimacy, and Doesn’t Anyone Blush Anymore?
Visit www.ItsGoodtoKnow.org and www.YouTube.com/ManisFriedman.
OUR TEAM
Rabbi Yochanan Friedman
Guiding the program development is Program Dean, Rabbi Yochanan Friedman. Rabbi Yochanan has over 30 years of experience as a nonprofit professional and is a chaplain with the California Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He compiled and piloted the Choices for Life flagship program and has been offering it to the men in his charge since 2017.
Rabbi Mendel Ehrenreich
Program Coordinator for Choices for Life, Rabbi Mendel Ehrenreich, is the Youth Rabbi at Congregation Beth Israel and Youth Director at Chabad Forsyth, located in Cumming, Georgia. He plans and coordinates the Choices for Life program, communicates with instructors who present the course, and works on expanding the funding base and extending the course to other states and demographics.
Mushka Geisinsky
Mushka Geisinsky serves as the Co-Director of the Chabad Center for Jewish Life in Santa Cruz and is a mother of four beautiful children. She leads the marketing and graphics department for Choices for Life, bringing creativity and dedication to the program's visual identity and outreach efforts. Her expertise in design and communication ensures that the message of Choices for Life reaches and resonates with a broad audience.
Shalom Stein, CPA, MBA
Shalom Stein serves as the Director of Finance and Operations for Choices for Life. With a CPA and an MBA, Shalom brings over 30 years of experience in executive roles within the nonprofit sector. His expertise in financial management and operational efficiency has been instrumental in ensuring the smooth functioning and sustainability of the Choices for Life program. Shalom’s leadership in these areas allows the organization to focus on its mission of transforming lives, while ensuring that the financial and operational foundations are strong and effective.
Alumni Contributors
The program expansion will also benefit from the life-wisdom of three formerly incarcerated men and Choices for Life graduates:
Dr. Stanley Einhorn
A clinical psychologist and former director of Santa Cruz County's Behavioral Health Program for young offenders.
Dr. Daniel Blemen
Former Chief Medical Officer and psychiatrist at Salinas Valley State Prison.
Mr. Eric Dungan
Works for a hi-tech aviation company in Silicon Valley, where he and his life partner are raising their baby boy.
Mr. Jonathan Barber
Runs several sober-living homes in the Los Angeles area.
Mr. Corey Frisch
Regularly shares his experiences being incarcerated at CTF. This includes witnessing miracles of transformation in high-risk individuals. He has returned to CTF four times as a mentor since his parole in 2021.
Dungan, Barber, and Frisch were active facilitators of the Choices for Life program at CTF and are committed to continuing to share the life-changing wisdom with others, especially at-risk youth.
Partner Organizations
Choices for Life collaborates with the Aleph Institute, a chaplain certification institute that has been offering social and other services to incarcerated people and their families, and to military service personnel, since 1981.
