OCJAC Director

Rabbi Wircberg began his career with OCJAC in 2014. As the organization’s Director he develops and produces all of the center’s exhibitions and projects. He is a devoted student of the arts and is especially inspired when exploring how the arts intersect with Judaism and Jewish spirituality.

The OCJAC is also the home base for the work Rabbi Wircberg and his wife Emunah do with the Jewish Heritage Program’s Young Professional Network. At the OCJAC, the Wircbergs host Shabbat Dinners, happy hours and holiday programs for hundreds of young professionals in the Philadelphia area.

Rabbi Wircbrg also serves as the assistant Rabbi at Vilna Congregation in Philadelphia.

Rabbi Wircberg earned his rabbinic degree in 2008. He has lived and served as a Jewish communal professional in various locations in the United States as well as in South Africa and China. Rabbi Wircberg and his wife Emunah live in Old City, Philadelphia with their five children.

OCJAC Programs and Gallery Director

Mrs. Wircberg has served as the OCJAC’s programs and gallery director since 2014. She recruits and works with artists to develop exhibits, is responsible for gallery administration and is also a professional planner and in house chef for most OCJAC events.

Mrs. Wircberg is a graduate of The Kosher Culinary Institute and has a passion for dignified fashion having worked prior in the garment industry.

She has a personal modest fashion blog - the_modestmom, where she fuses Judaism, art, fashion, culinary arts, motherhood and family life.

Executive Director of Jewish Heritage Programs

Rabbi Schmidt is a 1976 graduate of the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University and received rabbinic ordination in 1980 from Tomchei Temimim Lubavitch in Montreal.

In 1980, he and his wife founded Lubavitch House at the University of Pennsylvania, where he also serves as the Executive Director.

Rabbi Schmidt also founded The Steinhardt Jewish Heritage Programs (JHP), a project of the Cayne Heritage Foundation. JHP became a pioneer in peer-to-peer campus outreach and in mentoring students. Schmidt expanded JHP to include projects such as the Young Professionals Network and The Old City Jewish Art Center in Philadelphia, and the Jewish Business Network.

In 2007, Menachem was selected as one of 6 Avi Chai Fellows through his work with OCJAC and student professional Mentoring.