Jewish Writers Institute

Roni Geva & Margaret Katch

Roni Geva and Margaret Katch are an award-winning writing team with a focus on bold, female-driven storytelling. Since partnering in 2015, they’ve written four pilots, four features, two short films, and the Emmy-nominated short-form series ctrl alt delete, a workplace comedy set in an abortion clinic.

Their work has been selected by 17 film festivals, earned five awards, and led to a development deal at CBS Studios. As actors, their credits span film, television, and stage, including Ovation and Joseph Jefferson Award nominations for their theatrical work.

Their greatest desire is to change the world through funny, thoughtful TV and film.

Brian Ash

Bronx raised and Yeshiva educated, Brian Ash is a producer and writer specializing in adult animation, comic books and feature films. Brian’s TV credits include Adult Swim’s “The Boondocks”, “Black Dynamite”, “The Jellies” and “Lazor Wulf”. He is the co-creator of the “Alef Blessed” collectible card game.

Robert Axelrod

Robert Axelrod is a gay Jewish writer based in Los Angeles, originally hailing from Michigan, whose work focuses on exploring the intersectionality of identity and culture. He is a past participant of the Warner Bros. Discovery Access Writers Program, Humanitas New Voices fellowship, CineStory TV fellowship, and is a previous winner of the ScreenCraft Stage Play Competition as well as The A-List, an annual competition honoring the best work by assistants in the entertainment industry.

Micah O’Konis + Marnina Schon

Micah O’Konis (they/he) and Marnina Schon (she/her) are a real-life couple who create sketch comedy together as Couplet and #NotARabbi. They wrote and performed the award-winning musical comedy More Guns! which ran for two years at Second City and toured to San Francisco. Marnina has also performed as an actor on stage with South Coast Rep, Center Theater Group, Berkeley Rep, and Story Pirates, as well as on screen in the upcoming series Chanshi with Henry Winkler, while Micah writes sketches at Upright Citizen’s Brigade, scores films, and releases music as Lookalike (feat. Marnina on violin and vocals).

Hanna Anderson + Mollie Biskar

Mollie and Hanna have always told stories, both independently and as a team, that are authentic, empowering, and often about outspoken women. They collaborate on “The Dating Detectives” podcast.

Miriam Anzovin

Miriam Anzovin is a visual artist, writer, content creator, and massive Jewish nerd, exploring the juxtaposition of pop culture, nerd culture, and Jewish culture.
Her comedic, yet heartfelt, short-form videos on Jewish text learning, particularly of the Talmud in the Daf Reactions Project, include her authentic reactions from her perspective of a formerly Orthodox, now secular, Millennial feminist. She exists at the intersection of Sefaria and Sephora, and also in some people’s minds, where she lives rent free.