Rabbi Stuart Shiff was born in the Bronx but grew up in scenic, rural Connecticut where he lived a very sheltered life. After graduating from SUNY Purchase with a BS in Biology and Chemistry, he worked as a research associate at Rockefeller University. Stuart went on to study at Aish Jerusalem for five years where he received his rabbinic ordination, not to mention his acclaimed role as Queen Esther in several Purim skits. Stuart was the rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel in New Orleans until August 29, 2005, when Hurricane Katrina swamped the city. Today, Rabbi Shiff’s primary focus is Executive Learning for the Aish Center in Manhattan, which garnered him an Associated Press video feature. Stuart, his wife Amy and their children now live in not-so-scenic New Jersey. Read Rabbi Shiff’s blog at http://www.aishcenter.com/author/stuart.