Next Dor St. Louis has hired Ben Shapiro as its executive director.  

Shapiro and the nine members of the nonprofit’s board of directors plan to work on a variety of key strategic initiatives designed to strengthen the organization further as it approaches its fifth anniversary, the organization said in a statement.

“We’re excited to have Ben join the team and help Next Dor continue to offer meaningful opportunities for Jewish young adults in St. Louis,” board president Rachel Lippmann said. “Our executive director role reflects the commitment that Next Dor is making to the sustainability of our organization. We are invested in the future of Next Dor and its role as an incubator for passionate Jewish young adults to develop community in St. Louis.”

Shapiro, who was hired in March, has several years of experience working with Jewish nonprofit organizations. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1996 with a major in Hebrew studies and a minor in Jewish studies. After college, he worked in Minneapolis as a full-time congregational youth group director. Shapiro has served on boards and committees within the Jewish community, including the board of Jewish Family Services in Milwaukee and Wisconsin Region’s B’nai B’rith Youth Organization. 

A native of Milwaukee, Shapiro and his family moved to St. Louis in July 2010. He is married to Rabbi Roxanne Shapiro, director of lifelong learning at United Hebrew Congregation. The couple have two children, Sienna and Maliya.

Next Dor offers a space for community-driven projects and provides a platform for Jewish young adults to plan and host events for their peers. For more information about the organization, visit nextdorstl.org, or email [email protected] or [email protected].