Our Team
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Rabbi Johnny Ouzzan
Founder & Director
Rabbi Johnny grew up in Toronto, Canada in a French Sephardic family, the eldest of six boys. The schooling system and community prompted him and his family to take on greater Jewish observance, eventually leading Rabbi Johnny to enroll in a full-time Yeshiva in Jerusalem known as Kol Torah.
In 2010, after studying in the Yeshiva for 5 years, Rabbi Johnny married Devorah Lugassy, also from Toronto, after which the couple decided to move back to Israel and invest the first few years of their married life into Jewish learning and education. Upon culminating an intensive 3 years of Rabbinical study at the Jerusalem Kollel led by Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovits, Rabbi Johnny received his Rabbinic ordination and was offered a job in Houston, Texas to serve as Assistant Rabbi for Congregation Beth Rambam, and Director of Young Professional Outreach for TORCH. After 5 and a half years at TORCH, Rabbi Johnny transitioned into a full-time marketing and outreach position with Congregation Beth Rambam and founded J-HYPE - Jewish Houston Young Professionals Experience.
Find Rabbi Johnny at your local coffee shop or at Beth Rambam giving classes or schmoozing with Jewish YP's and students.
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Devorah Ouzzan
Devorah began her teaching career as an Early Childhood teacher in Toronto, Canada. She completed her four year Bachelor ’s degree in Social Development Studies from Waterloo University and has taken many professional development courses and classes in education. Devorah has found her passion working as a Judaic studies teacher for elementary grades and has over 9 years experience educating children. Devorah now serves as the youth director at Congregation Beth Rambam and runs kids programming on Shabbat and the holidays together with Rabbi Johnny.
Devorah is the director of Camp Ruach, a Jewish summer camp, and is the Director of Beth Rambam’s Sunday Hebrew School Program and is a proud mother of four incredible children.
Taste her delicious food at your next J-HYPE Shabbat dinner!
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Dayana Nisanov
Dayana Manashirova Nisanov, immigrated from Azerbaijan to Brooklyn, NY when she was 3 years old. She finished her undergraduate degree at Brooklyn College, majoring in Philosophy & Law. Upon graduation, she did a short stint at Hofstra Law School before working at an Architecture & Design Firm. In addition to J-HYPE, Dayana is an active community member, working with other Kiruv organizations, including Beit Juhuro & RAJE. She has also to created a Houston relocation group to help others in their move down South.
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Dayana is married to Chaveirim Member, Nisan Nisanov. They moved to Houston in 2021 and have an adorable baby boy - The J-HYPE Mascot.