Dimitry Ekshtut
Six-String Slinger.
Proud Papa.
Perpetually Vexed Philadelphia Sports Fan.
Dimitry Ekshtut is an educator, musician, and builder of Jewish community. He is the co-founder of Based in Harlem and Kehillat Harlem.
Born in Leningrad (St. Petersburg), Russia, Dimitry immigrated with his family at the age of five to Philadelphia, PA. While in middle and high school, he fell in love with the guitar and jazz music, motivating him to move to New York and pursue a career as a professional musician. He holds a Bachelor's of Music (Jazz Performance) degree and a Master's of Music Education, both from New York University. Dimitry has had an active career teaching music in public, private, and charter schools throughout New York City.
Parallel to this, Dimitry works to build Jewish community in Harlem. With his wife, Erica, Dimitry directs Based in Harlem, a project of Base Hillel, and is a principal co-founder of Kehillat Harlem, a prayer community (minyan) in Upper Manhattan. Dimitry is currently studying toward rabbinic ordination at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah (YCT).
Ask me about:
Being a Soviet Jewish immigrant
Jewish ethics and character development
Music and the creative arts as a vehicle for spiritual practice