Max Beede - Class of 2006

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/ Apr 27, 2025 /

Although Max Beede graduated from Schechter almost two decades ago, these days you can catch him at Schechter most Friday mornings, wearing a beaming smile in the Beit Tefillah as he participates in our weekly ReLiSh program. 

Max serves as Director of Emerging Leadership at the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, a role that helps him connect young people ages 25-45 to the local Jewish community and welcome new Jewish families to the area. He is also a member of Schechter’s Board of Trustees, providing valuable insights gained from both his professional background and his perspective as a Schechter graduate. As a Board member, Max has observed the innovative ways in which learning at Schechter has adapted through an evolving landscape of education.

Max credits Schechter for keeping Judaism in his life, especially after he continued on to public high school. When he hears people his age wanting to connect again to Judaism, he feels lucky to be comfortable and at home with the Jewish background and knowledge he gained at Schechter. One thing Max loved about his Schechter education was the interdisciplinary approach in which teachers tackled subjects:

“My favorite Schechter memory was reading The Giver in middle school Language Arts. This was more than just a book that fascinated much of our class and spurred much discussion (both in and out of the classroom). Teachers at Schechter were able to cleverly frame it in multiple perspectives and help us critically think about the book in the context of allof our learning. It helped teach us the important skill of forming connections within and between disciplines. We read the book in the contexts of mathematics, rabbinics, visual arts, sciences, the Torah, music, foreign languages, history and more. This was only one example of the ways Schechter was able to leverage its smaller classes and teach across disciplines.”

In his spare time, Max serves as an advisor to the local USY (United Synagogue Youth) chapter, along with his wife, Merissa. There, they are getting to know the current Schechter students and recent graduates, who greet him with hugs and high-fives when they see him at ReLiSh.

What draws Max to ReLiSh? He says, “It is pure joy to see the Schechter community come together in laughter, dance, and song. ReLiSh sets the tone for the weekend by welcoming in Shabbat in an exciting and meaningful way. From the EC to the middle school, we love seeing Schechter students at ReLiSh confidently expressing their Judaism in an encouraging and supportive space.”

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