Four Questions with Tiffany Harris

Tiffany Harris just embodies so many of the things that make me proud to be Jewish. Her love for Judaism is contagious, her work ethic is out of this world, and she’s beyond brilliant. Oh, and her dedication to fitness and staying active will make you want to shut off your phone and get outside.

(Or just splurge on a really cute pair of sneakers. Either/or.)

Tiffany recently took on the exciting role of Chief Program Officer at Moishe House, an international organization that provides a space for young adults around the world to create meaningful, welcoming Jewish communities for themselves and their peers. Previously, she managed a global education program in cloud computing at Amazon. But those two experiences are just the latest in a string of insanely cool career moves: After completing her Peace Corps Service in Morocco, Tiffany attended Tel Aviv University for her graduate studies, where she earned an M.A. in International Security and Diplomacy. She was a founding member of Peace Corps’ Jewish Employee Resource Group (Shalom Corps) and its Diversity Board, and she also sat on the Chief of Staff’s Diversity Governance Council.

…You still with me?

Good.

Tiffany also sat on the Board of Directors for the Jim Joseph Foundation and Jewish Women International’s Young Women’s Leadership Board. She’s the founder of You Don’t Look Jewish, a OneTable Coach, a Taglit/Birthright Israel Fellow, and a Gather D.C. Innovation Network member. Originally from Seattle, she’s lived and worked in France, Switzerland, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, and Washington D.C.; soon, she’ll move to Encinitas, California to start the new job.

To all the fabulous, kickass Jewish women out there working to change the world for the better: Tiffany’s story should serve as proof that you can, in fact, achieve whatever it is you’re after. Here’s hoping our conversation inspires you as much as it inspired me. Happy reading!

Q

Life’s a little different these days. What does your morning routine look like in 2020?

A

I’m an early riser, and the morning has always been such an important, sacred time for me. That hasn’t changed during the pandemic. In fact, if anything, it’s truer now than it ever was before. To me, it’s been crucial to maintain some sort of routine for the sake of my sanity, you know? I want to feel like things are at least somewhat normal.

So, every morning, I get up by 5:30 or 5:45. I love waking up naturally, so I’ll let the sun shine directly in my windows. While my body’s still half-asleep, I’ll start my day with a quick gratitude practice. Sometimes I do it with a podcast, other times I’ll just say a few positive mantras and set an intention for the day. It’s like my personal, modern-day Modeh Ani.

But really, those first few moments after I wake up are so important to me. Like everyone, I’m feeling the effects of this difficult season, and there’s so much to adjust to. As I experience that first conscious breath in the morning, I try to remind myself to simply take in the fact that, you know, I’m alive. That I’m here. That it means something. I use that time to check in with myself, see how I’m feeling, and think about what I’m looking forward to that day. It just sets me off on the right foot.

Next, before I even plant my feet on the floor, I drink some water with these Sakara Beauty Water Drops that I keep right by my bedside. A friend got me hooked on them a while back, and I have to say, I’m a bit of a super-fan now.

And then—you know, I’m human—I drink coffee! I have another Sakara product that I love to have along with that: their Metabolism Powder. As a woman, sometimes I feel like…we’re born, we feel bloated, and then we die. You know? [Laughs] This stuff helps with that. So, I’ll have a cup of black coffee with a scoop of that, and then I’m out the door for my run. Side note: I should also mention here that Sakara actually approached me with a discount code a while back that you can share with your readers; since I truly believe in the brand and what they stand for, I was pretty excited about that. It’s XOTIFFANY, and you just apply it at checkout on the site.

I used to go into a studio, but now, like everyone, I’m trying to exercise outdoors and not inside. Luckily, here in D.C., I live pretty close to Rock Creek Park, which is really, really gorgeous and has hundreds of acres of space. I’ll do anywhere between 4.5 and 8 miles in the woods there, but I will say that my running partner and I often remind each other that slow motion is better than no motion. Some days we’re not feeling up to the challenge, other days we feel totally on fire. It just depends.

But no matter how I’m feeling, I do try to get out there. I feel really, really lucky that I’m able to get out into nature a bit every day, and I feel lucky that I’m healthy enough to run.

When that’s finished, I’ll usually do a Zoom-based Pilates class that I love. It’s reformer-style, but on a mat, so there are a few modifications.

Finally, it’s time to start the workday at 8:30.

Q

Fitness seems to play a huge role in your day-to-day life. On a personal level, why is staying active such a priority for you?

A

Fitness is pretty huge for me, but I try to look at it holistically. In other words, staying “fit” isn’t just about my body; it’s also about keeping my mental health in check, too. Practicing gratitude is one really important element of that “mental fitness.” And I’m really, really terrible at meditation, but I still try to do that as much as possible, too. It’s all so key, especially at a time like this when things are stressful and unsure. When I do manage to fit meditation into my schedule, it’s ended up helping me through some really tough challenges and transitions in my life and career. 

But back to the physical stuff! I’m active every single day. I usually work out for at least an hour-and-a-half in the morning, and even on a rest day, I’ll do biking or yoga to recover while continuing to move.

There were two distinct times in my life when I realized just how important fitness was to me. The first was when I was in the Peace Corps, living in Morocco. I had to get creative about exercise, because I wasn’t able to work out the way I was used to (this was pre-Zoom workouts, of course!). I couldn’t exactly run through this wonderful but small, conservative village I lived in up in the mountains. So I think that was the first thing that helped me start thinking outside the box as I tried to keep myself healthy. It became a personal challenge.

But it was when I moved to Israel that things really clicked. I joined a gym, and for some reason, even though it was this newer, hip place, it was mostly filled with older men and women. I’d work out out beside them, and almost every day, they’d come over to talk to me and remind me to be thankful for my mobility. It was honestly very moving. Day after day, I would watch them struggle through exercises—I mean, they worked out with a ton of heart and diligence, yes, but it was still a struggle for them at that stage in life. And it reminded me so powerfully that this period of my life is finite. It was there that I decided that as long as I have my strength, I would move my body every day and keep myself as healthy as possible. None of us get to have that forever.

It’ll probably sound funny, but I actually stop and think of all those awesome, ripped, older friends of mine in Tel Aviv often. I think about their message—that our bodies are a gift. And even when it feels impossible or I’m exhausted or I’d rather stay in bed, I try to use and appreciate mine.

On a slightly more fun note…to maintain my active routine, it kind of helps to have some cute gear! I’m really into Alo Yoga and Lululemon these days. Actually, I’m part of Lululemon’s Sweat Collective, and they do some seriously amazing events. For shoes, I alternate between Nike’s Echo React and the Nike Joyride. Having the right shoes is key if you’re running outside, since they absorb a lot of the shock from the pavement. I’d have shin and knee problems by now if I were wearing any old shoes, but with these, it almost feels like I’m running on soft ground. I replace them often, and I make sure to wear good thick running socks too. (Fun fact: If you order straight from Nike, I’m pretty sure you can wear the shoes for a week before deciding whether you’re into them or not.) 

When it comes to staying healthy, food is pretty important to me, too, because I do view my physical and mental health as being very interconnected. I’ve learned that a huge component of how I feel depends on what I put in my body—actually, it was at a Jewish learning retreat through Moishe House that I began focusing on “mindful eating.” I’ve been doing Sakara’s meal delivery program and I love it so much. Oh, and then there’s a bakery on the corner that I’m sort of in love with. Gotta get in my baked goods. I love bread. We all love bread.

Q

What do you think Rosh Hashanah will look like for you in 5781 / 2020, and do you have any particularly beautiful memories associated with the holiday?

A

I love the High Holidays so much now, but here’s something sort of surprising about me: I didn’t grow up celebrating them. We were strictly a culturally Jewish family. My mom comes from the generation of assimilation, of “we should have a Christmas tree to fit in.” It’s so, so fascinating to me, actually, that so many in our generation are getting back into our heritage with so much passion, and essentially teaching our parents about the holidays we didn’t grow up celebrating. We’re reintroducing these holidays to our families, and somehow—to me!—it almost means even more that way.

As I mentioned, I did my Peace Corps service in Morocco, and then moved to Tel Aviv, where I lived for a few years for grad school. Quite literally because of a Crossfit Tel Aviv shirt I was wearing, I met a girl named Rachel at the gym there who also happened to be Moroccan. We became close friends, and ever since, I’ve celebrated virtually every High Holiday season with her and her family. It’s so wonderful. I get to wear a stunning caftan (a traditional Moroccan dress), enjoy their really exceptional, flavorful food, and hear the gorgeous combination of French, Hebrew, and Arabic all mixed together.

It helps that Rachel’s an amazing hostess, so the presentation of everything is wonderful, too. For dessert, she cuts apples in really delicate, thin pieces, and then forms them into a rose shape and adds orange blossom water and honey. So incredible. She also prepares so many of the dishes I remember eating in the Moroccan village I lived in way back when—khlea (Moroccan-style cured, dried meat), zaalouk (a smoky grilled eggplant salad), khizzou (a delicious carrot dish), and taktouka (a zesty pepper salad).

It’s beautiful when those memories from the Peace Corps blend with my Judaism and with this family that I love so much. For me, sitting around that table really is one of the most special places to connect to my ancestors and to my community.

This year, my celebrations will look a little bit different, just like everyone else’s. But I still plan on incorporating my favorite tradition into the day: baking a round challah! I love thinking about the circular nature of the year and of life—it’s just such a beautiful, cool metaphor. I’ll probably try to incorporate some thematic texts too. I’ve actually recently been doing a monthly Torah study session with an Orthodox rabbi who’s based in Chicago. Side note: In my personal experience, when people ask, “Are you reform? Are you conservative?”, I get a little flummoxed. I have to say, I so prefer to take an open-minded, “à la carte” approach to Judaism and to all aspects of life. Because, really, I love this text study with this rabbi, for instance. He’s incredible and I’ve learned so much from him.

So, yes, I’ll bake, and I’ll try to connect with my Moroccan chosen family in some way, and beyond that…who knows? We’ll have to wait and see what it all looks like, but I know it’ll be special regardless of the circumstances.

Q

What advice do you have for someone who might just be setting out on their journey with Judaism?

A

I’d start by saying: Welcome. Welcome, you belong here, and we are so excited to have you—no matter where you are in your process of converting to or exploring Judaism. I want people to know that the Jewish community is vibrant, it’s diverse, and it’s thriving. I want them to know that you can find every type of person, every thought, and every belief within Judaism. It’s all here, and that’s really awe-inspiring.

For some people, the idea of starting something new can feel so isolating and scary, and so I’d also want them to know that there’s a place for them at our table, always.

One other thing I often tell people is to try not to feel overwhelmed by all of the information and history out there, because we’re all on the same lifelong journey of learning. Truly, no matter our background, we’re all setting out to do the same work. I actually bought this really wonderful painting in Israel a few years back that illustrates that idea beautifully. It’s supposed to represent a maze within an orchard, and the idea is that as you study Torah, the deeper you are within that orchard, and the more complex the maze gets. In other words, as you study and learn more, you realize just how much more is out there. Judaism is deep, it’s complex, and it’s infinite. Nobody should feel discouraged or overwhelmed by their own inexperience. We’re all embarking on this together.

Finally, I’d encourage newcomers to feel free to speak up and use their voice. You have so many leaders within this community, like Rebekah and others, who do an incredible job of listening and conversing and providing resources to support you on your journey. We’re all here rooting for you, and we’d love to hear from you.

At the end of the day, when I learn that people are interested in exploring Judaism in a deeper way, I just get so excited. Because that’s the basis of what we all want: to keep this beautiful way of life alive and flourishing.