Meet the Kaplans

Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan studied business at Yeshiva University before moving to Los Angeles in 2004. There, he began building a vibrant student community, offering an exciting diversity of individual study session, groups learning, and formal classes. Besides maintaining an array of chevrutot and chaburot at the Hillel at UCLA, he offers shiurim in the Medical School and the Law School on campus, at California State University, Northridge, at Southwestern University, and to graduates and young professionals working in downtown Los Angeles. He has served as the Rabbi for the High Holidays at Knesset Israel in Sacramento and has delivered shiurim at YULA, to professionals at a local law firm, and at a variety of shuls in the extended Los Angeles area.



Aryeh is an avid sports fan and is a proud founding member of JLIC's SNFLC (Saturday Night Football League on Campus). He has also become known as a worthy tennis, ping-pong, and racquetball opponent for brave students on campus. Aryeh actively follows and invests in an array of interesting stocks and collects obscure currencies from all over the world. Aryeh enjoys soda and moonlights as a beverage connoisseur, sampling and critiquing unusual (and popular) varieties of soda with a panel of experts.



Sharona Kaplan earned her BA from Stern College, received a Master’s in Social Work from Yeshiva University's Wurzweiler School of Social Work, and did her graduate internship at the UJA Federation of New York and the JCC in Manhattan.

Sharona has become a sought after Kallah teacher as well as a featured speaker at Rosh Chodesh Luncheons, women's programs and sorority events on campus.



Since arriving at UCLA, she and Aryeh have added their four kids, Shalva, Barak, Rivky, and Yakir, to the JLIC team. Born right on campus at UCLA's hospital, the three Kaplan kids are important members of the Hillel community. Sporting their own, extra-small, JLIC T-shirts and sipping chocolate milk alongside students at Hillel's Coffee Bean and Tea Lounge, Shalva, Barak, Rivky, and Yakir add lots of personality to any JLIC event and are proud members of Hillel at UCLA.