Shel Maala is a digital-first, Svara-style queer talmud community and an internet based grassroots beit midrash (house of study). Shel Maala is a name that comes from the concept of the yeshiva shel maala, the talmudic academy on high, where the sages and ancestors study together "in the cloud". We thought it was an appropriate name since this queer beit midrash is the fulfillment of the dreams of our queer ancestors, as well as a talmud learning community that lives in the cloud. You can connect with us in our Facebook group or via our Discord server.

Xava de Cordova is a Jewish educator, Talmudic scholar, future rabbi, neo-xasid, and writer living in Providence, Rhode Island. She cut her teeth as a teacher founding Beit Midrash Behind Bars, an organization that created Jewish study opportunities for incarcerated people inside Washington State prisons. She helps facilitate Shalem, an egalitarian xavurah in Providence. She's also the co-host of the podcast Xai, how are you?

Binya Koatz is a transgirl living on Ohlone land in the East Bay, trying to honor her ancestors by leaving a gayer world for her children (be’h, with God’s help) than the one she found. She organizes Jewish community around ICE, the Occupation and diasporic Jewish culture.