Dara Winston Bio

Dara Winston
Executive Director
dwinston@mjcnj.com

A leader with more than two decades of professional experience in the Jewish community, Dara has served as the Executive Director of Marlboro Jewish Center since 2018.

Dara was raised in East Brunswick as an active member of the Conservative Movement. Her experiences as a Camp Ramah alumna, USY President, and graduate of the Prozdor Hebrew High School at the Jewish Theological Seminary ensured that the core Jewish values of education, community and leadership were always central to her identity.

Dara is passionate about the state of Israel, a love that grew after completing her junior year of college at Hebrew University. Immediately following her graduation from college, Dara returned to Israel to volunteer for a year with the Masorti (Conservative) community in Ashkelon. Dara would go on to make Aliyah and spend 12 years organizing programs with the Jewish Agency for Israel.

While in Israel, Dara met and fell in love with the security guard of the Nativ dorms where she was on-staff for the USY college leadership program. They eventually married in Jerusalem, overlooking the Old City.

Dara and Meir returned to the U.S. where Dara worked briefly for the Jewish Federation of Middlesex County, before serving as the administrator of Temple Emanu-El in Edison for nine years. They now live in East Brunswick with their daughters Emmy and Eden, and their dog Leo.

Dara holds a bachelor’s degree in American, Legal and Near Eastern Judaic Studies from Brandeis University, as well as two Masters Degrees; one in Judaic Studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary and one in Social Work from Columbia University.

Dara is thrilled to be a part of the strong and proud community of MJC, and to be a part of the amazing and caring leadership here!