The Village Square

Rabbi Moshe M. Elbaz, Ph.D.
Rabbi
Valdosta Temple Israel

Born in Morocco, Rabbi Elbaz was raised in Jerusalem, Israel. In high school he enlisted in the Israeli Defense Forces. He later attended college in the United States, majoring in political science and Jewish education at Boston University and Hebrew Teachers College and doing graduate studies in economics and business administration. He returned to Israel in 1985 to complete his Rabbinic Studies and was duly ordained. Rabbi Elbaz directed the Institute for Jewish Life, served as an Adjunct Professor of Modern Hebrew and Culture, and Jewish History at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, and has developed Bar and Bat Mitzvah and Judaic educational programs that are used throughout the U.S. He is married with three children.

The Reverend Dr. Julius Harrison McAllister, Jr.
Pastor
Bethel AME (African Methodist Episcopal Church)

Reverend McAllister is a fourth generation minister, the son of Bishop Julius McAllister, Sr. He earned a Master of Divinity Degree in Christian Ethics and a Doctorate in Ministry from Chicago Theological Seminary. Reverend Julius, as he is affectionately called, began his pastoral ministry on the ministerial staff at Mount Zion AME Church in Florence, South Carolina and Big Bethel AME Church in Atlanta, Georgia. He previously served as pastor of two churches, most recently at the Greater Institutional AME Church in Chicago, where he began a Christmas community outreach ministry that has serviced over 1,700 homeless men, women and children. With an emphasis on spiritual growth, community development and outreach, he has a passion for people. He is married with three sons.

Necati Aydin, Ph.D.
Director, Neuroeconomics and Well-being Program
Florida State University
*Learn about imams in the Islamic faith in footnote below

Dr. Aydin specializes in well-being studies both at individual and societal levels and conducts qualitative and quantitative analysis of happiness related issues. He also works at Florida TaxWatch as a Senior Research Analyst. Dr. Aydin received his bachelor’s degree in Public Finance, master’s degree in International Economics, and two doctoral degrees, one in Education and the other in Economics. He is a member of the Islamic Center of Tallahassee. He also serves on the governing board of Stars Middle School, a charter school located in Tallahassee. He is actively involved in many interfaith and intercultural activities with the Tallahassee Tolerance and Dialogue Group. Dr. Aydin is married with five children.

Father Lin Walton
Assisting Priest for Parish Life and Youth Ministries
St. John’s Episcopal Church

Father Lin Walton, Assisting Priest at St. John’s Episcopal Church, completed his theological studies at Duke and Virginia Seminary, after which he served at St. Peter’s Church in Salisbury, Maryland, where he was ordained as a priest in 2000. He served four years in Belize, Central America as the director of the Anglican Theological Institute and as a lecturer in ethics at the University of Belize. He is married to The Reverend Nancy Walton, an ordained Methodist minister now completing her service leading Gray Memorial Methodist Church, and is the father of two children.