Our Director

The project director of Shalom V'tzedek is James M. Branum.

James is a convert to Judaism (through the Humanistic movement) and today is active in both an online Humanistic havurah and a Reform Jewish temple, but is also an active associate member of a progressive Mennonite church.

Vocationally, James is also an attorney doing a mix of military defense law (from an anti-war, pro-servicemember orientation) as well as estate planning, Cooperative law, and related areas in Oklahoma, but he is also involved in a wide range of activism and volunteer service.

He is credentialed by The Unyeshiva(as a certified "Jewish unbounder"), by Darshan Yeshiva (as a Jewish lay leader/educator) and by the Oklahoma Objector Community (as an Interfaith Minister). He previously was credentialed as a of "minister for special service" by the Western District Conference of Mennonite Church USA.

Education:

• 2025 - Graduated from the Unyeshiva and certified as a "Jewish unbounder"
• 2017 - Graduated and crendentialed as a Darshan (lay leader/educator) by Darshan Yeshiva
• 2015 - Completed a graduate-level certificate in theological studies from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary
• 2005 - J.D. from Oklahoma City University School of law
• 2000 - B.A. from the Institute for Christian Studies (Austin, TX)