Born in Chicago, Illinois, Franklin Drob learned to speak Russian fluently from his grandmother. At the age of 16, he began to take his academic pursuits and self-study seriously. By the age of 18, Franklin received seven scholarly first class awards and scholarships to DePaul University, where he became a National Honor Roll student.
While in college, Franklin met his first mentor, a retired hedge fund manager with more than 40 years of meditation and yoga experience. Franklin is now an international yoga teacher. Together with his mentor, Franklin created a program called Calm Classroom, an effort that now helps over 10,000 children each year. Franklin has also started his own company, InsideSmiles.
With the support and guidance of his local rabbi, Franklin became involved in the Russian-speaking Jewish community. As a result, he was selected as part of a pilot program to be one of the first residents of the Chicago Russian-Speaking Moishe House. He has hosted more than 100 programs, including Shabbat dinners, holiday celebrations, social soirees, Hebrew lessons, collaboration with synagogues, Russian guitar sing-along events and “good karma” cafés.
While in college, Franklin met his first mentor, a retired hedge fund manager with more than 40 years of meditation and yoga experience. Franklin is now an international yoga teacher. Together with his mentor, Franklin created a program called Calm Classroom, an effort that now helps over 10,000 children each year. Franklin has also started his own company, InsideSmiles.
With the support and guidance of his local rabbi, Franklin became involved in the Russian-speaking Jewish community. As a result, he was selected as part of a pilot program to be one of the first residents of the Chicago Russian-Speaking Moishe House. He has hosted more than 100 programs, including Shabbat dinners, holiday celebrations, social soirees, Hebrew lessons, collaboration with synagogues, Russian guitar sing-along events and “good karma” cafés.
