Joel Tepper was born in Brooklyn, NY and grew up in southeastern Massachusetts. He came to Chapel Hill for a job at UNC School of Medicine where he is still employed very part time. He and his wife Laurie and his two daughters became members of the Kehillah at almost the very beginning, and has remained active since then. Being a part of the Kehillah community and enhancing the quality of the Jewish presence in Chapel Hill, remains of great importance to him.