(Courtesy of the Ramaz School) The Ramaz School is pleased to announce that Rabbi Dr. Steven Eisenberg is its new director of Judaic studies for the early childhood center and lower school. He will be responsible for further enhancing Ramaz students’ spiritual environment, supervising the Judaic studies curriculum, and working with senior leadership to further its religious and educational goals.
Throughout his career in Jewish education, Rabbi Eisenberg’s focus has been updating Judaic and general studies curricula, adding experiential learning to milestone events, fostering community building and creating an environment where students enjoy coming to school. Rabbi Eisenberg will be responsible for organizing Shabbat onegs, celebrations and commemorations for chagim and the yoms, and grade-wide events including Havdala, Chag haSiddur, and Chag haChumash.
Rabbi Eisenberg earned both his semicha and his doctorate in education at Yeshiva University. Since then, he has spent 11 years in Jewish day school leadership positions, working specifically with lower school students. Rabbi Eisenberg also lived in Israel for two years and focused his dissertation research, which he has published, on religious changes in students during their gap years there. The Ramaz School is thrilled to include him as part of its lower school leadership team.
Avigail Hirschfield is excited to be joining the Ramaz community as a middle school learning specialist. She is coming from Stephen Gaynor School in New York City, where she was a head teacher in the intermediate division (ages 9-12). A yeshiva day school graduate, Hirschfield is thrilled to have the opportunity to give back to the community that has given so much to her. Hirschfield earned a master’s in education in childhood general and special education from Bank Street Graduate School of Education in New York City, following a bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in education from Yeshiva University.
Shira Sedek is joining the Judaic studies faculty. Sedek graduated from Stern College for Women as a Legacy Heritage Scholar majoring in Jewish education. She did her student teaching at Yeshivat Noam in Paramus and is currently working toward a master’s degree at Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration. Sedek is a caring and passionate educator who believes that the key to bringing people close to Hashem is showing the beauty of the Torah and the life Hashem has given us, along with the uniqueness and pride in what it means to be a Jew.
Ramaz Upper School welcomes a distinguished list of new faculty members to its ranks. The profiles of two is just a sample of all the fresh new talent joining the school this year.
Dr. Naya Lekht, who has joined the English department, was born in the former Soviet Union and immigrated to the United States with her family in 1989. She received her Ph.D. in Russian Literature from UCLA where she wrote her dissertation on Holocaust literature in the Soviet Union. Lekht has taught at both the collegiate and high school level and is thrilled to be joining Ramaz. In addition to being a passionate educator, Lekht writes, teaches and speaks on the history of antisemitism and Zionism. She is a columnist for the Jerusalem Post, where she writes on the Jewish experience in the American diaspora.
Rabbi Yehonatan Broth has joined the Judaic studies department. After earning a bachelor’s degree in data analytics from Yeshiva University, Broth decided that he wanted to pursue a career in education. He completed both the RIETS semicha program and Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education this spring and has always valued his work as a division head in Bnei Akiva summer camps, specifically Camp Stone and Moshava Ba’ir NJ. Broth is creative and fun, both while working and with his friends, and attempts to use his skills and hobbies to ensure the happiness and growth of those around him.
