Alayne Birnhak will be joining Ma’ayanot’s college guidance team this year. Birnhak brings to this role years of work in the fields of college admissions and education. She has served as associate director of admissions at the Graduate School of Bank Street College of Education and as director of recruitment at the Graduate School of Jewish Theological Seminary, and has worked in the Office of Residential Life and Housing at Barnard College. In these capacities, she has demonstrated a commitment to working with students to help them identify and achieve their goals, and has been an articulate and thoughtful counselor and advocate for students. She holds a bachelor’s from Brandeis University, a J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law, an master’s in higher and postsecondary education from Teachers College of Columbia University and an master’s in Jewish studies from Gratz College.
Aliza Gottlieb will be serving as Ma’ayanot’s student activities coordinator and will be teaching one Tanach class. Gottlieb has served in leadership roles at Yachad summer programs since 2012, where her warm spirit, creativity, attention to detail and investment in students’ experiences have enabled her to develop exciting and effective programs. She comes to Ma’ayanot from Manhattan Day School, where she has worked in early childhood since 2015. She studied at Shaalvim for Women and holds a bachelor’s in Judaic studies from Stern College. Gottlieb is also a graduate of the Ma’ayanot class of 2010, and the school is thrilled to welcome her back.
Karin Margolin will be joining Ma’ayanot’s Hebrew department. She comes to Ma’ayanot from The Abraham Joshua Heschel School, where she was a Hebrew teacher. She has also served as chair of the social studies department at Katzhanelson High School in Kfar Saba and as a teaching assistant at Tel Aviv University, in addition to various work experiences outside of the field of education. She holds an MBA and an LLB in law and business management from Tel Aviv University, a teaching certificate in social studies from Beit Berl and is a member of the Israeli bar.
Ariella Rosenbaum taught chemistry, physics and math at Ma’ayanot from 2008-2015 before moving to Columbus, Ohio. While there, she continued to teach Ma’ayanot’s AP computer science class in a distance-learning format, while teaching science at Columbus Torah Academy. Rosenbaum is a master teacher, collaborative colleague and consummate educator, and the school is happy to have her back full-time as she returns to the local area. She will be teaching science, math and computer science. Rosenbaum holds a bachelor’s in physics and Jewish studies from Stern College, where she graduated summa cum laude, and is pursuing an master’s in teaching physics at Teachers College of Columbia University.
Yeshivat Noam is excited to welcome Amanda Lipschik as the new director of admissions and recruitment. Lipschik holds a master’s degree in social work and has experience working with program development, event planning and relationship building as well as strong skills in technology and data management. Lipschik’s outgoing personality make her a natural for this position and she will be overseeing the Open House, recruitment events and the admissions process this year. Lipscik lives in the South of Cedar section of Teaneck and will be sending her daughter, Mika to Yeshivat Noam this coming year.
Yeshivat Noam is excited to welcome Dr. Yedida Genack as the new middle school psychologist. Genack received her doctorate in psychology from Rutgers University and has been practicing at the Center for Applied Psychology and providing mental health services at ASHAR as well as other yeshivot in Monsey. Genack has experience with school-based therapy, classroom interventions, behavior modifications and individual and group psychotherapy. Most importantly, Genack’s warmth, love of children and belief that every child can succeed is what makes her a natural fit at Yeshivat Noam.
TABC is proud to welcome several new teachers to its faculty for the 2019-2020 school year.
Ariella Kranczer joins TABC from Yavneh Academy, where she taught for the past seven years. As an English teacher and eighth grade dean, she provided guidance and met one-on-one with students, many of whom benefitted from assistance in organizational and executive functioning. Prior to her experience at Yavneh, she taught resource room pull-out classes at YCQ, among other responsibilities. Kranczer is a passionate educator and will play a key role in TABC’s newly expanded Learning Center. Her track record of educating and empowering students to be independent learners by developing their skills and learning strategies aligns with TABC’s mission of meeting every learner at his level.
Jeremy Ginsburg joins the history department and will also teach an elective in business ethics. Raised in Chicago and Hawaii, he has a bachelor’s degree in history and philosophy from Brandeis University, and a master’s in philosophy from the City University of New York. Previously Ginsburg taught at Brooklyn College for six years, where he gave a variety of courses on the history of philosophy and took an interdisciplinary approach to teaching business ethics, incorporating political economy and law. Ginsburg will focus on building student skills in analyzing historical texts and argumentative writing.
Kim Steiner will be teaching English. Steiner has taught English literature and composition at Pratt Institute, Baltimore International College, San Francisco State University and Fusion Academy of Englewood. With 15 years of editorial experience in higher education for Oxford University Press, Pearson and National Geographic, Steiner has a strong foundation in writing, syntax and literary analysis. Steiner will undoubtedly make English a compelling subject for TABC students and help them unlock their potential in literary analysis and written expression.
These new hires join a dynamic and diverse general studies faculty and an impressive cadre of TABC rebbeim poised to build on TABC’s tradition of excellence and commitment to Torah U’Maddah in the coming year.
Tenafly Chabad Academy is thrilled to be welcoming several new staff members to its team for the 2019-2020 school year.
Lisa Donath has joined the staff as the new director of guidance. Donath, a Minnesota native, attended Stern College, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a degree in sociology and psychology. She received her MSW from New York University in 2007 and has been practicing as a LCSW in both adolescent outpatient mental health settings, and as a school therapist in an alternative private school in New Jersey. Donath’s clinical work has given her an in depth understanding of the developing mind. Her fundamental goal is to provide a safe and nurturing environment for individuals to explore their feelings and beliefs, assert themselves and cope with stress. She prides herself on being a compassionate and resourceful clinician, who listens and anticipates people’s need for emotional support, validation and guidance. Donath lives in Teaneck with her husband and their two daughters, Hailey and Annabelle.
Renee Schneier is joining TCA as the new director of art education. Schneier is a professional art educator, working in the field of art and design for over 20 years. She has served as the art department chair in several day schools in New York and New Jersey and has taught private art lessons to a range of age groups. Morah Renee is passionate about the arts as an arena for self expression and is looking forward to expanding the art program at TCA.
Nancy Miller joins TCA as the director of technology and co-director of administrative services. Morah Nancy will be guiding the staff towards more developing more personalized and blended learning opportunities in the classroom, teaching weekly technology and STEM classes to all grades and overseeing all aspects of the use of instructional technology. She will also be available to support teachers and students as they work to incorporate technology into daily learning.
Devorah Schloss has joined Tenafly Chabad Academy as the co-director of administrative services and will lead the middle school office in addition to working on various school-wide projects and events throughout the year. Schloss will be serving as the high-school coordinator, working with middle school staff and students in all aspects of the high school application and admission process. She and Nancy Miller have been hard at work all summer and have made a huge impact in a very short amount of time.
MTA is thrilled to welcome new faculty members for the upcoming 2019-2020 school year, including:
Rabbi Danny Konigsberg (‘05) as the director of student activities and Chumash and bekius rebbe. Rabbi Konigsberg is a passionate and experienced mechanech, who is excited to return to his roots at MTA. He previously served as the founding director and senior maggid shiur at Yeshiva Toras Halacha in Queens, where he developed curricula and taught Gemara and Halacha to undergraduates. Prior to that, he served as a rebbe and director of student life at Yeshiva Madreigas HaAdam. He received semicha from Lander College Bais Medrash L’Talmud, where he attended college and was a member of the kollel. He also earned his JD from Fordham University School of Law and has practiced as an attorney. Rabbi Konigsberg lives in North Woodmere with his wife Esti and their four children.
Rabbi Yoni Stone, who has been part of the MTA family for the past several years, takes on a new role for the upcoming year as the director of admissions. Rabbi Stone will continue teaching Halacha and bekius to the 9B shiur. Rabbi Stone received semicha from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, where he served as shiur assistant to YU Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Yaakov Neuburger. He is also pursuing his master’s degree in Jewish Education from the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration. Rabbi Stone will continue to coach the MTA varsity hockey team and JV softball team. Rabbi Stone lives in Teaneck with his wife Cayley and their son Azi.
Leah (Wadler) Silvera (YUHSG ‘86) as the Learning Center coordinator. Silvera is excited to join the MTA team after 12 years of serving as the founding coordinator of the SAR High School Student Learning Center Support Program. In that role, she guided students through four years of high school, helping prepare them for college and beyond and also actively mentored faculty, conducted professional development, assisted with college guidance for students with learning challenges and managed all facets of the IEP and ACT/SAT process. Simultaneous to her duties at SAR, Silvera served as an adjunct professor at Mercy College, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in education with a focus on differentiation and assessment. Prior to her work at SAR, she also taught at SINAI schools. Silvera holds a Bachelor of Science in business management and a master’s in education in special education from the University of Phoenix. She currently resides in Riverdale.
Ian Ulmer as the history department chair and director of educational technology. Ulmer has been teaching history to middle and high school students for the past 18 years and for the past 10 years has also served on the Educational Technology Committee at Harvard-Westlake School, a prestigious private school in Los Angeles, which makes recommendations for integrating technology into the classroom. He received a bachelor’s in history; religious studies from UC Berkeley and a master’s in the teaching of social studies from Teachers College, Columbia University. Ulmer resides in Brooklyn with his wife Kate and their three children.
Ben Porat Yosef (BPY) is thrilled to welcome new faculty members for the upcoming 2019-2020/5780 school year, including:
Rabbi Aviv and Adi Abebe. Rabbi Aviv earned a master’s degree in Bible and rabbinic literature, as well as rabbinic ordination. He will teach Chumash, Gemara and Navi in the middle school. Rabbi Aviv remembers the shlichim from the Jewish Agency who came to Ethiopia when he was a child. As an immigrant himself, he feels the importance of the connection with Jews in the diaspora. His wife, Adi holds an undergraduate degree in education and theatre and recently graduated from the Claudia Cohen Institute, Ohr Torah Stone’s emissary training program. She will teach Hebrew in the middle school. She will also serve as mechanechet for kitah zayin. The couple met when they were both volunteering at a Jewish Agency immigrant absorption center, teaching Jewish traditions, Hebrew language and Israeli culture.
Naor and Tova Halevy. Naor Halevy holds an undergraduate degree in education and a master’s degree in educational management. He has supervised and instructed student teachers at Herzog College. Naor will be teaching Chumash, Gemara and Navi in the middle school and will serve as the mechanech for kitah chet. Tova Halevy is an educator with a focus in special education. She will be the morah for limudei kodesh in kitah gimmel. These new shlichim will join BPY’s current three shlichim couples infusing the philosophy of Am Yisrael, Eretz Yisrael and Torat Yisrael to students and to the entire BPY community.
Josh Rapps, who has been a middle school and upper school mathematics teacher and a principal. Rapps has an undergraduate degree is in psychology from Queens College and an advanced degree from George Washington University in curriculum and instruction. Rapps participated in the Principals Conference Summer Institute at Harvard. He will join the BPY middle school faculty as a math teacher. While Rapps was a national editorial consultant for Scholastic’s “MATH” magazine, he wrote the Teacher’s Guide and authored the Must-Know-Math sixth-grade workbook. Rapps has led workshops for math educators on topics such as the use of manipulatives in introducing algebra and discrete mathematics.
Shaina Gross, as BPY’s new student activities coordinator. Gross, a graduate from Rutgers University with a double major in communications and sports management—and a girls basketball coach—will organize all of BPY’s special activities including field trips, shabbatonim, holiday programming, in-school bnei mitzvah and BPY’S diversified Afternoon Adventures. Ben Porat Yosef is proud to offer a rich and varied range of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities, programs and experiences that serve to complement the students’ learning.
These six individuals join the team of excellent BPY faculty, both old and new, who dedicate themselves to inspire, challenge and engage each learner.
Yeshivat He’Atid is proud to welcome Rachel Obstfeld to serve as director of Judaic studies curriculum and instruction for grades one through eight. Obstfeld has a Bachelor of Arts in Judaic studies and psychology from Stern College, and a master’s degree in Bible from Bernard Revel Graduate School as well as a wealth of experience teaching at various grade levels at SAR Elementary School, Torah Academy of Philadelphia, Kohelet Yeshiva and Yeshivat Noam. Obstfeld served as the founding Judaic studies team leader at Kohelet Yeshiva lab and middle school, where she was instrumental in developing, facilitating and implementing their Judaic studies curriculum across the grades. Yeshivar He’Atid looks forward to her benefiting from her talents and expertise!
Additionally, to continue to strengthen Yeshivat He’Aitd’s commitment to Ivrit b’Ivrit and ahavat Medinat and Eretz Yisrael, the school welcomes three new shlichim through the World Zionist Organization who will teach in the elementary school and two new bnot sheirut to teach students about life in Medinat Yisrael through fun and engaging programs.
Meytal and Aharon Akilov and their sons Hillel (kindergarten) and Arbel (nursery) come from Petach Tikvah. Meytal previously taught Chumash and tarbut Yisrael for middle school and high school students at Tichonet in Tel Aviv. Meytal comes with 11 years of experience and will be teaching first and second grade. Aharon previously taught Tanach and math. He was also a mechanech, head teacher, for middle school and high school students in Gan Vanof in Petach Tikvah. Aharon also has 11 years of teaching experience and will be teaching fifth grade.
Rivka Axelrad joins He’Atid from Ashkelon where she was an English teacher in Madaaim for the last 10 years. Her husband, Chagai, will be doing his post doctorate in Columbia. Rivka will be teaching third grade.
Shira Yisrael and Moriah Shmueli, both from Petach Tikvah, join HeAtid as bnot sheirut.. Yisrael completed her first year of sheirut leumi in Misrad Hachutz, Department of Foreign Affairs. Shmueli completed her first year of sheirut leumi in a high school for at risk children in Palmachim.
The JEC Lower and Middle School is excited to announce a fantastic addition to their leadership team for the upcoming school year. Stanley Fischman, a distinguished principal and head of school with nearly 40 years of educational leadership experience, will be the supervisor of general studies instruction, overseeing the general studies curriculum and teachers for grades one through eight. Fischman’s expertise and kind nature has already proven to be an asset as a member of the leadership team and will further enhance the educational excellence and overall school environment.
Additionally, Morah Sashi Siegel joins the JEC team with 20 years of early childhood teaching experience and a double master’s in general and special education. She prides herself on creating an environment where Yiddishkeit is joyful, and where children are treasured and encouraged to grow in all ways. Her main goals also include guiding her students to be kind friends and curious learners.
Morah Racheli Schur joins the JEC with six years of teaching experience. Her enthusiasm for teaching and passion for inspiring children brings out the best from each of her students. Morah Schur’s dynamic teaching style infuses each day with lessons that extend beyond the classroom. From Chumash to Ivrit to leadership, Morah Schur helps each girl soar!
Over the last three years, JEC Lower and Middle School has advanced its pursuit of academic excellence, love of Judaism, care and concern for each child’s social-emotional experience and the home-school partnership. JEC thanks its outstanding administration and dedicated faculty for making each student shine.
Off to a running start, the JEC High School is excited to welcome two new faculty members to an already amazing educational staff.
Rabbi Avi Rosenbaum, a JEC alum, learned in Yeshivas Yishrei Lev and Ner Israel Rabbinical College, receiving his master’s in education from Johns Hopkins University. For the past three years, he has been the director of Camp Sports Kollel, a learning program for post shana alef and shana bet young men who want to help inspire NCSYers in Camp Sports, while taking their own learning to the next level. Rabbi Rosenbaum has been instrumental in helping these young men grow their learning skills, as well as their character development. Having just moved to town, Rabbi Rosenbaum is excited to enhance the programming for the high school boys in Hillside!
Dr. Daniel Kaplan received his Bachelor of Science in physics from SUNY at Albany, and his doctorate in physics from Princeton University. Kaplan spent his first 25 years in industry, working as a scientist, an engineer and even as a breakthrough business leader. In 2005, Kaplan decided to take his talents to teaching to “do something of intrinsic, positive human value each day.” He taught all levels of physics at Matawan Regional High School, from introductory through AP Physics C. Kaplan has already begun making an impact on JEC, advising on key components of its new state-of-the-art labs.
These new teachers complement an already incredible group of educators who are anxiously waiting to get started on another amazing year!
JKHA welcomes Leora Mark as the lower school guidance counselor. Mark is a graduate of The Columbia University School of Social Work where she majored in clinical practice with a concentration in school social work. Most recently, Mark worked on the guidance team in The Moriah School and she comes to JKHA with other clinical and leadership experiences from organizations such as Yachad and Sharsheret. Mark brings a proactive approach to the development of social and emotional skills in the elementary school setting and is excited to work together with teachers, administration and JKHA parents to best support and provide guidance to its students. Mark believes in empowering each student to recognize their strengths and skills, and wants to best assist each child in recognizing their potential.
Miri Rubin grew up in a family of educators and technology enthusiasts. She majored in computer science and education and received her master’s degrees in instructional technology at Columbia University of Missouri.
Rubin spent many years in Jerusalem and was hired as the technology specialist at Chorev School. In her role as educational technology coordinator at The Ramaz School, Rubin worked with both students and teachers, offering professional development sessions to help teachers integrate technology into the classroom. With students, she focused on teaching everything from computer programming classes to integrating STEM skills into the Judaic and general curriculum.
Rubin’s goal is for graduates to leave school with confidence in their technological abilities. She designs the curriculum to nurture students’ skills as media consumers, content creators and technological innovators.
Rubin is passionate about educational technology. “I am in one of the most exciting fields. I have the opportunity to educate students, support teachers and interact with technology. Being able to engage technology everyday is a wonderful and exciting challenge.”
