DeLet-pardes Educators Alumni Joint Conference

DeLeT-Pardes Educators Alumni Joint Conference

Mark Baker graduated in the first cohort of the Pardes Educators Program. He began his career teaching Rabbinics at The Weber School in Atlanta. By the middle of his second year he became

the head of Judaic Studies. In 2004, Mark was named one of the five “rising stars in the Jewish community” by the Atlanta Jewish Times. While in Atlanta, he helped found and teach as part of Pardes-Atlanta, a monthly study group for Pardes alumni and other interested young adults. Mark was part of the Hartman Institute for high school teachers for several years. He was one of a select group who did the Day School Leadership Summer Training Institute at The Jewish Theological Seminary of America, to train day school administrators (sponsored by The AVI CHAI Foundation). He received his Rabbinic ordination in 2005. After four years in Atlanta, he moved home to Boston, and now serves as Head of School at Gann Academy (outside of Boston) and teaches Rabbinic Literature.
Sonya Basseri

Sonya Basseri teaches Kindergarten General and Judaic studies at the Seattle Hebrew Academy in Seattle, Washington. She also serves as a mentor teacher and facilitates monthly study groups for SHA's mentor teachers. Sonya believes in creating a classroom community that fosters self-discovery, confidence, independence, kindness, and a love of learning within the context of Jewish values. In her spare time, Sonya enjoys running, rowing, cooking, eating, reading fiction, and spending time with her family.

Rivka Ben Daniel

A native of Iraq, Rivka Ben Daniel moved to Israel as a small child. She received her bachelor of arts in Hebrew literature and linguistics from Haifa University and her masters in educational psychology from California State University Northridge. Rivka is also a graduate of the Day School Leadership Training Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York.
Her past experiences include: Teaching and curriculum writing at A.J. Heschel Middle School, Northridge; Director of the Union Hebrew High School in Los Angeles; and instructor at the UC Universities overseas program in Haifa University in Israel and various Ulpan programs in Israel and in LA . In all, Rivka has taught students from age 4 through 74, instilling in their hearts a love of Judaism, Hebrew and Eretz Israel.
As Heschel West's Director of Hebrew and Judaic Studies, Rivka is focused on preparing the next generation of Jewish leaders and, as she says, "keeping the flame of Judaism burning."

David Bernstein holds a BA and MA in History and a PhD in Religious Education from New York University. He also attended Yeshivat HaMivtar. David has been the Dean of Pardes since 1998. Previously, he was the director of Midreshet Lindenbaum, popularly known as Brovender's, for 12 years. David was a Jerusalem Fellow at the Mandel School for Jewish Education in Jerusalem from 1996-1998. Before making Aliyah in 1984, he was the director of informal education at the Ramaz Upper School in New York City, where he created and taught an integrated course in world and Jewish history.

Michal was in the fifth cohort of the Pardes Educators Program. She has been teaching middle and high school at the Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy in Overland Park, KS. She was recently appointed Department Chair of Judaic Studies 6-12, and she is the advisor for the school’s Moot Beit Din team. Michal had a career as a business analyst in the financial industry prior to coming to Pardes.

A Jewish day school graduate herself, Jamie attended a Solomon Schechter Day school in Poughkeepsie, NY.  In 2002 Jamie became a DeLeT fellow, working in first grade general studies and fifth grade humash at JCDSRI.  She completed her Masters of Arts in Teaching at Brandeis University in 2005.  This is Jamie's fifth year teaching fifth grade general studies at JCDSRI.  In 2008 ago she began and led a professional learning community at JCDSRI, focused on examining their own problems of practice, using set protocols to guide their meetings. In 2009 she presented on this topic at the DeLeT alumni conference in California.  In 2010 she was on a panel at the national Jewish day school conference in NY, speaking about the importance of PLC’s.  Last year the PLC at JCDSRI grew in exciting ways; this year Jamie is reshaping the PLC to meet the teachers’ growing needs.  Jamie is also the garden team leader at JCSSRI, where she heads the garden education garden for the school garden she conceived in 2008.

Sharon Feiman-Nemser is the Mandel Professor of Jewish Education and the Director of the Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education. Before coming to Brandeis in 2001, she served on the faculties of the University of Chicago and Michigan State University where she directed innovative teacher educaton programs and conducted research on teacher education and teacher learning.

Moshe Fisch, was in the seventh Pardes Cohort. He currently teaches grades 9-12 at the Schechter Westchester High School in Hartsdale, NY. He teaches subjects ranging from Tefillah, Tanach and Gemara to such elective courses on the topics of Rebellious Rabbis and Leaders in Jewish History, Environmentalism and the Torah and the Wisdom of the Kabbalah.

Ris is a member of the eighth cohort of the Pardes Educators Program. She is currently in her second year of teaching at the Hannah Senesh Community Day School

Sean was in the first Cohort of the Pardes Educators Program. He has held a number of positions since finishing the program in 2002.  In addition to classroom teaching in the two community day schools in the Twin Cities, He taught supplementary school, adult education and inter-generational groups. Sean also served as The Jewish Education Director of the St. Paul JCC.

Jodi teaches 1^st grade at the Solomon Schechter Day School in Bergen County, NJ. Jodi was a 1^st Cohort DeLeT Fellow, completing her Masters at Brandeis. She most recently completed her certification as an Orton Gillingham Reading Specialist. A year ago she spearheaded a new format for Reading instruction at her school; students are now mixed into leveled, multi grade reading groups. She is currently working on modifying the curriculum in 1^st and 2^nd grade to systematically teach phonics, spelling, and vocabulary that is naturally integrated into a balanced literacy classroom. Besides teaching reading, Jodi enjoys thinking carefully about Tefillah and is working on co-authoring a Siddur that is accessible and user friendly for children in early elementary school. Jodi resides in New York City with her husband and 1 year old son.

Zvi Hirschfield holds a Masters Degree in Medieval and Modern Jewish Thought from Harvard University and has studied at Yeshivat Har Etzion in Israel. He received his Rabbinic ordination from the Israel Chief Rabbinate. He was the Director of Judaica at the JCC of Cleveland, and an instructor at the Cleveland College of Jewish Studies. Zvi has been a teacher of Talmud and Jewish Thought at Pardes for the past 10 years and is the Director of Beit Midrash Studies for the Pardes Educators. He also serves as the Director of Education for the Nesiya Institute.

Yechiel teaches Jewish Thought, and serves as the experiential educator at Milken Community High School in LA. Yechiel's teaching utilizes constructivist models of inquiry based learning, and emphasizes the integration of media, technology and experiential learning into Jewish Studies. At Limmud LA, Yechiel initiated the innovative Teens@LimmudLA program. A DeLeT alumn, Yechiel currently is studying to earn his EDD through Northeastern University and Hebrew College. Yechiel, his wife, Daria, and his daughter, Mina, live in the Pico Robertson area of Los Angeles.

Shifra is a member of the eighth cohort of the Pardes Educators Program. She is currently teaching at the Jewish Primary Day School of the Nation’s Capital. Preivously she taught at the Greenfield Academy, Atlanta, GA.

Ezra Kopelowitz is the CEO of Research Success Technologies. Ezra is a sociologist specializing in Jewish education, Israel-Diaspora relations and Jewish Peoplehood.  He is a pioneer in research on Jewish Peoplehood, developing intellectual frameworks and conducting applied research in the area. 

Jessica is a member of the third cohort of the Pardes Educators Program. She is a seventh and eighth-grade Judaic studies teacher at the Hannah Senesh Community Day School in Brooklyn.

Shira is a member of the third Cohort of the DeLeT Brandeis program.

Jessie is a member of the seventh cohort of the Pardes Educators Program. She is in her third year of teaching at the San Diego Jewish Academy.

Jakir Manela is the founder-director of Kayam Farm at the Pearlstone Retreat Center.

Judy Markose studied at JTS as an undergraduate, earned a BA from Barnard, an MSW from Hunter College School of Social Work, and an EdD from the University of Toronto. Her doctoral thesis studied teachers in a Jewish day school in Canada.

Judy served as the Director of the Ramah Israel Seminar for eight years, supervising 300 students and 50 staff members. Previously, she spent five years as the Director of High School Division of Ramah Programs in Israel, creating academic programs and interfaced with Jewish day schools in North America. Before making Aliyah, Judy was the principal of a congregational school, and Director of Camp Ramah in Canada.
Jared Matas

Jared has been at JCDS since 2003, when he started as a DeLeT intern. This is his sixth year teaching kindergarten. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto, and completed his Masters of Arts in Teaching at Brandeis University in 2005. Jared is currently pursuing his doctorate of education in the Hebrew College/Northeastern University joint program for with a specialization in Jewish Educational Leadership. In support of his studies, Jared was selected as a Wexner Graduate Fellowship/Davidson Scholar. Jared’s areas of interest include

teacher-leadership, and use of technology in the classroom.

Rachel Meiner

Rachel Meiner teaches 3rd grade Judaic Studies at Hannah Senesh Community Day School in Brooklyn, NY.  She graduated from the Pardes Educators Program in 2008. While living in Israel Rachel volunteered at schools and tutored students after school.  She is passionate about text study and finding new and interesting ways to open the text to children.  When Rachel is not working she loves to read, hike, and cook.

Janet Ozur Bass is the chair of the Jewish Text department at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville, MD. After receiving a BS in microbiology and a BA in English Lit from the University of Maryland, she received rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.  Janet worked in the field of family education before moving to the classroom.  She is now in her 15^th year at CESJDS, where she teaches Torah Sheh Be’al Peh in the middle and high school, develops curriculum in both Toshba and Tefilot, chairs and supervises the Jewish Text, Thought, and Practice Department, and has mentored many teachers, including Pardes educators, over the years.  Besides teaching, Janet is mom to three fabulous children and co-authored The Jewish Holidays Cookbook for children.

Amanda Pogany is the Associate Director of the Pardes Educators Alumni Support Project.  She taught middle school Judaic studies for 7 years.  A trained mentor through the Jewish New Teacher Project, Amanda mentored for the Davidson School at JTS, the Pardes Educators program, and the Solomon Schechter School of Manhattan. Amanda is a graduate of the Pardes Educators Program, has a Masters in Jewish Education from Hebrew University and a BA from Barnard College.  She is co-founder of Altshul, an independent egalitarian minyan in Brooklyn.

Karen G Reiss Medwed, PhD is on the faculty of Hebrew College, as Assistant Professor of Jewish Education. Her work at Hebrew College allows her to combine her passions for the research oriented world of academia, as the Director of the new EdD in Jewish Education Leadership, and she is proudly the coordinator for the Pardes Educator Program. She simultaneously works as Dean of Faculty for the Hebrew College Prozdor. Prior to her work at Hebrew College, Karen was the Director of Religious Education at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education Teacher Education program. She earned her PhD at NYU in Education and Jewish Studies from the Steinhardt School of Education, from which she was the first graduate. Her dissertation was on Stories of Women Teachers of Talmud in Non Orthodox Day Schools, which allowed her to explore the realms of personal pedagogic knowledge, content knowledge, teacher education and narrative, novice teachers and the development of pedagogic tools for the teaching of Jewish text.

I'm in my second year teaching at Ohr Eliyahu, an orthodox school in the La Brea neighborhood.  Last year I taught General Studies to 3rd graders and also taught Algebra to the school's top two 8th graders.  This year, I'm co-teaching Yesod (pre-1) and teaching the academically lowest groups of three middle school classes.  The students are gender segregated from Yesod on up so there are fruitful opportunities to be gender sensitive and to repeat lessons to a second class.  Our principal is very committed to professional development and improving mathematical thinking is a top priority.  Our middle school math staff "team" is vibrant and collaborative.  This year, we will be doing a research-based intervention.  During the summertime, I teach swimming to infants to seniors.  In my free time, I volunteer for the UCLArts and Healing Program, and love to dance, hike, write, and explore the cultural richness of our diverse city. 

Sarah Shulman is a rabbinical student at the American Jewish University in Los Angeles. A native of Seattle, Sarah grew up climbing inside trees, books, and ideas. For her undergraduate education Sarah attended Stanford University, where she received a BA in Human Biology with a focus in Environmental Health, as well as a Minor in Creative Writing. Through the process of completing DeLeT, Sarah fell in love with teaching Humanities, Science, and Jewish Studies, which she taught in the bay area for six years before following her passion for serving others to rabbinical school. In her free time Sarah teaches, writes curriculum, leads service trips abroad and wilderness trips close by.

Yoshi Silverstein grew up in Spokane, WA, where he learned to love wilderness. At Brandeis University he majored in European Cultural Studies and minored in Judaic Studies. After graduating he taught environmental education for several cherished years in Idaho and in Olympic National Park, then merged his passions for Jewish and environmental education as Head of Trips and Teva at Camp Wise outside Cleveland. He then spent a year in Israel with the Dorot Fellowship where he studied at Pardes for a semester, and lived in a mud dome at Kibbutz Lotan for their Green Apprenticeship Permaculture and Eco-village Design program. Back in the states he spent two seasons with the Teva Learning Center, and moved to Kayam Farm in March 2010 where he is now Education Director. He also an avid skier and musician.

Elisha Stein was in the fourth cohort (2003-2005) of the Pardes Educators Program. Elisha is in his fifth year of teaching high school at the Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy (formerly Akiba Hebrew Academy) outside of Philadelphia. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Elisha has mentored student teachers and has twice served as advisor to the school's Moot Beit Din team. Elisha came to teaching after having practiced law for ten years.

Jory Stillman, is in her eighth year of teaching, and currently teaches both first and second grades (Ivrit b’Ivrit) at the Moriah School of Engelwood, New Jersey. Jory previously taught fifth grade and art at Beth Tfiloh and Rambam in Baltimore, MD.  A student of Yoga for 15 years, Jory received her certification from the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. In addition, Jory is a certified Life Force Yoga Practitioner, which specializes in teaching Yoga for Depression and Anxiety; and is trained to teach Coherence Breathing for emotional wellness.  Jory is also certified by Yoga Ed. to teach children’s yoga.  She loves weaving together Yoga, Hebrew and Torah in her classroom whenever possible.  On the side, Jory can be found building her business, Room to Breathe Coaching and Yoga, where she combines coaching and yoga practices to help her clients build and sustain physically, emotionally and spiritually healthier, more balanced and meaningful lives. Jory currently lives in Manhattan.

Adam Tiove iss the Chair of Jewish Studies/ Hebrew department for the Rodeph Sholom Middle School in Manhattan.  He was a recipient of the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award for Excellence in Jewish Education in 2009 and completed the Day School Leadership Training Institute in the summer of 2010.  He currently teaches 7th and 8th grade Jewish Studies in subjects ranging from Torah, to Prayer, to rabbinic literature, to history, to Jews in film.  In addition to his work in education, Adam is the proud father of a 2 year old named Naftali and enjoys photography in his free time

Susan Wall holds a D.HL in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary, and was a Jerusalem Fellow from 1982-85. Before making Aliyah in 1992, she served as principal of Ezra Academy, the K-8 Solomon Schechter day school serving the greater New Haven, Connecticut area. Prior to joining the Pardes staff in 2002 as director of the Educators Program, Susan taught Jewish Education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Rothberg International School, and directed the Ramah Israel Institute. She currently teaches pedagogy for the Pardes Educators Program and directs the Pardes Educators Alumni Support Project..

 Etan Weiss teaches in the Jewish Text department at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville, MD. After receiving a BA in Philosophy and Judaic Studies from Hofstra University, he earned a MA in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.  Etan continued his studies for two years in the Educators’ Program at Machon Pardes.  He is now in his 5^th year at CESJDS, where he teaches Tanakh and Torah She Be’al Peh in the middle and high school and develops curriculum in both Tanakh and Tefilot.  Besides teaching, Etan recently became a father to the most beautiful girl, Ya’ara Chana.

Jake is serving as Communications Liaison for the DeLeT alumni network leadership cabinet bringing his experience as a journalist (Jerusalem Post and ABC News) and educator (Abraham Joshua Herschel Day School, Northridge and Ronald C. Wornick JCDS, Foster City) to the role. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Minnesota, and completed his Masters of Arts in a Broadcast Journalism at the University of Minnesota and a  Masters of Arts in Middle East Area Studies at the University of London, where he was a UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Scholar. This year Jake was awarded the Margot Stern Strong Teaching Award from Facing History and Ourselves for his project matching 8th grade students and Los Angeles area Holocaust survivors to produce a dynamic oral history experience for the Heschel

School community.

Ariel Wolgel

Ariel Wolgel is a member of the seventh cohort of the Pardes Educators Program. She is currently in her second year of teaching at the Hillel Day School in Farmington Hills, Michigan

Aron Wolgel is a member of the eigth cohort of the Pardes Educators Program. He is in his second year of teaching at the Frankel Jewish Academy of Metropolitan Detroit.

Damian was a member of the fifth cohort of the Pardes Educators Program He holds a degree in Social Science Education from University of Georgia and a Masters in Jewish Studies from Emory University.  He is a