Omri Abramovitch is an Israeli citizen working as a full time Hebrew teacher at S.A.R high school in Riverdale since September 2010. Omri teaches the Neta Hebrew program to 9th and 10th grade students as well as Hebrew literature to 11th grade students. Prior to teaching at S.A.R, Omri graduated with Honors from Tel Aviv University School of Philosophy and completed Masters in Social Work from Haifa University. He is currently working on his dissertation. Omri has extensive experience working with youth in different positions including as a social instructor in Israeli high schools in Ramat Hasharon and Givatayim and as a private tutor for elementary aged students living in a shelter.
Daphna Abfer is fluent in many languages including German, Hebrew, English, and Chinese. She earned a BA in International Relations and East Asia Studies and an MA in East Asia Studies, both from Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Ms. Afber worked at the Mandel Foundation, training young adults from Ethiopia in leadership skills, and served as an officer in the Israel Defense Forces. She lived in China for nearly two years, where she taught English as a foreign language, and has resided in the United States for the past five years.
Ilona Ben-Moshe was born and raised in Israel. She received her BA in Comparative Literature from Tel-Aviv University and her MA in Communications from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She has been teaching Hebrew as a second language since 1991 at various academic institutes. She is now a member of the Hebrew faculty at NYU. In addition, she served as the Hebrew language coordinator of Prozdor Boston.
Shira Dicker is a New York-based writer and communications and marketing professional. Her articles have appeared in such venues as the New York Times, Jerusalem Report, Jerusalem Post, Tikkun, Forward, and New York Jewish Week. As a consultant, she has worked on numerous important books and documentary films, and with authors, personalities, cultural institutions, museums, and organizations. Among these are The Jewish Theological Seminary, the Rabbinical Assembly, UJA-Federation of New York, the National Foundation for Jewish Culture, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, and Yeshiva University Museum.
Hagit Halpern grew up in Israel on a kibbutz. In Israel, she studied at the Midrashah Le’Amanut, a college for art education. In New York, she completed a bachelor’s degree in Restoration at Fashion Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in Jewish Art and Visual Culture at JTS. Most recently, she was an education director at East End Temple, and, currently she teaches Hebrew at the Rodeph Sholom School in Manhattan.
Rabbi Jeremy Kalmanofsky is the spiritual leader of Congregation Ansche Chesed in Manhattan. Following his ordination at JTS in 1997, Rabbi Kalmanofsky served as instructor, adviser, administrator, and assistant dean of The Rabbinical School of JTS, where he remains a faculty member. He loves studying Torah, davening, Chicago Bears football, Bruce Springsteen’s music, and the films of Cameron Crowe.
Jessica Kirzane is a PhD student in Yiddish Studies at Columbia University. She received BAs in English Language and Literature and Jewish Studies from the University of Virginia and spent a year studying Jewish history, Hebrew, and Yiddish at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Ms. Kirzane has taught at many levels, from preschool to university, and she currently teaches Yiddish language at Columbia University. In her spare time, Jessica loves singing, baking, jogging, and Masterpiece Theatre
Abraham Rubin, a native of Haifa, Israel, spent a year of study at Yeshivat Ein Tzurim prior to his national service. He earned his BA in History and Multidisciplinary Studies with highest honors from the University of Haifa, and his MA in Literature from Tel-Aviv University. Mr. Rubin is currently a doctoral student of Comparative Literature at City University of New York.
Josh Schwartz is an alumnus of JTS, graduating in 2008 from List College, with degrees in Talmud, Bible, and Philosophy of Religion. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Jewish Mysticism at New York University. Mr. Schwartz has also participated in a number of extra-curricular study programs, including the Northwoods Kollel at Ramah Wisconsin, Yeshivat Hadar, and the Pardes Kollel in Jerusalem. He is an enthusiastic fan of improv comedy, comic books, avant-garde music, and you.
Ella Shaked has lived in the United States for the past 15 years. In Israel she was a teacher and also worked as a medical reporter for the daily newspaper, Ma’ariv. She has an MA in Jewish History from Touro College. She taught Hebrew and Israeli literature for 11 years at area day schools and colleges and is currently a faculty member at the Hebrew Language Academy.
Dr. Regina Stein currently teaches at the Skirball Center for Adult Jewish Learning at Temple Emanu-El and for the Context program at The Jewish Theological Seminary. She has a BA in History from Brooklyn College and PhD in Jewish History from JTS. Dr. Stein served as national director of the Hadassah Leadership Academy and has been on the faculty of the Academy for Jewish Religion and of CLAL, the National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership. She has taught for the Wexner Heritage Foundation and Bronfman Youth Program in Israel, as well as JTS, Temple University, and the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem.
Roni Tabick is director of student life at Prozdor in addition to teaching courses. He grew up in England, where he studied Math and Philosophy at Oxford, before becoming a teacher of Religious Studies and philosophy. Roni spent one year learning at the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem. He is now in his second year of Rabbinical School at JTS. His particular interests include Zohar and Kabbalah, world mythology, science fiction and Jewish sea monsters.
Eric Woodward is a fourth-year rabbinical student at JTS, from which he also holds an MA in Jewish Philosophy. He has previously taught in the Community Midrasha of Durham-Chapel Hill in North Carolina, and holds a BA in Religion from Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Originally from Los Angeles, Eric enjoys current events, pizza, and excellent television in his spare time.
