Presenters Rabbi Yehoshua Ben-Avraham is the Talmud & Tanakh Teacher at the Chicagoland Jewish High School, Deerfield, IL. Rabbi Ben-Avraham is a graduate of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and holds a Master’s Degree in Philosophy and Jewish Thought. A graduate of various yeshivot and institutes dedicated to the learning and teaching of Torah both in Israel and the USA. A former member of Kibbutz Tirat Tzvi in the Beit Shean Valley, he is also a veteran of the IDF serving on the Northern Front during the First Lebanon War.
David Barany is the Education Director at Congregation Beth Shalom in Northbrook, IL. Prior to assuming his current position, David was the Assistant Director and Education/Technology Consultant at the Marshall Jewish Learning Center. Mr. Barany earned a Master of Arts in Education from the University of Judaism in Los Angeles in 1989. He has served as Director of Education at Anshe Emet Synagogue in Chicago, B’nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim Congregation in Glenview, IL and Congregation Solel in Highland Park, IL. David has taken part in planning both National and Midwest Conferences for the Advancement of Jewish Education and is a presenter at Torahthon. He is married to Melissa, and has two children, Avi and Kyra.
Rolly Cohen is currently BJE Director of Education, overseeing the Marshall Jewish Learning Center, a cutting-edge teacher center and the Center for Jewish Teacher Education that offers Morasha: The Florence Melton Adult Mini-School for Educators, teacher training and graduate classes. In 2004, she was instrumental in founding the BJE Makor Or Center that serves children and young adults with special needs. Rolly has taught religious school for over 27 years and has participated in the BJE/Supervisor Teacher Program, mentoring beginning teachers. A graduate of the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School and Melton Israel Seminar , she is also a Teacher Educator’s Institute Fellow with the Mandel Foundation. Rolly earned her BS in Education and Fine Arts from the University of Illinois, Champaign and her Masters of Arts in Jewish Professional Studies from Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies.
Steven Chaitman is a local song leader, accompanist, teacher and writer/composer who has been working in the Jewish community in several capacities since 2006. He spent two summers leading singing at OSRUI, currently teaches music and leads youth groups at area synagogues. Steven graduated from the University of Missouri in 2009 with a degree in journalism. Outside of the Jewish community, he is a freelance journalist and film blogger.
Ali Drumm serves as the Director of Youth and Family Programming at North Suburban Synagogue Beth El. She has served on the board of the Jewish Youth Director's Association, and cochaired the Chicago Informal Jewish Educator's yearly conference. She recently completed her masters in Jewish Professional Studies from Spertus Institute and wrote her thesis on synagogue transformation. She lives with her husband and stepdaughters in Highland Park.
Dr. Shana Erenberg is the Chairman of the Department of Education and professor at Blitstein Institute of Hebrew Theological College in Chicago. She also maintains a private practice for the diagnostic evaluation and remediation of learning disabilities in children and adults. Dr. Erenberg is the Special Needs Consultant to the Community Foundation for Jewish Education and the Board of Jewish Education of Chicago, as well as the National Special Needs Consultant for the Union for Reform Judaism. In addition, Dr. Erenberg serves as a consultant to numerous day schools and public schools in metropolitan Chicago and throughout the United States, and is the co-chair of the International Consortium of Jewish Special Educators in Central Agencies. Dr. Erenberg is the founder of the Keshet Sunday School and served as its director for twenty years. Dr. Erenberg has served as a Level I Due Process Hearing Officer, and continues to do advocacy and due process work. She also serves as a member of the University Review Board for the Illinois State Board of Education. Dr. Erenberg has a doctorate in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Northwestern University, and multiple State teacher certifications in Elementary and Special Education. She is married to Steve Erenberg and has four children.
Lynn Friend developed the individualized education program at North Shore Congregation Israel. She is currently teaching individualized Hebrew, B’nei Mitzvah and Judaic studies as well as Art at NSCI. She also teaches a Shabbat program at Beth Emet for 4 – 7 year olds. She is a member of the Makor Or cadre of teachers at BJE. Lynn holds a Bachelors degree in Elementary Education and a Masters in Social Work. She was previously the Director of Support Services for Glenkirk, an agency for developmentally challenged adults and children.
Alicia Gejman is the Director of Makor Or Special Needs Center at the BJE in Chicago. Ms. Gejman also serves as the principal at West Suburban Temple Har Zion since 1998. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Education and Psychology from Bar-Ilan University, a Master's degree in School Psychology from Hebrew University and Educational Specialist degree in Curriculum and Instruction from George Washington University. She served as bilingual school psychologist for many years. She is currently co-president of the local JEA.
Bobbie Gordon is the Outreach, Prevention and Education Coordinator for SHALVA and has been instrumental in developing and presenting programs all over the Chicagoland area on abuse in the Jewish community. Ms. Gordon holds a Masters in Clinical Social Work from the University of Illinois and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Ms. Gordon has been presenting workshops for professional educators, parents, and children on the topic of Peer Abuse/Teasing/Bullying/Internet Bullying.. Her programs address the following key issues: The effects of peer abuse on the children who are targeted The effects of peer abuse on the Bystanders, i.e., the children who observe this excessive teasing and/or bullying and inclusion and exclusion Strategies and important information for professionals and parents focused on preventing and addressing these problems. The use of the internet as the newest bullying tool
Judy Grossbard was born and raised in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago (Congregation B’nai Zion and Sullivan High School). She received a BS in Special Education from the University of Michigan and an MA as a Reading Disabilities Specialist from the University of Rhode Island. She acquired additional coursework in school administration and Judaica, including summer studies at the Melton Centre at Hebrew University. After moving to Buffalo, NY in 1983, Mrs. Grossbard became the first director of the Teacher Resource Center at the Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Buffalo. She has served as Director of Education at congregations in Buffalo, NY, Fort Worth, TX and most recently at Congregation Beth Shalom in Northbrook. Mrs. Grossbard is also active in the JEA (Jewish Educator’s Assembly) on the regional level and is an officer on the national board.
Maxine Segal Handelman is the Consultant for Early Childhood Education for the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. Max holds an M.A. in Jewish Education from the Rhea Hirsch School of Education of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, and an M.A. in Early Childhood Education from Pacific Oaks College. Max is the author of Jewish Every Day: The Complete Handbook for Early Childhood Teachers (A.R.E. Publishing, 2000), The Shabbat Angels (UAHC Press, 2003) and What’s Jewish About Butterflies (A.R.E. Publishing, 2004). She has has presented keynotes and workshops at conferences across North America. A professional storyteller, she leads Tot Shabbat services for young families at Anshe Emet Synagogue in Chicago, where she lives with her husband Jacob and their two young daughters, Ariana and Yael.
Rabbi Deborah Helbraun holds a BA in Elementary Education from Washington University in St Louis, a MAHL from HUC-JIR, and received her Rabbinic Ordination in 1993 from HUC-JIR. Rabbi Helbraun has taught in Jewish settings for the last 25 years, including serving as a Hebrew school principal for 4 years at BJBE and 3 years at Temple Jeremiah. Her current position is as Hebrew School Principal of Temple Jeremiah in Northfield, IL. She grew up in Northbrook, IL and continues to live there with her husband, Rabbi Sidney Helbraun, and their children Becca 16 and Jonah 13.
Rachel Kamin is the Director of the Joseph and Mae Gray Cultural & Learning Center at North Suburban Synagogue Beth El in Highland Park, Illinois. Prior to that, she worked as the Preschool Liaison Librarian at the Des Plaines Public Library (IL) and as the Director of the Libraries & Media Center at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan. She has served as the chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee, a national committee of the Association of Jewish Libraries, that presents awards to the best Jewish children’s books each year, and frequently gives presentations and workshops about Jewish children’s literature at education and library conferences around the country. She has authored articles for BookLinks, Jewish Book World, and Judaica Librarianship and also writes children’s book reviews for School Library Journal, Jewish Book World, and the Newsletter of the Association of Jewish Libraries. She recently contributed a chapter to The Tot Shabbat Handbook: A Practical Guide for Engaging Young Families in Congregational Life edited by Paula Feldstein (URJ Press, 2010). Kamin holds a BA in history from Grinnell College and a master’s degree in library and information science from the University of Michigan.
Rabbi Leora Kaye’s experience spans across the spectrum of the “Jewish World” including education, programming, and filmmaking. As a rabbi she has focused on seeking new ways to expand people’s understanding of Judaism – encouraging them to approach Judaism on their own terms, through teaching and offering opportunities in sophisticated and innovative ways, while infusing them with knowledge of Jewish tradition. While in rabbinical school she worked as a production associate on the award-winning documentary Blue Vinyl, which was shown at the Sundance Film Festival in 2001and subsequently aired on HBO in 2002. Since then she has combined her interest in media and religion by producing videos for NFTY, Matan, and other Jewish organizations. She has acted as an education consultant for Shalom Sesame since the script writing phase, offering her expertise during production, creation of the
website and has helped create the outreach and marketing plan for the project. She has also acted in an advisory position for various other documentaries and television shows. She is the former youth director of Temple Israel in Boston and also worked as the Associate Director of Programming for Synagogue 2000. Since 2004, she has served as the Program Director for Congregation Rodeph Sholom in New York City. Rabbi Kaye is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin at Madison. She received her rabbinical ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York in 2002.
Rabbi Vernon Kurtz is the Rabbi of North Suburban Synagogue Beth El in Highland Park, Illinois, an 1100 family Conservative congregation. He was born in Toronto, Canada, received his B.A. from York University, his M.A. and Rabbinic Ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary and his Doctor of Ministry degree from Chicago Theological Seminary. He also received a Doctor of Divinity degree (Honoris Causa) from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Rabbi Kurtz currently serves as President of MERCAZ Olami, the World Zionist organization of the Conservative Movement. He is also a member of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency and serves as co-Chairman of its FSU committee. He is a past President of the Rabbinical Assembly, the international association of 1,500 Conservative Rabbis, and was a member for many years of the Rabbinical Assembly Committee on Jewish Law and Standards. Currently, he serves as a member of the Leadership Council of Conservative Judaism. Rabbi Kurtz has served in leadership positions in the areas of Jewish communal and interfaith activities. He has been President of the Chicago Board of Rabbis, Chairman of the United Jewish Appeal Rabbinic Cabinet and President of the Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago. Rabbi Kurtz is the recipient of the Rabbinic Award, Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, Council of Jewish Federations (1984 and 1995); the Young Leadership Award, Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago (1985); Jerusalem Covenant Award; State of Israel Bonds (1996)/ Star of David Award, State of Israel Bonds (2008); the Rabbi Simon Greenberg Rabbinic Achievement Award, The Jewish Theological Seminary (1998) and Rabbi Mordecai Simon Memorial Award, Chicago Board of Rabbis (2008). Rabbi Kurtz has served as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Rabbinic Literature, Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies and Adjunct Lecturer in Jewish Studies, The Chicago Theological Seminary. He has authored teshuvot for the Law Committee and has published articles in many periodicals and books. Currently he is a monthly Torah commentator for the Chicago Jewish News and a Hartman Rabbinic Fellow. Rabbi Kurtz and his wife, Bryna, are the parents of two daughters, Hadassa (Haim) who lives in Israel and Shira who is a post-doctoral fellow in neuropsychology in Baltimore. He is the proud saba of Shmuel Binyamin and Meytal Dvora.
Dr. Alan Levin is an Education Specialist with a focus on CHAI curriculum; curriculum development; and special education and differentiating instruction, among others. Alan most recently worked for the Union for Reform Judaism as a Regional Educator and the Director of the CHAI Learning for Jewish Life Curriculum project. He previously administered a large religious school of 800 students and held several public school positions, including Assistant Superintendent for Instruction and Director of Special Education Services. Alan's background is in the Visual Arts, Education, Curriculum, School Administration and Special Education.
Dr. Michelle B. Parker-Katz, Clinical Associate Professor at University of Illinois at Chicago, studies teacher learning and preparation for special and general educators; beginning teacher induction and mentoring, especially in terms of affecting urban school change; content-area learning as a focus for induction and mentoring through analysis of student learning; collaborative teaching
and inclusion practices and how new teachers can construct best practices in schools. She also serves on the board of reviewers for the Journal of Teacher Education, and the Illinois Induction Policy Committee. Dr. Parker-Katz advises and teaches in the masters and doctoral programs. She teaches doctoral students in teacher education and action research methods. She teaches and supervises masters students in clinical fieldwork during internships and student teaching. Dr. Parker-Katz serves on the Executive Board of the Illinois Teacher Education Division (TED). She co-directs three personnel preparation grants, and co-directs a research project (Collaborative Teacher Network) funded through the Institute for Education Sciences. She publishes widely in general and special education. She coordinates the masters programs in Special Education.
Jerry Lidsky is a Registered Art Therapist (A.T.R.), biofeedback and stress management specialist, clinical group psychotherapist, art teacher and Confirmation teacher at Temple Jeremiah for the past 25 years. He is part of the Expressive Therapy staff at Alexian Brothers Behavioral Services Hospital and is a member of the clinical staff at Lakeside Psychology and Counseling in Bannockburn.
Rabbi Asher Lopatin, now in his 15th year as spiritual leader of Anshe Sholom B'nai Israel Congregation, received his ordination from Rav Aron Soloveichik and Yeshivas Brisk and also from Yeshiva University in New York. He holds an M.Phil. in Medieval Arabic Thought from Oxford University as well as a BA in International Relations and Islamic Studies from Boston University. He has done doctoral work, also at Oxford, in Islamic Fundamentalist Attitudes Toward Jews. In that connection he has authored a chapter in Muslim Jewish Relations, titled: "The Uncircumcised Jewish Heart (in Islamic and Qur'anic Thought)." Rabbi Lopatin won a Rhodes Scholarship in 1987 from Massachusetts and was a Wexner Fellow. He has also been a Truman Scholar, Boston University Trustee Scholar and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. His interest in being a pulpit rabbi stemmed in a large degree from his involvement in Jewish life at Hillel at Boston University, the Jewish Society at Oxford University, and the West Hampstead Alternative Minyan. Rabbi Lopatin is married to Rachel Tessler of Detroit. Rachel was also a Wexner Fellow and most recently worked as the Program Director at Anshe Emet Synagogue. The Rabbi and Rachel have two daughters, Shayna and Cara, and two sons, Judah and Gideon. Since moving to Chicago, Rabbi Lopatin has spoken for many groups including JUF, Spertus College, Dawn Schuman Institute, the University of Chicago, the Jewish Community Centers, the Chicago Community Kollel, the Milwaukee Kollel, as well as for Reform, Reconstructionist, Conservative, Traditional and Orthodox synagogues and communal groups. He is a member of the executive committee of the Rabbinical Council of America, and the Chicago Board of Rabbis and is on the Conversion Commission of the Chicago Rabbinical Council. Newsweek Magazine has listed Rabbi Lopatin as one of the top 25 rabbis in America. Although he has trouble saying he is "from" any one particular place, Rabbi Lopatin grew up in Northern California, Jerusalem, and Newton, MA.
Patty Mason has a Masters in Jewish Education from Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. She has been involved in Jewish Education for the past thirty five years and taught all subjects and grade levels from kindergarten thru adult. She has taught at the State University of New York at Buffalo, been the principal of the High School of Jewish Studies, and Executive Director of the Bureau of Jewish Education in Buffalo New York. For the past thirteen years she has worked at North Shore Congregation Israel running experiential education programs, retreats, enrichment activities and family education.
Rabbi Richard Prass is the Director of Education at Congregation Beth Am in Buffalo Grove, IL. Prior to joining the professional staff at Beth Am, Rabbi Prass served as Director of Education in New Rochelle, New York. He has experience in school administration, teacher development, curriculum design, and youth group work. He is a passionate and engaging teacher. He has also served as a pulpit rabbi, maintaining full preaching, teaching and life cycle responsibilities. Rabbi Prass has also spent several summers on faculty at Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute (OSRUI) in Wisconsin. Rabbi Prass volunteers as the Rabbinic Advisor to NFTY’s Chicago Region.
Lynn Shyman LCSW is the Director of Adult, Child, and Family Counseling in the Skokie Counseling Center of Jewish Child and Family Services. She is a child and family therapist and works with children and adults of all ages. Lynn is a Divorce Mediator and is a referral member and a Board member of the Mediation Council of Illinois. Lynn has served as the Social Work consultant to the Early Childhood program of the Mayer Kaplan JCC. In addition, she is a team leader of JCERT (Jewish Community Emergency Resilience Team), a program of the Jewish Federation of Chicago.
Linda Sonin is the Assistant Director and Creative Resource Consultant for the MJLC. Over the past 30 years, she has served as an educational consultant, principal and art educator in a variety of Jewish settings. Linda is the author of Celebrating Israel through the Arts (BJE 2008) and Walk the Talk: Jewish Values in Action (BJE 2009). She is a Teacher Educator’s Institute Fellow with the Mandel Foundation, and earned a Masters Degree in Jewish Education and Jewish Communal Service from Brandeis University. Linda loves to help teachers bring greater creativity and love for Jewish learning into the classroom. She lives in Buffalo Grove with her husband Jeff, and their children Becky and Ben.
Alan Jay Sufrin is extraordinarily blessed by Hashem in that he has been able to devote his career to his passions. A music producer and informal Jewish educator by trade; Alan Jay Sufrin has also cultivated expertise in graphic design and web design, and has spent the past year as Educational Technology Consultant at the BJE for the first of what he hopes will be many years. Hashem has also blessed him with the talent of being able to write about himself in the third person. Visit his websites at http://www.stereosinai.com and http://www.alanjaysufrin.com.
Claire Sufrin teaches Jewish thought at Northwestern University and Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies in addition to a variety of adult education settings. She holds a PhD in Religious Studies from Stanford University, and her current research focuses on Martin Buber's biblical writings.
Rabbi Gerald Teller is a graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary and received his Doctorate in Education from Wayne State University. He was the Superintendent of Jewish Education in Detroit and Chicago. He served as the Rav Beit HaSefer of the Solomon Schechter Day Schools. He is active in the area of Interreligious Learning.
