Meet Our Staff

Who's Who in Student Life
	Sara Horowitz, dean of Student Life, guides the staff with a caring hand and an abundance of energy. She enjoys spending her time working with JTS students and the Office of Student Life. Sara was born and raised in the Washington DC area, but feels truly at home in New York City's Morningside Heights neighborhood. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a BA in Government and Politics, and received an MA and an MEd in Student Affairs Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University.
	Ruth Decalo, director of Student Life and Community Outreach, helps to facilitate and coordinate the myriad student life and community service initiatives spearheaded by the JTS community. Her work before coming to JTS has taken her around the world working with youth, refugees, and trade unions. She has also worked with domestic Jewish organizations during her time at the Jewish Outreach Institute. She’s always happy to discuss her service in the Peace Corps, local volunteer opportunities, arcane medieval trivia, Harry Potter, international literature, music, travel, and really, anything at all—so come on by!
	Shira Markert, Administrative Assistant, is the first smiling face you will see as you enter the Office of Student Life. She grew up in New Jersey and began working at JTS's Office of Student Life soon after graduating from New York University in 2003 with a BA in Judaic Studies. Shira loves working with JTS students.
Jewish Life Directors The Jewish Life directors (JLDs) help create and foster community in the Mathilde Schechter, Goldsmith, and Brush residence halls through Jewish cultural, religious and educational programming, home hospitality, and their daily interactions with residents. Have a question about Judaism or Jewish life in New York City? Ask your JLD and he/she will help you find the answer.
	Charlie Schwartz and Andrea Wershof Schwartz, List College Jewish Life directors, met in Israel at USY's Nativ College Leadership Program and were married in 2005. Charlie graduated from Oberlin College with majors in Religion and Jewish Studies, and served with distinction in the IDF. Andrea graduated from the Joint Program with Columbia University with majors in Bible (at JTS) and History (at Columbia). She spent a year in Israel as a Dorot Fellow. Charlie is an alumnus of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship program and is starting his fourth year at The Rabbinical School of The Jewish Theological Seminary. Andrea is a medical student at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
	David Saiger, Graduate Jewish Life director, is a fourth-year rabbinical student and is also working on an MA in Talmud in The Graduate School. Originally from Los Angeles, David graduated with a BA in Philosophy from Emory University, and spent a year studying at the Pardes Institute in Jerusalem before starting at JTS. This year, David is also a rabbinic intern at the Bronfman Center (New York University Hillel). When neither studying nor helping strengthen Jewish communities, David spends his time playing Scrabble, tennis, Wii tennis, and table tennis.
Va'ad Gemilut Hasadim Interns
	Danielle Gobuty, educational program associate, is in her second year at The Rabbinical School of The Jewish Theological Seminary. Dani grew up in Toronto, Los Angeles, and Israel, and received her bachelor's degree from Brandeis University in May 2008. While at Brandeis, Danielle was the social justice coordinator for the Conservative Movement on campus, taught Hebrew school at various synagogues, and interned at a hospice for two years. Danielle's favorite activities include community service, traveling, and volunteering within the Jewish community. Currently, Dani also visits the Jewish Home and Hospital on a weekly basis to welcome in Shabbat with the residents. Danielle hopes to earn a master's degree in Bible or Talmud, become a pulpit rabbi and certified chaplain, and work in hospitals and hospice.
	Yoav B. Guttman, volunteer coordinator, is a fourth-year student in the List College Joint Program with Columbia University, majoring in African Studies at Columbia and Jewish History at JTS. In the fall of 2008, Yoav traveled to Ghana for the semester, learning about the culture and the challenges faced by many sub-Saharan countries. He came to see environmental justice as a key component in achieving a better and healthier world. In the summer of 2009, this belief led to him to WWOOF, the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms organization, which works with several farms in Israel. In addition to serving as volunteer coordinator, this year Yoav became a fellow in List College's Fellowship in Jewish Social Entrepreneurship program.
	Laura Landau, volunteer coordinator, is a sophomore in the Double Degree Program at List College and Barnard College. She is undecided regarding a major at JTS, but has enjoyed studying Urban Studies and Dance at Barnard. Laura grew up in Providence, Rhode Island, where some of her favorite volunteer activities included tutoring bar and bat mitzvah students and leading children’s Shabbat services. Since coming to JTS, one of her best experiences has been visiting her friends at the Jewish Home and Hospital on Friday afternoons.