Day School Mentors

Aliza Weinstock
Second Grade Teacher
Solomon Schechter School of Manhattan
New York, NY

Aliza Weinstock is a second grade teacher at Schechter Manhattan. A JTS alum, she graduated from the Double Degree Program between Barnard College and List College in 2005 with degrees in both Psychology and Talmud/Rabbinics, and then went on to receive her Masters in Jewish Education from Davidson. She first came to Schechter Manhattan in the fall of 2006 as a student teacher and has been there ever since. This is her first year mentoring and she is thrilled to have the opportunity.



Elisa Marcus
Fourth Grade Teacher
Solomon Schechter School of Manhattan
New York, NY

Elisa Marcus is a fourth grade teacher at the Solomon Schechter School of Manhattan. She and her co-teacher work collaboratively to plan and implement both Jewish and general studies in the classroom. Elisa holds an undergraduate degree in elementary education from Washington University in St. Louis and a graduate degree in Jewish education from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Elisa cherishes the constructivist approach the school takes to teaching and learning.

Tami Sapir
Third Grade Judaic Studies Teacher
Solomon Schechter Day School of Bergen County
New Milford, New Jersey

Tami Sapir made Aliyah to Israel when she was nine. She first lived in Jerusalem and then in Tel Aviv. After serving in the Israeli army, she studied to be a teacher at Seminar Hakibutzi. She married an Israeli man and had three children. Her family has been living in New Jersey for the past eighteen years, and she has been teaching at Solomon Schechter Day School of Bergen County for seventeen years. Tami greatly enjoys this job. As a Judaic Studies teacher, she teaches Hebrew, (Safa), Chumash, holidays (mitzvoth, customs) Parsha, Ma'agal midot (derech eretz), yidiat haaretz, and cultural customs. She presently teaches third grade but has taught second grade, as well.

Heather Field Vatury
(Former) Jewish Studies Teacher
Rodeph Sholom School
New York, NY

Heather Field Vatury graduated from the William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education in 2004 and has served as a Supervisor and Manchah for Davidson students since September of 2009. Heather is a former Jewish Studies Teacher at the Rodeph Sholom School, where she taught middle school students. She has also taught at the Kane Street Hebrew School, Congregation Habonim, and The 92nd Street Y's Connect Jewish After-School Program. She currently facilitates a women's Rosh Chodesh group in Fort Greene, Brooklyn and is the proud mother of two daughters, ages three and five.

Adele Spickler
Principal
Solomon Schechter of Long Island, Upper School
Williston Park, New York

Adele Spickler began her affiliation with Schechter as one of the founders of the Schechter School of Suffolk County, where she taught for several years. After serving as the Lower School Director of the Abraham Joshua Heschel School, Adele returned to Long Island to become the Assistant Principal of the Upper School at Schechter Long Island. She moved into the Principal position where she continued her mission of providing each student with a strong Jewish education. One of Adele 's strongest accomplishments has always been her ability to mentor faculty, both new and veteran teachers, supporting them and providing them with the tools to be effective, sensitive, and student-centered educators.

Ellen Rank
Congregational Education Consultant
The Jewish Education Project
NYC Metro Area

Ellen Rank enjoys a variety of roles as a Jewish Educator. She is currently a Congregational Education Consultant for The Jewish Education Project and a fifth-grade teacher at Merrick Jewish Center. Ellen has taught Hebrew, Bible and Jewish Studies in day schools, congregational schools, college and synagogues. She served as a writer and associate editor for MaToK, the Bible Curriculum for Solomon Schechter Day Schools, and is the author of several teachers' guides by Behrman House Publishing. Ellen is a recipient of the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award for Excellence in Jewish Education.

Ruth Servi
Eighth Grade Jewish Studies Core Teacher
Solomon Schechter School of Manhattan
New York, NY

Ruth Servi received her BA and MA in General and Jewish History from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She currently works at the Solomon Schechter School of Manhattan, where she teaches the 8th grade Jewish Studies Core (Tanakh, Talmud, T'fillah, Chagim). At Schechter, she is also the Middle School Hebrew Coordinator and the Community Service Coordinator.

Nechamah Goldfarb
Learning Specialist and Classroom Teacher
Beit Rabban
New York, NY

Nechamah Goldfarb is a learning specialist and classroom teacher at Beit Rabban. She holds graduate degrees in educational psychology and elementary administration, and is working toward a doctorate in cognitive neuro-psychology, all of which inform over 30 years of experience in day-schools and yeshivot as a classroom teacher, resource room director, curriculum developer and coordinator, assistant principal and principal. This coming year she will be teaching first grade, all subjects Limudei Kodesh and General, as well as observing and assessing students in all grades and advising on a Child Study Team, at Beit Rabban.

Rachel Meiner
Judaic Studies Teacher
Hannah Senesh Community Day School
Brooklyn, NY

Rachel Meiner teaches 2nd and 3rd grade Judaic studies at Hannah Senesh Community Day School in Brooklyn NY. Since graduating the Pardes Educators Program in 2008, she has taught Judaics and Hebrew to grades 2-6. Rachel has a passion for teaching students about tikkun olam and social justice, and she has been working as the social action coordinator at Hannah Senesh for the past year. When she is not at school Rachel enjoys exploring New York City, cooking and hiking.

Daniel Held
Wexner Graduate Fellow and Doctoral Candidate
The Jewish Theological Seminary
New York, NY

Daniel Held is a doctoral candidate in the Davidson School and a Wexner Graduate Fellow. Before moving to New York, Daniel was a member of the Jewish Studies faculty and Director of Student Activities at TanenbaumCHAT, Toronto's Jewish community high school, and a senior member of the educational staff at Brandies' Office of High School Programs. Daniel has mentored novice educators in a variety of settings including day and supplementary schools, Hillels and summer camps.

Iscah Waldman
Talmud and Rabbinic Literature Teacher
Solomon Schechter High School of Long Island
Williston Park, New York

Iscah Waldman has been teaching Talmud and rabbinic literature at the Solomon Schechter High School of Long Island for the past 9 years. She is also currently working on her PhD in Education and Jewish Studies at NYU's Steinhardt School, focusing on the teaching of Midrash. Her other past educational experiences include directing the Hebrew School at Ansche Chesed, teaching at Prozdor, the Academy for Jewish Religion and the Artist Beit Midrash in Teaneck, NJ. Iscah lives in Teaneck with her husband, Matt, and her three children (two human and one canine).