The Jewish Education Experience Podcast

Dina Eliezer was born in Turkey and raised in Israel. After getting married, she and her husband lived in France for a few years where she started a school. After a few years, she and her family moved here to the U.S. We worked together at Temple Beth Sholom in Cherry Hill, NJ when she was the Education Director. She is passionate about Jewish education and building traditions. Dina spent a few ye...

In this episode we interview Rabbi Jeff  Wohlgelernter. He is the Rabbi Emeritus and founder of Congregation Adat Yeshurun in La Jolla, California. He and his son Ahron are avid podcasters themselves. Be sure to check out "Think Torah" and "Around the Shabbos Table" on the Intentional Jew Podcast Network (IJP) for some excellent content and thoughtful pedagogical tools and idea...

Rabbi Nogah Marshall is the Education Director at Congregation Beth El in Voorhees, NJ. Born into a Rabbinic family, her father, brother, and sister-in-law who are also Rabbis. The education bug bit her from an early age and she knew she wanted to make a difference in the lives of Jewish children. Rabbi Marshall loves to create programs and believes in learning through doing. Gems: Parents are our...

Mrs. Wendy Marder is one of my former Hebrew school teachers.  As a child, she pretended she was a teacher with her brothers. Initially, Mrs. Marder was a public-school teacher, later, she became a Jewish educator after studying at Touro College in NY. Mrs. Marder was very involved in NCSY in high school. She taught Hebrew school throughout high school. Her first teaching job after she graduated w...

 Janet Luterman is a colleague and esteemed educator. She began teaching in 1981 at Beth El in Margate, NJ. She has taught in several schools in the Philadelphia, PA area. We both taught at Beth Zion-Beth Israel in Philadelphia, PA several years ago. Currently, Janet lives in Israel on a Kibbutz in the north, near the Kinneret. She teaches English to Israeli children. Janet is inspired by her stud...

Lillian is a long-time educator born and raised in Harrisburg, PA. She taught French and Spanish at the Yeshiva of Flatbush in Brooklyn, NY. After she and her family moved back to Harrisburg, PA, she began to teach at Temple Ohev Shalom and Chisuk Emuna, then went on to become the Religious school director of Ohev Shalom for over twenty years. Lillian is also extremely passionate about Holocaust e...

Rabbi Ami Monson is a dear colleague and long-time educator who grew up in Philadelphia, PA, though now lives in Albany, NY. We taught together at Beth Zion-Beth Israel in Philadelphia, PA. We also were youth advisors for United Synagogue Youth. He comes from a family of Jewish educators. His father was the Hillel Rabbi of the University of Pennsylvania and his mother was a Jewish sociology profes...

In this episode we interview Rabbi Daniel Lewin. He has his semicha (Rabbinical Ordination) from Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim. He currently teaches (Keriah) reading skills to students at the Talmudical Academy of Baltimore, MD. Rabbi Lewin enjoys working with various ages and loves sharing the fundamentals of Torah values, Middot (character traits), and Philosophy.  Take advantage of the opportunity to g...

Avigayle Adler is the founder of The Open Studio in Jerusalem, Israel. She is originally from Mount Laurel, NJ (a fellow South Jerseyan)! Avigayle founded The Open Studio in 2012 and has been teaching children and adults art ever since. She has been an artist-in-residence at camps and seminary programs across the U.S. and Israel. Her passion is bringing out the inner artist in each adult and child...

Yael Nehama, a mother of three, began by educating her children at home. Once they were grown up, she went back to school, discovered Montessori and she has been teaching ever since. Yael Nehama currently lives in Israel. Gems: Breathe! Pray! Children build on the basics. Build a relationship with your students. Students can become guides to their fellow students. We are given the Torah as a guide...

Joanna Powers, shares how she ended up in Allentown, PA after being born and raised in NY. She shares her love of Judaism and how her school has adjusted during this pandemic. Joanna is the Judaics Director at the Jewish Day School of the Lehigh Valley, in Allentown, PA, and she also teaches various grades there. She has always had a passion for education and enjoys sharing her love of Judaism wit...

Ellis Rosenberg is an educator with over 30 years of experience. He currently lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and teaches at Ohev Shalom. He has taught at various schools both in Harrisburg and Allentown, Pennsylvania. Gems: You get what you give (when you show respect to others, you receive it back). Share your personal experience. Everything fits within the cycle that G-d/Hashem created. Admit...

In this podcast, we interview Cindy Citron. Cindy is a long-time educator and is currently the education director of the Judy Sare Nursery school at Tiferet Israel in Bensalem, Pennsylvania.  Gems:  Understanding Hebrew will help develop proper intention while praying.  We may not see something all of the time, but we can feel it's presence. Children begin learning through song. Create experi...

Eilleen Eisenberg, a friend of mine from Israel, she teaches drama to Hebrew school and Jewish day school students. She created a platform of self expression and combines Jewish teaching and Israeli themes in her acting programs.  Gems:  Everyone has a role. Children have a natural understanding of G-d/Hashem. Incorporate Hebrew as much as possible. The appearance of another is no indication of ho...

In this episode we interview Rabbi Moshe Yosef Gewirtz. Originally from New York, he and his family have made a home in Harrisburg, PA where he teaches Judaic Studies at the Silver Academy. He comes from a line of Jewish educators and has a passion for Judaism. Gems:  Our relationship with G-d/Hashem deepens everyday. Put yourself in the shoes of your students. Love of Torah will aid you to grow c...

In this episode, we interview Chaim Respes. He is not only my cousin, but also a Jewish educator who has taught various ages. He currently teaches Hebrew high school students and leads them on their yearly trip to Israel. Chaim also runs prayer services at Congregation Beth El in Voorhees, New Jersey with children from kindergarten up to sixth grade. Gems: Small bits of wisdom can inspire students...

In this episode, we interview Gina Tzizik. Gina is a Montessori educator. She is an artist who has taught preschool children in a Montessori school and she currently trains Montessori teachers. Gina is in the process of pursuing a Master's in Jewish Education at Hebrew College in Massachusetts where she lives.  Gems: Develop other interests outside of teaching. Allow children to explore their...

In this episode, we interview my dad, Rabbi Gamliel Respes. He is a long-time educator that has a passion for Judaism. He was taught by his father, Rabbi Abel Respes (z"l). Rabbi Gamliel Respes currently lives in Israel. Gems:  Model at home as much as possible. Connect with Judaism yourself and you'll be able to share it with your students. Continue to tell our story. Amazon We receive...