OUR RELIGIOUS SCHOOL TEACHING STAFF

Kitah Gan-Alef (Kindergarten–1st Grade)

D’vorah Horn-Greenberg currently splits her working hours between her art studio and her education consulting company (Unified Education Consulting). D’vorah consults with both Jewish and secular schools, hospitals and universities. She was the founder and Head of School at Bayt Yeladeem Children’s House, an independent progressive Montessori day school, for 23 years. She holds, amongst other credentials, a Masters in Education and Child Development. The best part about returning to GJC again is … the children (of course)!

Dove Rosenberg has been teaching religious school since 1979, at first in Florida and Georgia and then here at GJC for the past 14 years. This year Dove will be teaching Kitah Bet and Gimel and leading Minyan Oranim, our weekly Shabbat service for grades K–2. Dove is also a local yoga teacher and therapist. When not working, he can be found riding his bike or doing various other things. His favorite part of being a teacher is listening to what kids have to say about all the topics that they are learning.

Kitah Dalet (4th Grade)

Odelia Minnes, our 4th grade teacher, is completing her Ph.D. studies in Law, which she began at Bar Ilan University in Israel. She lives in Elkins Park with her family of four kids and her husband Refael, who is a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School. Odelia moved to the U.S. from Israel two years ago, and likes to travel with her family, read, and knit Kippot. Odelia very much enjoys teaching Hebrew and Jewish history, from the Bible through Modern times, and joyously watches her students progress impressively throughout the year and find their connections to our Jewish Heritage.

Kitah Hei/Vav (5th and 6th Grades)

Jessi Roemer is in training to become the second generation of cantors in her family. Jessi was born in New York, grew up in Maryland, and arrived in Philly six years ago, after living for eight years in Jerusalem and another six in Brooklyn. Jessi holds a B.A. in Judaic studies and an M.F.A. in creative writing. She is a poet and composer of sacred and secular music. She has been writing Jewish music for 11 years and teaching Jewish music for 27 years, since her Jewish youth movement days. Jessi lives in West Philly with her beloved partner and two delicious kids. Jessi most loves the energy and the questions that students bring to the table.

This is Jonathan Stoler's second year in Mt. Airy after having lived in Boulder, Colorado, for 14 years and prior to that in Boston. In addition to his involvement with Jewish communities on many levels, he continues to study and work in the Rolf Method of Structural Integration and healing arts fields. His pastimes include theater performance, dancing and meditation. Jonathan has great passion for the richness of Judaism and the Jewish people and looks forward to playing a role in creatively teaching and mentoring our fifth and sixth graders.

Kitah Zayin (7th Grade)

Shelley Goldman is in her first year at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College after studying for a year in Jerusalem. For the previous six years she was a community organizer in Chicago and New York, working with youth and adults in Jewish and secular communities. When she is not teaching, you might find her swimming, weaving or cooking. Shelley loves Judaism and social justice and enjoys teaching students about our rich history of ethics, activism and struggle.