ADMISSIONS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Principal and Executive Vice President of Development at Samuels & Associates
Abe Menzin is Principal and Executive Vice President of development at Samuels & Associates, a Boston-based real estate development and investment firm. Abe manages the development of urban mixed-use projects in Boston, including projects in Fenway and Back Bay and other neighborhoods in the city. Abe has focused his career on developing projects that are located near public transit and that have positive environmental and social impacts. Abe holds an undergraduate civil engineering degree from Tufts University and master's degrees in real estate development and in civil engineering from MIT. He is a member of various housing and economic development committees. While not working, Abe can be found spending time outdoors with his wife Marion and four kids (JCDS classes of '18, '20 '22, and '25). Abe is a passionate advocate for Jewish education and has enjoyed many wonderful experiences as a JCDS parent.
I support JCDS because a pluralistic Jewish education is a great way to cultivate a strong personal identity and a values-driven, open-hearted life. Adam Shyevitch is the proud parent of Maya (JCDS '15) and Livia (JCDS '18), and lucky to be Niki Lamberg's husband of more than twenty-five years. He has enjoyed a long career in the non-profit sector, including several years working in the Jewish community (URJ, Boston's JCRC, and Chicago's Jewish Council on Urban Affairs). He currently serves as the Chief Progam Officer at About Fresh, a food-access organization that makes grocery retail more affordable and accessible for people who need healhty food the most. Previously, Adam served as a Principal at Health Leads, a national healthcare organization that works with hospitals, counties, states, and the federal government to better address the essential needs of low-income patients and their families. Adam also has experience in affordable housing development and leading public-private partnerships to improve public education. Adam has a BA from Colgate University, an MBA from Boston University, and a Masters in Theological Studies from Harvard University's Divinity School. Adam is an avid cyclist in his spare time, and is happy to teach anyone interested how to fix their own squeaky brakes in just a couple of minutes.
I continue to be inspired every day by JCDS's leadership, staff, families, students, and alumni who live out the school's mission engaging intentionally in being a warm, welcoming pluralist, joyful and learning community infused with Hebrew language and culture, connected to the State of Israel and ensuring that each student is supported in becoming the best version of his/her/their self. Arnee Winshall, Arnee Winshall, Founding Chair of JCDS, served as President of the JCDS Board of Trustees for seven years. In addition to her work at JCDS, Arnee is past CEO and Founding President of Hebrew at the Center, a board member of Jewish Interactive, and acts in an advisory capacity for the Jewish Education Innovation Challenge and DEEP, a professional learning community of providers of professional development to Jewish day schools. She is a past Board Chair of RAVSAK and was a member of the boards of Jewish Education Service of North America, Foundation for Jewish Camp, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, the Yiddish Book Center, JCC of Greater Boston, the Board of Overseers of Hebrew College, and Jewish Early Childhood Education Initiative. She and her husband Walt are among the founders of the school and the parents of two JCDS alumni, Sarah and Aaron.
Job Titles:
- K - 2 Nd Grade Engineering Teacher Makerspace Manager
Job Titles:
- Director of Learning and Teaching
- Member of the JCDS
Chavah has been a member of the JCDS teaching community since 2008 in the roles of 2nd grade Classroom Teacher and Teacher Leader. She is deeply committed to working to meet the needs of each individual student, and to upholding JCDS' mission of cultivating compassionate, curious, knowledgeable and resilient Jewish learners. Chavah has a BA in Theater Arts, a Masters in Teaching, and an Advanced Studies Certificate in Teacher Leadership, all from Brandeis University. Chavah lives in Newton with her husband Aaron and their two children.
Job Titles:
- Member of the School Leadership Team
- Associate Head of School for Learning and Teaching
Christine is a seasoned educator with strong leadership experience in a variety of school settings including the Meadowbrook School of Weston, The Pike School in Andover, and currently at the Estabrook School in Lexington. Her areas of expertise include instructional coaching of best practices in literacy, math, and special education. As a literacy and learning specialist, Christine has coached teachers in best practices in the teaching of literacy and held teachers to a high standard in their ability to teach in a differentiated style. Relying heavily on research-based programs, Christine has developed a stellar reputation amongst her colleagues and parents with whom she has developed relationships within all of the schools she has worked. She is known to be a collaborative leader and prioritizes working in partnership with families as well as providers around supporting a variety of student needs. Christine has worked extensively on designing and implementing innovative curricula in order to help all students meet their potential. You will quickly feel Christine's warmth, excellent listening skills and depth of knowledge.
Christine is well-versed in curricular mapping and developing an arc of clearly defined mastery skills across grades and disciplines. She believes that transparency and regular communication with teachers and parents is the key to successful school leadership. She is looking forward to building on our school's strong academic program and is eager to get to know JCDS' teachers, students and their families.
Claudia Davidoff was born in Mexico City. She came to the U.S. to study Mathematics at MIT, receiving her B.S. degree in 1976. She later trained to be a Montessori teacher for children aged 3-12 years, and in addition, she holds an M.S. in Education from Wheelock College. Visual art has been Claudia's lifelong passion. She earned a Diploma from the school of the MFA but has now retired. She is involved in charitable concerns by serving on the Board of the Friends of the Israel Museum, on the International Board of the Davidoff Center for cancer treatment at the Rabin Medical Center in Israel, and on the Board of the Cambridge Health Alliance. Claudia is married to Joseph Kahan. They live in Cambridge and she and her husband each have two adult children.
Job Titles:
- Member of the School Leadership Team
- Director of Jewish Studies and Hebrew Language 6 Th - 8 Th Grade Teacher Leader
Dorit joined our Educational Administrative Team in the summer of 2007. In addition to her administrative role, Dorit teaches Tanakh to our eighth graders. Prior to coming to JCDS, Dorit was Jewish Studies Department Chair at American Hebrew Academy (AHA) in Greensboro, North Carolina for six years. At AHA, Dorit supervised the Jewish Studies staff, developed and implemented the Jewish Studies curriculum, and taught in grades 9-12. Prior to her work at AHA, Dorit worked for over ten years with elementary and middle school students at B'nai Shalom Day School in Greensboro and Temple Isaiah in Lexington, Massachusetts. Dorit is the 2006 recipient of the Louis Hillson Memorial award for distinguished leadership and commitment to Jewish education from Hebrew College. Dorit has a BA in Art History from Tel Aviv University and a Masters in Judaic Studies from Hebrew College, where she graduated valedictorian and won several prizes, including one for writing Hebrew poetry.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder of Boundless
- President, P'23, ( '25, ) '27, '28
Dr. Rachel Fish is the co-founder of Boundless, a think-action tank partnering with community leaders to revitalize Israel education and take bold collective action to combat Jew hatred. Boundless is a new nonprofit think-action tank reimagining Israel education and engagement and taking bold collective action to combat Jew hatred across North America. Boundless's goal is to elevate the field of Israel education by working with Jewish leaders and institutions to spark collaboration and innovation, build learning communities, and deliver relevant, resonant content grounded in data and research. Boundless is addressing systems level challenges focusing on four pillars: weaponization of language; building a repository of data; catalyzing collaborations; and enhancing literacy about Israel and Jew hatred.
Dr. Fish is a celebrated academic with 20 years of experience in the fields of Israeli history, Zionist thought, and Middle Eastern Studies. Recognized for her teaching prowess and pedagogical approaches, Dr. Fish has published extensively and is frequently called upon to advise on community interventions to reclaim an Israel discourse that is nuanced and complex while remaining accessible to a broad audience.
Dr. Susie Tanchel, our Head of School, is a passionate educator, an inspiring leader and a mensch. Her areas of expertise include: academic programming, teaching pluralism and biblical texts, strategic goal planning, and building professional development programs for faculty.
Dr. Tanchel holds a B.A. and Ph.D. from Brandeis University. She has taught in both the DeLeT program (a program to prepare elementary teachers for Jewish day schools) and the Masters of Teaching Secondary Education at Brandeis University. Dr. Tanchel has written extensively and presents regularly on the teaching of biblical texts in pluralistic settings. She has also taught in Combined Jewish Philanthropies' (CJP) Genesis Program, as well as many other adult Jewish education classes in the Greater Boston area. Dr. Tanchel was a founding faculty member at Gann Academy, and taught there for fourteen years. Her last seven years there, she served as Associate Head of School. Dr. Tanchel is the recipient of numerous fellowships and awards.
Families wishing to tour the school and meet Dr. Tanchel are invited to make appointments by calling 617-972-1733 or emailing susiet@jcdsboston.org
Elizabeth Waksman (Liz) is Past-President of the Board of Trustees of JCDS. After attending Jewish day schools in New York through 12th grade, Liz graduated from Columbia College and Yale Law School, and she holds an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University. She began her career as a lawyer at Debevoise & Plimpton in New York City, followed by over a decade as in-house Tax Counsel at Pfizer, Inc., where she specialized in mergers, acquisitions, and reorganizations. Liz and her family relocated to Boston in 2006. Liz previously served on the JCDS board as Co-Chair of Development. She also serves on the board of Camp Ramah New England, is a member of the Minyan Ma'or, graduated from Hebrew College's Me'ah program, and has participated in CJP's Acharai Leadership Program and JCamp 180's Leadership Engagement and Advancement Program, a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Liz and her spouse Darren Orbach have four children who have all attended Boston area day schools. Her third child graduated JCDS in 2019, and her youngest is a middle school student at JCDS.
Emily is honored to join the JCDS community as Principal! Most recently, she served as Middle School Principal at Boston Collegiate Charter School. Emily started her educational career as a 9th grade English teacher, and her dedication to strong literacy practices is at the core of her educational philosophy. She is committed to educating the whole child, and is passionate about ensuring that parents and schools work in partnership to cultivate curious, empathetic, and studious children. Emily and her husband Doug reside in Boston, and are enjoying navigating the ever-changing world of toddler-hood with their daughter Josie. Emily earned her undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis, and her MAT from New York University.
Galit Div was born in Israel. She served in the IDF and was part of a prestigious intelligence unit. After the army, she studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where she earned her B.Sc.Pharm in Pharmaceutics. Galit also has an MBA from Tel Aviv University in Management and Organizational Behavior. Galit spent over eight years in leadership positions in the pharmaceutical industry in Israel, both in client facing positions and on the manufacturing side. Prior to moving to the U.S., Galit was a Project Manager at Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., leading cross-organizational projects in the QA division. Prior to Teva, she managed one of the largest pharmacies in Israel for Maccabi, a leading Israeli healthcare provider. Galit moved to the U.S., following her husband, Lior, as he built up his startup company, Cybereason. Galit and Lior have three beautiful kids: Lia (JCDS '25), Guy (JCDS '27), and Noam (JCP). Galit and her family reside in Newton. They have lived in Boston for six years already, and are very excited to expand their support and involvement within the JCDS community.
Gavi is thrilled to be JCDS's Assistant Head of School! She joined the JCDS community in May 2016. A native Californian, Gavi began her career in admissions and marketing at The Brandeis School of San Francisco. She went on to serve in various fundraising positions at American Jewish World Service and University of California, San Francisco. Most recently, she was the Development Officer for Major Gifts and Campaign Planning at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Gavi earned her undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University, and her Certificate in Jewish Day School Teaching through the DeLeT (Day School Leadership Through Teaching) program at Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion. She lives in Newton. Gavi looks forward to welcoming your family to JCDS!
Job Titles:
- Director of Learning and Teaching
Glenda Speyer is delighted to have the opportunity to bring her deep passion for and knowledge of education to the JCDS learning community in the role of Director of Learning and Teaching. Glenda is committed to the constant growth of all educators, whether in their first or 20th year. She believes that curriculum should be thoughtfully chosen, vertically aligned, never static, and able to inspire thinking and learning that will last a lifetime. Above all, her entire mission is to provide a strong and vibrant learning experience for all students.
Glenda was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and holds a B.A. and Teacher's Diploma from the Universities of Witwatersrand and Cape Town respectively. She taught for many years in South Africa and immigrated to Boston in 1989 with her husband John and their sons, Richard and Steven. Glenda spent the past sixteen and a half years at the Rashi School where she taught Humanities classes, developed a New Teacher Induction Program, and was Head of the Upper School. During that period, Glenda also earned a Master's Degree in School Principalship.
When Glenda is not immersed in her work at JCDS, she enjoys time with family and friends, and whenever possible, travels to spend time with her extended family in Israel, South Africa and Holland.
Hila moved to Boston from Israel in 2021 with Yair, her husband and their three children Yonatan, Or and Yali who all had a soft and happy landing at JCDS.
She is a veteran intelligence, market research and strategy professional. Over the last four years she was VP Knowledge and Strategy at Maoz, building the Knowledge Center and supporting Maoz's CEO and the various program managers in serving the network of 800 diverse senior leaders in Israel.
Prior to Maoz, she gained tri-sectoral experience. In the nonprofit sector she consulted nonprofits and philanthropists on strategy and planning and was the Israel Manager for the Jacobson Family Foundation (now One8). In the private sector she was a consultant to Fortune 500 companies at Compete (Boston), an online consumer behavior analytics company and was a research associate at Harvard Business School writing cases in the marketing and market research field. Prior to that, Hila spent eight years in the IDF and Government as an Intelligence officer.
Hila is a native Israeli that grew up in Israel, Canada and Australia attending Jewish day schools when abroad and public schools in Israel. Her passion for the Jewish/Israel bridge and understanding of the complexities was shaped growing up.
She graduated (Summa Cum Laude) in Government and Diplomacy at IDC Herzliya and holds an MBA (Cum Laude) from Boston University.
Jaka Saarony was born in Western Massachusetts and has since lived in Boston, New York, California and Berlin. She currently resides in Newton Massachusetts with her husband Gadi and their three children: Shai, Sadie, and Max. In her professional life, Jaka worked at Arthur Andersen, in the Forensic, Litigation Support and Valuation consulting division. She was then hired by PAREXEL International in Berlin, Germany later moving to their Corporate Finance in Waltham, MA. As a lay leader, Jaka has been an Academy at Charlemont Board of Trustee serving as: Treasurer, Head of School search Co-Chair, Development Committee, Finance Committee. She is also serving on the Finance Committee of the Jewish Community Day School. Jaka is member of the Friends of Educating for Excellence Board, an Israeli non-profit, as Strategy Co-Chair and Event Committee Chair. Lifelong learning is important to Jaka. She is participating in the CJP's 2020/21 Acharai Program. She currently studies Daf Yomi through Hebrew College program and participates in a women's Torah Study group. Jaka is a very active member in her community, volunteering as Co-Chair, Treasurer, Representative and Coach for numerous Jewish and secular schools and organizations: JCDS, Buckingham Browne & Nichols, Dana Hall, White Stone Equestrian Farm, Juventus FC, Israeli American Council. Jaka is most passionate about sharing new places and new experiences and life with her family. Being married to an Israeli and traveling the world is part of who Jaka is and formed how she approaches philanthropic work and her role in making the world a better place.
Job Titles:
- Director of Development and Communications
JCDS welcomed Jennifer London as Director of Development and Communications in January 2016. Jennifer brings extensive experience in philanthropy, most recently as Major Gifts Officer at McLean Hospital, an affiliate of Partners HealthCare and Harvard Medical School. Jennifer got her start in development, communications and special event planning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. She went on to serve as Director of Development at The Second Step and development consultant to Web of Benefit, The New Art Center and other organizations. Jennifer is a graduate of Buckingham, Browne & Nichols school, Columbia University and the A.R.T. Institute at Harvard. She grew up in Newton where she currently makes her home with her husband and their two children. She served as president of the Newton Mothers' Forum and participates in the sisterhood and development efforts at Temple Shalom. Jennifer looks forward to partnering with each and every member of the JCDS community to advance the school's vitally important mission.
Joshua Gann, known as Josh, has a degree in management and marketing from New York University, and is a graduate gemologist and a third generation owner of Joseph Gann Jewelers in downtown Boston. Josh served as the Va'ad Parent Association co-chair for two years, and was the Shabbaton chair for one year. He also handled the Shabbaton finances for several years. Josh served on the Board of Gann Academy for six years, and was a member of the security and facilities committees. He also assisted Gann in updating the faculty and staff health plans. Josh lives in Newton with his wife, former board member, Nicole, and their three kids: Leah (JCDS '16), Joe (JCDS '19), and Micah (JCDS '24). Josh plays basketball, softball, and attends boot camp twice a week. When he isn't busy making school lunches or every other meal, he avidly listens to Felger and Mazz and various audio books-he really recommends Trevor Noah's, Born A Crime.
Job Titles:
- Director of Admissions
- Member of the School Leadership Team
- JCDS As Admissions Associate
Karen Siegel joined JCDS as Admissions Associate in June 2019, and has served as the Director of Admissions since July 2021. Karen received a BS in Severe Special Education with a minor in Sociology from Boston University, and earned her MA in Early Childhood Education from Wheelock College with a focus on teaching English Language Learners and completing a Certificate in Parenting Education. She taught preschool-second grade students with Autism in Howard County, Maryland, Lexington Public Schools, and LABBB Collaborative for 9 years. Karen focused her Parenting Education work in creating programming to make The Discovery Museum in Acton more accessible for families with children with Autism by providing staff education, creating resources for the Museum, and facilitating off-hours events. Outside of education, Karen spent several years managing, teaching, and training instructors at barre studios throughout Boston. Karen is thrilled to continue her work in the Admissions office and connect with families throughout the JCDS experience.
Liora, a native of Cambridge, attended JCDS K-8, graduating in 2012. The teachers at JCDS taught her self-confidence, fluency in Hebrew. Liora loved the JCDS math club, the Purim carnival, and celebrating Yom HaAtzmaut. She attended Gann Academy and Northwestern University, earning a Bachelors and Masters in biomedical engineering and biotechnology. At Northwestern, she was active in Hillel and the Society for Women Engineers. Liora now lives in Coolidge Corner and works at 2seventy bio as an Associate Scientist developing cancer treatments.
Job Titles:
- Member of the School Leadership Team
- Director of Academic Operations
- Director of School Operations
Marci and her husband Joram live in Newton with their children where they are active members of the Minyan Maor. The Borenstein's three children ('18, '20 and '22) were all at JCDS from Gan Nitzan through 8th grade. Marci served as a non-trustee member of our Head of School Support and Evaluation Committee from 2016-2021. Marci has a doctorate in education from New York University. She has many years of experience working with educators, youth, and Jewish communities in the United States, Israel and the former Soviet Union. Most recently Marci served for six years as the director of pre-college programs at Brandeis University and in 2020 served as co-chair of the search committee for our new head of school. Marci is deeply grateful to the amazing education her children received at JCDS and is delighted to be able to play a part in providing the wonder of a JCDS education to the next generation of JCDS students.
Mark Ravera is a CPA by profession. He is a partner at a local firm, Walter Shuffain, and specializes in real estate, venture capital, and working with high net worth individuals and families. Mark also has a specialty area advising Rabbis on compensation and tax matters. Mark's wife Shira has her own business specializing in home interior design. Mark currently serves on the Board of Directors and finance committee of Bnai Brith Housing, and previously served on a number of other boards. Mark and Shira live in Newton with their three daughters, Talia, Ayelet, and Galit, and dog, Goldie. They are active members at Congregation Shaarei Tefillah in Newton. Mark enjoys spending time with the five girls in his life, cheering them on at dance competitions and spending summer time in Narragansett. He recently learned to sail and is learning how to captain a motor boat. Mark also enjoys running, biking, and occasionally playing some basketball.
Job Titles:
- Coordinator of Academic Operations
Job Titles:
- Pedogogy of Partnership ( PoP ) Teacher
Job Titles:
- Madrich Ruchani Jewish Life Team Leader
I believe in the mission of JCDS and I am fully supportive of their educational approach, in particular the fact that kids are accepted and celebrated for who they are, and encouraged to give their best for their community. Raffaella Sadun and her husband Vito have been JCDS parents since 2018 and are immensely grateful for the amazing educational experience the school is providing to their children two children. The family lives in Brookline. Raffaella is a Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business school, which she joined in 2009 after completing her doctoral studies at the London school of Economics. Her research focuses on the economics of productivity, management, and organizational change in both the private and public sector. As part of her research, Raffaella studies the impact of leaders on their organizations, and has completed extensive surveys of management practices and leadership behavior in private and public organizations, including schools. Raffaella was born in Italy (she is a proud Roman) and became an American citizen in 2018. She has served as an economic advisor to the Italian government in 2020 and 2022.
Job Titles:
- ELL Teacher / Coordinator
Richard Bennett lives in Brookline, with his wife Deb Gaffin and their two children, Miriam and Reuben, both at JCDS. Richard is currently Senior Director, Principal Gifts at Harvard Business School. He has worked as a professional fundraiser both in the U.S. and the U.K., including for Princeton University, the World Wildlife Fund and Hillel International, as well as consulting to many leading U.K. universities. A native of Liverpool (and a fan of the football team), Richard holds a B.A. in Modern Languages from Oxford University, an M.A. in English Literature from McGill University, and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Princeton University.
Robert Fein is a lawyer by training but has spent most of his career developing and financing high technology businesses. With a partner, he is currently forming a fund/incubator called Eli Broadband Investors. He was previously Vice President of Business Development at Trex Enterprises, the former R&D Center of Thermo Electron, Co-Founder of NewRiver, Inc. (which was sold to Broadridge), Senior Vice President of Finance and Corporate Strategy at PerSeptive Biosystems, and Director of Corporate Strategy at Thermo Electron. In the Jewish world, he was a founding Board Member and Vice President of Development during Gann Academy's first seven years as well as Vice President of Finance; he was also a Board Member at Gateways and a Board Member of the Solomon Schechter Day school of Greater Boston. Robbie and his wife Rena Gray Fein have three children who were graduates of Shechter and Gann Academy. Robbie and Rena's oldest child, Elana Fein is married to her Gann classmate, Doron Korinow. Their oldest, Orly, is a sixth grader, and Meirav is in first grade at JCDS. Their m'chutenet, Gail (Yaffa) Korinow (z'l) was a beloved first grade teacher at JCDS for many years.
Job Titles:
- Director of Operations
- Member of the School Leadership Team
Robert joined JCDS, Boston's Jewish Community Day School in September, 2014, as Director of Information Technology (IT), and was promoted to Director of Operations in July, 2019. Prior to joining JCDS, over a period of 31 years, Robert served at various companies in the capacity of Chief Information Officer, VP of IT, VP of Mobile Apps & Cloud Computing, and Director of IT. During this time, he managed IT projects ranging from $30k to $11M, all of which were completed on time and within budget. Many of these projects were worldwide, executed in North America and across multiple countries in Asia and Europe.
Robert earned his BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and his MBA with a concentration in IT from Boston University.
Robin Friedman is an attorney, Jewish community leader, and co-founder of Tribe Talk, an online information hub for Jewish teenagers and young adults designed to bridge the gap between Jewish life in high school and college. As a dedicated community volunteer, Robin works with national and local Jewish communal organizations. She volunteers with Stand With Us, Jewish Family and Children's Services and Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston. She is a former Board member of the Donna Klein Jewish Academy, as well as a past PTO co-President. She has co-chaired the Spirit and Spice series for the Federation of South Palm Beach County, served as co-chair of the Lawyer's Team for Combined Jewish Philanthropies, and is a past participant of the Acharai Leadership Development Program.
Robin concentrated her legal practice in employment law, dealing with issues involving sexual harassment and discrimination based on age, gender, race, religion, and national origin. She currently engages solely in pro bono work, most recently representing victims of domestic violence seeking restraining orders. She is a recipient of the Volunteer Lawyers Project Award. She has been published by the Boston Business Journal and quoted by the Boston Globe, and has lectured on the Americans with Disabilities Act, discrimination laws, and sexual harassment. Robin is a graduate of New York University School of Law.
Robin lives in Newton, MA with her husband David and their three sons.
Job Titles:
- After School Club Manager
Rose-Jane Sulman was born in 1948, so she is the same age as Israel, a connection that she has always found joyful. She grew up in Haverhill, Massachusetts. The summer before her senior year in college, she met her husband David. They joined Temple Beth Elohim, sent the children to Hebrew school, and celebrated holidays with their parents, but living Jewishly was peripheral to their lives. When her fourth child started school, she knew it was her time to do what she had always dreamed of doing: become a teacher. In 1991, she received her MAT from Tufts' Eliot Pearson School, and, from the simple need of a job, reluctantly became a second grade teacher at Cohen Hillel Academy in Marblehead. Working at a Jewish day school, a parochial school! was not something she wanted, but working in a Jewish school in Jewish time and Jewish space changed her life. She stayed at CHA for 16 years, and she woke up every day so happy to go to work. She's now worked part time at Maimonides School for the last ten years. Day schools mean everything to Rose-Jane because they changed her life, and she believes they will enrich every child's life, if only they have the opportunity. When her husband died six years ago, she decided to honor his memory by establishing a fund in his name to further science, engineering, and computing education at Jewish day schools. Her hope and belief are that many parents will be drawn to Jewish schools that have stellar and progressive STEM educational opportunities for their children, and once enrolled, their children will receive the Jewish education that will stay with them for their whole lives.
"Ben Zoma said that a person is rich if he is content with what he has, and I think I finally have reached that understanding. My life is full of my family of four children and their spouses, seven grandchildren, and work that I love doing. I consider myself a very fortunate woman."
Job Titles:
- Director of Development and Communications
- Member of the School Leadership Team
Sari is an experienced lawyer, mediator, collaborator, board member, volunteer, and alumni parent (Aaron '11; Naomi ('13); Noah '21). Sari has worked as a litigator for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, representing social workers when they removed children from abusive and neglectful parents and as a lawyer in other settings. For nine years, Sari mediated varied court cases, culminating in over 90% of the cases resolving short of trial. Sari then pivoted to participating in panels to train medical staff in how to have difficult conversations with patients and their families at Harvard Medical School and area hospitals. As a fun diversion, Sari worked at a mass vaccination site in 2021 when vaccines first became available to the public.
At JCDS, Sari served as a board member for 10 years and as board chair for two of those years. At various times over the years, Sari solicited small and large donors, new and lapsed donors, and co-chaired the endowment fund. On the Committee on Trustees, Sari worked to identify and bring new board members to the school. Having served on these and other committees during that time, Sari is intimately familiar with our strengths and challenges, and has formed strong connections with many of our staff.
In sum, Sari is a consummate professional with a demonstrated history of collaboratively working with others in a variety of settings. A clear writer and communicator, Sari will bring all these skills to great use at JCDS. In her free time, you'll find Sari engaging in a variety of sports, caring for her beehives, and learning Hebrew.
Sari Korman is a lawyer and mediator, who worked in a variety of settings in the private and public sectors. A Me'ah graduate and Acharai alumna, Sari is passionate about education and Jewish education in particular. Sari's three children proudly attended JCDS. Having given her children an amazing Jewish education, Sari is now engaged in various classes herself, including Hebrew, Daf Yomi, and the history and politics of Israel and its neighbors. Sari is also a board member of Boston Jewish Film (BJF) and a fan of Israeli films in particular. Sari's other interests include beekeeping, traveling, and learning new things. Currently, she is doggedly pursuing becoming a decent tennis player.
Job Titles:
- Director of Development and Communications Operations
Sharon Levin has been a JCDS parent for ten years, and a practicing psychotherapist for over twenty years. With a specialty in treating trauma, her practice focused on individuals who had experienced childhood sexual and emotional abuse. After moving to Massachusetts, Sharon worked at Cambridge Hospital in the Program for Psychotherapy, and then opened her private practice in Lexington, MA in 2008. She currently provides couples therapy using an attachment-based approach to treatment, and supports people with challenges surrounding birth and their transition to parenthood. Sharon is married to Rabbi David Lerner who serves Temple Emunah in Lexington. She is the proud mother of two JCDS graduates (Classes of '15 and '18) and a JCDS eighth grader.
Job Titles:
- Head of School
- Member of the School Leadership Team
- Head of School / Head of School Council
Shira Deener is proud to join JCDS as its fourth Head of School. Most recently she served as the Director of the Jewish Education Program at Facing History and Ourselves, an international educational organization whose mission is to use the lens of history to challenge teachers and students to fight bigotry and hatred. As Director, she managed the integration of Facing History's pedagogical structure, resources, and mission in Jewish Day Schools across the country. Along with her team, Shira worked closely with teachers and administrators to actualize these goals within the framework of Facing History's Jewish Education Partner School Network (of which JCDS is a longstanding grantee). Shira was also involved in operations, fundraising, curriculum development, program evaluation, and outreach. Under Shira's leadership, her program recently received the Lippman-Kanfer Prize in Applying Jewish Wisdom to Democracy and Civic Engagement. Prior to joining Facing History in 2005, Shira was a teacher (Grade 1 and Grade 3) at the Solomon Schechter School of Manhattan, and was a Fellow in the Day School Leadership Training Institute. She worked at JCDS (2000-2005) as a history teacher and co-coordinator of the middle school. Shira has been a part of the JCDS community for 19 years. Shira and her husband, David Chodirker, have four children, all of whom have attended JCDS.
Families wishing to tour the school and meet Shira Deener are invited to make appointments by calling 617-972-1733 or emailing shirad@jcdsboston.org
Shiri Segev has been serving on the JCDS Board of Trustees since 2017. She is also the Founding Chair of the Friends of Educating for Excellence, an Israeli non-profit. In her professional life, Shiri headed the finance department at OmniGuide, a medical device company located in Lexington. She also managed the in-house legal and healthcare compliance functions. Prior to joining OmniGuide, Shiri held various finance positions and also served as a diplomat representing the State of Israel in Qatar and in Atlanta. She received a Bachelor of Law degree from Hebrew University in Jerusalem and was admitted to the Israeli Bar Association. Shiri also received a Master's of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Georgia State University. Shiri lives in Newton with her husband and three boys, all former or current JCDS students.
Job Titles:
- 3 Rd - 5 Th Grade Science Teacher After School on - Site Manager
Uri Nurko and his wife Mira live in Jamaica Plain with their daughter. Originally from Mexico City, he attended the Solomon Schechter Day School of Newton (class of 2000) and Gann Academy (class of 2004) after his family moved to the Boston area when he was seven years old. He also lived in Israel for a year as part of the Young Judaea Year Course program between high school and college. He has been employed at Boston-based Frontier Capital Management since 2016 as a member of the investment team. In this role, he helps analyze investment opportunities for the firm's institutional clients. Prior, he worked in various other finance and investment management roles while living in Washington D.C. Uri has a B.S. from the University of Maryland and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter-holder. In his spare time, he enjoys watching and playing sports, skiing, listening to music, and going for hikes with his family.