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© Ramah Israel, 2010
Daniel Laufer - Director of High School Division
Daniel earned his MA in Jewish Education from Brandeis University and a BA in Jewish Studies from the University of Maryland. After making aliya in 1989 from Boston, he worked with a number of Israeli institutions bringing youth to Israel from abroad, including the Young Judea Year Course, the Alexander Muss High School in Israel, and the Youth and Hechalutz Department of the World Zionist Organization. Other positions he has held include Educational Researcher for the Mandel Institute for Jewish Education, Program Director at Harvard University Hillel, and Educational Consultant for long-term programs in Israel. Daniel has been with Ramah in Israel since 1993, and served as a program director, teacher, director of education, and shaliach to North America. He lives with his wife, two daughters, and twin sons in Arnona - around the corner from one of the most beautiful views in the world.
Dr. Joe Freedman - Director of Ramah Programs in Israel
Joe holds an M.A. in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary and an Ed.D. from Teacher's College, Columbia University. Before coming to Ramah, Joe served as Director of in-service training at Hebrew University's Melton Center for Jewish Education in the Diaspora. Joe served as director of the Ramah Israel Seminar from 1986-1999, during which time he also earned the prestigious tour guide license issued by Israel's Ministry of Tourism. Joe has produced numerous educational and hadracha materials, going all the way back to his days with the Jewish Theological Seminary's Leader's Training Fellowship beginning in 1971. Joe has also worked extensively with Camp Ramah in Wisconsin and served as Summer Director of Camp Ramah in New England in 1988. He came on aliya in 1980 with his wife. They have four children and live in Jerusalem.
Dr. Melissa Ser - Academic Coordinator
Melissa holds an MA and PhD in English Literature from the University of Rochester and a BA from Florida State University. She is the Academic Coordinator for TRY and USY High. Before making aliyah, Melissa served as a synagogue youth director and educational administrator; she has been teaching for over a decade in university and high school settings, and she is excited about a new semester of TRY and USY High. Melissa is also the Director of the English speaking Ramah Jerusalem Day Camp. She lives in Jerusalem with her husband, Sam, and their sons Ariel and Yonatan.
Aliza holds an MSW from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University, and a BSW from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She grew up in Israel and served in the Education Corps of the IDF. After completing her military service, Aliza worked as part of the mishlachat to Ramah Wisconsin during the course of two summers. Since 2001 she has been an integral part of the Ramah Israel staff, having been involved with both TRY / USY High and Seminar. Aliza has also worked extensively with youth and communities around the world, under the auspices of the Jewish Agency for Israel.
Moshe Gold - Israel Education Director
Moshe is the Educational Director of Ramah Programs in Israel. He lives in Jerusalem and works as an educator and tour guide throughout the year for Ramah. This includes Ramah Summer Seminar, RII, TRY and Poland Seminar. He is studying for his Masters in Contemporary Judaism at the Hebrew University.
Betsalel Steinhart - Israel Core Course
Betsalel was born in London, England, and made Aliyah as a teen with his family in 1986. After his army service, he earned a B.A. in Psychology from Bar Ilan University, and is currently studying towards an M.A. in Jewish Education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Betsalel has worked with a number of Israeli institutions involved in educating Diaspora youth, joining Ramah in 2000. He has worked in all of Ramah's departments in many educational and logistical capacities, and is one of our ICC teaching faculty. He is blessed to live in Jerusalem with his wife and three sons.
Judy Greene - Israel Program Coordinator, National Office
Judy Diamond Greene has an MSW from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University and received Certification as a Family Educator from Hebrew College, University of Hartford. Judy is the co-author of the new curriculum, “Sacred Choices”, published through the Union for Reform Judaism. She is also a Founder of Mayyim Hayyim, the Community Mikveh and Education Resource Center in Newton, MA. Judy lived in Massachusetts for 27 years before moving to New York. While in MA, she was Director of the Teen Initiative sponsored by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, Outreach Coordinator for the New England Region of Conservative Judaism, teacher at Solomon Shechter Day School in Newton, and Gann Academy/New Jewish High School in Waltham. She also spent 16 years working at Camp Ramah in New England. Judy is married to Rabbi Gary Greene and has four sons; Amichai, Hillel, Roni, and Asaf. She is currently residing in Douglaston, NY.
at the ramah jerusalem high school we know that our staff are crucial elements for the success of our programs. here is some information about the people involved in TRY / USY High.
Ilan Bloch - Israel Core Course
Ilan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, and a Graduate Diploma of Education, in Jewish Studies and Hebrew. He also holds a Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) Ministry of Education-authorised Tour Guiding Certificate. He is currently completing his Masters of Arts in Jewish Education at the Melton Center, at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Since making Aliyah five years ago, Ilan has worked with Ramah as teacher, tour guide and program coordinator. Ilan previously worked with Ramah as a madrich for TRY Australia in 1998, and was a TRY Australia participant in 1992. Before making Aliyah, Ilan was the Coordinator of Informal Jewish Education and a Jewish Studies, Israel Studies and Beginners Hebrew teacher at The King David School.
Nicole Dror - Administrative Coordinator
Nicole grew up in London, England, and made aliyah in January 1994. Just three months later she was employed as Ramah's administrative assistant. Nicole worked for Ramah until the year 2000 and held various positions including working as a Trip Coordinator for RII (Ramah Israel Institute) and spent a year working for the Israel Desk in the Ramah New York office. In the winter of 2008, Nicole returned to the Ramah family! Nicole has a rich background in administration and logistics and has worked at the Prime Minister's Office, the World Zionist Organization, and most recently at the Jerusalem Foundation as a writer for Culture Affairs. Nicole is married and lives with her husband and two children in Jerusalem.
Galia Dasberg - Hebrew Coordinator
Galia holds an MA in Jewish Education from the Lander Institution, and a BA in Sociology and Judaism from Hebrew University. She is the Hebrew Coordinator for TRY and USY High and has been teaching Hebrew for over a decade. Galia is also in charge of all the Hebrew programming at Ramah Israel. Galia lives in Alon Shvut with her husband, and 5 children.
Haggai Bannet - Born in Highland Park, NJ, Haggai moved to Israel when he was 2 years old. Haggai grew up in Elkana, a small yishuv near the center of the Israel and graduated from the local Yeshiva Tichonit (Yeshiva High School). After high school Haggai worked one summer as a counselor for USY Pilgrimage. He then enlisted in the army for three years and eventually became a commander in his combat unit in the Golani (infantry) Brigade. After completing his service, last summer he worked at Camp Ramah in the Poconos as a Hebrew teacher. After camp he traveled to South America for 4 months to 'see the world'. Haggai is extremely excited to work with Ramah again and looks forward to a wonderful semester.
Mollie Flink - Mollie graduated from the Joint Program between Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary in December where she majored in English., Comparative Literature, and Bible. Throughout college, she spent a lot of her time volunteering with kids and eating cupcakes. After TRY/USY High she wants to pursue a career in social work. Mollie has spent the majority of her summers at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin and as a staff member on USY Israel Pilgrimage. She hasn’t spent an extended period of time in Israel since she was on Nativ 24 in 2004 and cannot wait to be back in the holy land to share her love of Israel and Judaism (and desserts?) with TRY/USY High 2010!
Ephram Levin - Ephram graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston in June, 2009 with a B.A. in Economics. He has been in Israel since September, participating in a long-term internship placement program called Career Israel, through which he is an Intern at the Israel Securities Authority (Israel's SEC) in the International Department. Ephram is an alumnus of TRY and Ramah Seminar 2004, and a long time Ramahnik. He was a camper at Ramah in the Poconos through Gesher in 2003 and has worked for Camp Ramah in the Poconos every summer since 2005 (with one summer off to work at the Ramah Day Camp). In Kayitz 2009, he worked on the "Kav Reches" (Hebrew for "ridge line") staff, leading hiking trips on the Appalachian Trail, and canoe and rafting trips on the Delaware River. His staff consisted of himself and three Israelis, from whom Ephram learned a lot of Hebrew in preparation for his year in Israel. Ephram is so happy to have a chance to fulfill his goal of working for Ramah in Israel, and is very excited for TRYTEN.
Shira Lee Segal - Shira Lee grew up in Bergenfield, New Jersey and attended Solomon Schechter Day School from kindergarten through 12th grade. Since she was ten years old, Shira Lee has always counted down the days until summer to return to her home-away-from-home, Camp Ramah in the Berkshires. At camp, Shira Lee spent 7 summers as a camper, 3 as a counselor, and 2 as a rosh edah. In 2008, she graduated college from the Columbia University/Jewish Theological Seminary Joint Program where she majored in psychology and bible. Shira Lee’s most exciting year of college was her junior year at Hebrew University in Jerusalem! After TRY/USY High, Shira Lee plans to be enrolled in graduate social work school in the U.S. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, and running.
OUR MADRICHIM
Haggai Mollie Ephram Shira Lee
Aliza Grabin - Yoetzet and Head of Hadracha
Cindy Nathanson - Parent Liaison
Cindy Nathanson, MSW, LCSW, was born and raised in New York. She graduated from The New York University School of Social Work in 1997 with a masters degree in Social Work. Upon graduation, Cindy began working at Jewish Child Care Association as a social worker in their foster care division, primarily with the teenage population. In 2003 Cindy was promoted to Social Work Supervisor and remained in that role until 2007, when she made Aliyah. Cindy is currently attending The Family Institute at Neve Yerushalayim where she will receive a certificate in counseling and family therapy. Cindy is eager and excited to be part of TRY this semster!
Sarah Cytryn - Program Coordinator/Mifgashim
Sarah graduated from the Joint Program - Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City in 2007. After her graduation, Sarah decided to move to New Orleans to help with Hurricane Katrina relief. Sarah has spent the majority of her summers growing up at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin. Sarah was a participant in TRY 2001, and following that stayed for Ramah Israel Seminar. Last year Sarah was a madricha for TRY, and in September 2009 she made aliyah!! This year Sarah joins us as our Program Coordinator.
