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Phyllis Binik-Thomas is a contemporary Jewish artist and educator. She creates one of a kind, hand-calligraphed and hand-painted, personalized ketubot and other calligraphic art commissions by clients throughout the country. She is also Director of Education at Beth Israel Synagogue in Hamilton, Ohio. Phyllis works with her clients to design a piece of art that combines a selected text with unique symbols and illustration that are personal to each couple. The process of working closely with people to create something meaningful and special to them is just as important to her as is the finished product.
David Grubbs, graduated from Sycamore High School in 2005. After graduation, spent a year in Israel. Spent three months in Tel Aviv, then Netanya, and then three months in Jerusalem. He has been on trips to Poland twice, and accumulated 1000 volunteer hours in Israel. Most of his time was spent working with kids, in daycares and schools throughout Israel. David is currently enrolled at The University of Cincinnati, pursuing a degree in Communications.
Jenny Grubbs is a second year graduate student at the University of Cincinnati in Communication. Her focus is on environmental communication and feminism. She is currently applying to PhD schools and working on her thesis. She hopes to teach at the university level and work as a consultant for non-profit animal rights organizations one day. Jenny also teaches 4th grade at Adath Israel. She grew up in Cincinnati and is still a member of Young Judaea. Jenny is looking forward to teaching at Mercaz!
Amber Feldman is the director of cultural arts and city director for BBYO at the Cincinnati JCC. She moved up here from Atlanta where she was education director for Jewish Theatre of the South. Amber got her undergraduate degree at Temple University in Philadelphia where she double majored in theatre and Jewish studies and went on to graduate school at the University of Texas in Austin. While in Austin she worked with Cinemakids film festival’ an international youth film festival that takes place yearly in Austin. Amber has taught and directed theatre around the country and is working to build up the arts program at the JCC.
Rob Festenstein is the Administrator for Adath Israel Congregation and is excited to once again serve as an instructor for Mercaz. Rob holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix, a Master of Science degree from Spertus College, and Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois State University. A former congregational youth director in the Chicago area, Rob has worked with Jewish youth and teens in a number of different capacities for over fifteen years. In his spare time, Rob volunteers as a board member for the Jewish Community Relations Council, The Workum Foundation, the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, and enjoys collecting law enforcement memorabilia. Above all else, Rob’s greatest joy in life is his family. He is married to Rachel Hodesh Festenstein, with whom he is the proud parent of two sons, Noah.& Aaron.
Scott Kabakoff grew up here in Cincinnati, attending Yavneh day school during his youth through the eighth grade. He has been teaching various grades at area religious schools since he was eighteen. He has his B.A. in Judaic studies at the University of Cincinnati. Scott is beginning his first year as the USY advisor at Northern Hills Synagogue. For the last seven years he has been teaching second grade at Adath Israel’s religious school, and in 2005 was the recipient of the Walter Hattenbach Award for Excellence in Jewish Education. Scott became a father for the first time, and is the proud father of son Jacob. In his spare time Scott enjoys photography, reading and spending time with his wife and son.
Rabbi Pinchas Landis grew up in suburban Atlanta where his family was members of the 3rd largest conservative synagogue in the world. Through his involvement with BBYO, where he served as International President, he made the decision to become a Rabbi. Rabbi Landis was ordained in 2005 by the Ner Israel Rabbinical College in Baltimore after studying in Israel and New York as well. He now works full time for the Cincinnati Community Kollel as the Project Director of the Kollel Retreat Center, and is happily married to Naomi Landis with three beautiful children.
Jennifer Lane is excited to become a part of the Mercaz team for this coming school year. She has been an active part of different Ohio Jewish communities for the past ten years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Behavioral Sciences, with a background in Sociology and Criminology. At the moment, she is pursuing her Masters degree in School and Community counseling and hopes to become a middle school counselor in the next year. Jennifer has also done substitute teaching at Yavneh day school last spring and is on their substitute list for next year, kindergarten through fourth grade Hebrew and English studies. She taught 3rd grade Hebrew for Adath Israel last year as well, and will be teaching Sunday school for Northern Hills synagogue next year. She is engaged to Jonathan Rubin and will be married next summer. Jennifer is really looking forward to working with the high school students in Mercaz and helping them learn new and exciting topics.
Brett Schwartz is the Director of Youth and Family Programs at Adath Israel Congregation. He attended Gratz College where he received his teaching certificate in Reform Judaism. While earning his BS at Ithaca College, in exercise science and outdoor recreation, Brett’s extra curriculars surrounding the Jewish community included teaching Hebrew school, President of Hillel, tutoring for bar and bat mitzvahs, and being a USY youth advisor. When Brett was not working with the Jewish community he was playing either varsity volleyball or tennis, intramural softball, and club ultimate Frisbee. Along with sports Brett also enjoys participating in Latin Israeli and swing classes.
Rabbi Benjamin Travis holds an M.S. in Business from Johns Hopkins University, along with ten years of Rabbinical training. He began formally teaching teens in 1997 while living in Jerusalem, serving on the staff of an English-speaking religious school. After coming to Cincinnati in 1998 to become part of the Cincinnati Community Kollel, Rabbi Travis continued working with teens and college age students, giving weekly classes both in Cincinnati and the Miami University Hillel. He has spent the last several years as a Judaic studies teacher and administrator at the Cincinnati Hebrew Day School. He is a former captain of a championship Frisbee team and his other interests include tennis and playing guitar.
Sharon Wasserberg is the Director of Education at Adath Israel. She earned her BA at Northern Illinois University in De Kalb, Illinois where she studied Sociology and Psychology as well as acquiring teacher certification for grades 6 through 12.Many years later, she returned to full-time graduate school study at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles and was awarded both a MAEd and B.Lit. Sharon taught Religious School for about 25 years, directed a Stepping Stones Program, and has been the director of education at synagogues in Evanston, Illinois and Milwaukee, Wisconsin before moving to Cincinnati in 2005.In her spare time, she enjoys a good game of Scrabble and completes Sunday crossword puzzles in ink.
Dara Wood is thrilled to continue as the Director for Mercaz for this school year. She was an active part of the Mercaz board for the over five years, serving as chairperson for two years. She holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Elementary Education and a Montessori certificate. Dara spent a year substitute teaching with Lakota schools and then served as head teacher at a local Montessori pre-school for 4 years. She served at Adath Israel as the chair of the religious school board for three years and is currently in her third year as a Vice President of the congregation. She is looking forward to helping Mercaz continue the growth we have all seen these past several years. She is married to Rob and has two children, Brittany, a Mercaz graduate, and Becca, a current student.
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