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Rabbi George Barnard was born in Cambridge, MA and is a 1969 graduate of Harvard University, receiving a B.A. summa cum laude in philosophy. He attended HUC in New York from 1969 to 1975, earning the degree of M.A.H.L with honors in Talmud and philosophy, as well as a rabbinical diploma. From 1971 to 1973, Rabbi Barnard studied Jewish philosophy at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and received a Masters in Education from the University of Cincinnati in 1982. Rabbi Barnard has taught high school almost every year since coming to Cincinnati in 1975, at Northern Hills Synagogue, at pre-Mercaz and combined high schools, and at Mercaz. Rabbi Barnard is the Rabbi of Northern Hills Synagogue - Congregation B’nai Avraham.
Aaron Binik-Thomas is a Cincinnati native and former teacher at Mercaz High School. He is currently pursuing an education at the University of Cincinnati to earn a degree in Judaic Studies. At 23 years old, Aaron is a combat veteran of the Israeli Defense Forces. He spent the majority of his service as a sharpshooter in the 51st Battalion of the Golani Brigade, one of the IDF's most decorated units. After being injured in a training session for a mission, Aaron became a Soldiers Healthcare Liaison, caring for the needs of other injured combat soldiers. Honorably discharged at the rank of Sergeant, Aaron is very excited to return to Cincinnati and serve the Jewish community.
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.
Mitch is no stranger to Mercaz, and is very excited to be back teaching this semester. Mitch is a Mercaz board member, and has sat on the board for the past 6 years. He grew up in the Jewish community in Roselawn and at Adath Israel where he serves as their Music Program and Choir Director. Mitch is a graduate of Walnut Hills High School, and earned a BA with high honors in Psychology from the University of Cincinnati, where he received the Claire E. Hubert award given to the outstanding senior man. He has many interests, including computers. He runs an Internet dot com company he started with his wife Sherry. Mitch is a teacher at Adath Israel in their adult studies program and has taught in their religious school for the past three years. He has studied under Rabbi Wise and Alan Weiner at Adath Israel where he chants Haftorah and Torah, and regularly attends daily morning minyan services. He is married to Sherry and has three children, Jeff (a Mercaz graduate), Emily (a Mercaz Senior), and Ben (a future Mercaz student).
Brent Gutmann Brent Gutmann is new to the teaching staff at Mercaz. He was born in White Plains, New York but grew up in Dayton, Ohio. He attended Indiana University where he studied philosophy. Brent lived in Dayton, Chicago, and Washington DC before entering Rabbinical school where he is now in his second year at Hebrew Union College. He has also lived in Jerusalem, Phang Gna Thailand, and has traveled Eastern Europe, the middle east and Asia. Brent is a newlywed and lives in Hyde Park with his wife.
Stephanie Kogan is an adjunct professor at Southwestern College, teaching Communication, Foundations of English, and Foundations of Mathematics. She taught at Yavneh Day School for many years, as well as at The Davis Academy in Atlanta, Bialik Hebrew Day School in Toronto, and the Cincinnati Public Schools. She is a graduate of UCLA and the University of Cincinnati, earning a B.S.Ed. and M.Ed., and also studied for one year at the Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem. Stephanie created and led the Teaching Assistant Program (T.A.P.) for the Bureau of Jewish Education and Jewish Federation of Cincinnati for 13 years. She has trained and supervised over 200 teaching assistants for Cincinnati’s synagogues and temples. Many graduates of the program worked as religious and Hebrew school teachers during their college years, and they continue to serve Jewish communities across the country as education directors, teachers, communal workers, and lay leaders. Stephanie is looking forward to working with the madrichim (teaching assistants) at Mercaz.
Idit Moss was born and raised in Israel, and moved to Cincinnati after serving two years in the Israel Defense Force. While in Israel, Idit was a dancer in "Hadarim Rehovot", and "Shalom 2" dance groups. The groups performed around Israel, and took part of folk dance festivals in Europe. Idit continues to learn new dances by participating in dance workshops in the US and dancing in Israel every summer. Currently, she teaches after dance classes at Rockwern Academy and adult Israeli dance class at the JCC. Idit holds a bachelor degree in Elementary education as well as Masters degree in Educational Administration. Idit has two children, Karen, a student at Loveland High School and Mercaz, and Daniel a 5th grader at Rockwern Academy. Idit is excited to teach Israeli dances and have fun with Mercaz students.
Zahava spent 32 years as a teacher at
Yavneh Day School. She mentored countless teachers and brought many new
programs to the school. She developed a Hebrew enrichment program, creating the
materials from scratch. Zahava has taught Hebrew to everyone from preschool age
to adults. She has also tutored students in bar/bat mitzvah preparation and has
spoken to a many groups about her personal life experiences. She has taught at
Adath Israel’s high school program and at Northern Hills religious school in the
past. Zahava is currently teaching 3rd grade at Adath Israel’s Religious
School. She also currently serves as an ambassador of Holocaust and Humanity
center speaking to Elementary, Junior High and High schools about the Holocaust
and the importance of tolerance.
Rabbi Eric Slaton Rabbi Eric Slaton has served Beth Israel Synagogue since 1999. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati and did an additional year of Study at the Pardes Institute in Jerusalem. He has previously been the Rabbi for Congregations in Cincinnati, Plattsburgh New York and Lexington Kentucky. In addition, Rabbi Slaton has been civilian chaplain for the Air Force, a prison chaplain for the State of New York and for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. He has taught at Transylvania University and the University of Kentucky. He currently serves on the Boards of the Butler County United Way and Rotary Club of Hamilton. His lovely wife of 21 years, Kim Slaton, works for Jewish Vocational Services in Cincinnati. They have three sons.
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.
Scott is returning for his second year teaching at Mercaz. He graduated from Denver University with a degree in Political Science and then attended the University of Dayton Law School. He was the chairperson of athletics for the JCC from 1990-1995 and served as President of the JCC from 2002-2005. He is currently the immediate past president and a board member. Scott coached youth basketball for the JCC and Yavneh day school for 10 years and has been a sports fan from 1958 to the present time! Scott lives in Amberley Village with his wife Natalie, his children, Freddie, a Mercaz graduate, and Adam & Sarah, current Mercaz students.
Becca Wood is a student at the University of Cincinnati majoring in History. She spent her senior year of high school as a Madrich, a student assistant, at Adath Israel Religious School which peaked her interest in teaching. Becca has a passion for the arts, with an avid interest in photography, and is looking forward to bringing this passion and her creativity to Mercaz. She has also actively spent time over the years learning as much as she can about the holocaust, culminating in a trip to Poland and Israel through March of the Living. Becca is a graduate of Mercaz and is excited to come back to teach this semester tying together two of her interests to create a class that promises to be interesting and interactive.
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 and Becca, both Mercaz graduates. Our Chaverim M’Yisrael: Chen Ezer and Tomer Peretz
Tomer Peretz is 18 years old and from Netanya, Israel. He is the oldest of three boys. Tomer attended Camp Livingston through our partnership when he was twelve, and so has one of his younger brothers. His third brother hopes to attend in two years. Tomer studied at Sharet High School in Netanya and majored in Physics and Bio-medicine. He was very active in the Israel Scouting movement and became the head guide in the Netanya tribe last year. Tomer’s parents work in the energy industry and in finance businesses. He is very excited to come and share his talents with Cincinnati.
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