
Rabbi George Barnard
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.
Phyllis
Binik-Thomas
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.
Barbara Bresler
Barbara Morrison-Bresler grew up in
Dallas, Texas and holds a Fine Arts Degree from the University of Texas and a
Masters in Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia. She was a
librarian at the University of Nebraska, the Archivist/Director for the Nebraska
Jewish Historical Society, and a consultant archivist with the Jewish Women's
Archive in Boston. Since moving to Cincinnati, Barbara has served as the
Librarian at Adath Israel. Barbara is married to Scott Bresler and loves being
the mom of Lenny, Elka and Micah.
Amber Feldman
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.
Jenny Grubbs
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!
Scott
Kabakoff
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.
Zahava Rendler
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.
Allison
Schottenstein
Alley Schottenstein is a recent
graduate of Brandeis University who studied Near Eastern and Judaic Studies and
Women and Gender Studies. Alley recently completed her senior research on the
Jewish Multiracial Identity in America. She has been active in the Jewish
community in Cincinnati for several years and has researched extensively at the
American Jewish Archives. Much of Allison’s interest in the Jewish community has
been influenced both by her family as well as her travels around the world. One
of Allison’s fondest memories is her visit with the Jewish community in Cuba.
In her spare time, Allison enjoys creative writing and films. Allison is
planning on pursuing a Ph.D in Jewish Studies in the Fall of 2009
Rabbi
Benjamin Travis
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
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.
Laurie
Weinstein
Laurie is a Cincinnati native who
lives in Oakley with her husband, Michael, a Rabbinic student at HUC, and their
3 year old son, Mose. She has taught in the past at Reform Jewish High School
and currently trains prospective B'nai Mitzvah students. She also chants Torah
and Haftorah for Adath Israel. She currently is a Cantorial Soloist at a small
congregation in Richmond, Indiana where her husband is the student Rabbi.
Tracy Weisberger
Tracy Weisberger, director of
education and programming at Northern Hills Synagogue, is a native Cincinnatian
who has taught in various Jewish settings. She graduated from The University of
Cincinnati with a Bachelors in Judaic Studies and then earned a Masters in
Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. Tracy resides
in Amberley with her husband and three daughters.
Rabbi Irvin Wise
Rabbi Irvin Wise is a Cincinnati
native and a Woodward High School graduate. He holds a Bachelors Degree in
Psychology from Indiana University and an MA in Hebrew Letters from Hebrew Union
College/Jewish Institute of Religion. His Rabbinic ordination was also received
from HUC in 1979. He has served as the Director of Student Activities and
Assistant Rabbi at Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem, and as the Executive
Director of the Hillel Foundations of Ohio University and the University of
Minnesota. Rabbi Wise has been the Senior Rabbi of Adath Israel Congregation
since 1992. He is married to Kathy, with whom he has three daughters – Ora,
Shalva, and Tehila.
Dara Wood
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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