Our Educators
Ivy G. Schreiber
Director of the Religious School and Interim Director of Education (Youth &
Family)
Ivy G. Schreiber, Director of the Religious School and Interim Director of Education (Youth & Family), was born and raised in Coral Springs, Florida. Her formal Jewish education began at Temple Beth Am in Margate, FL, and was enhanced with informal Jewish experiences like United Synagogue Youth, Camp Ramah in Palmer and Camp Ramah Darom in Georgia. Following her graduation from Brandeis University, where she received a B.A. in Psychology, Ivy worked in Human Resources in the Healthcare Technology industry. However, Ivy never left Jewish education as she also continued teaching in Hebrew School and Judaica high school, in addition to tutoring b'nai mitzvah students. Ivy completed a Master of Arts degree in Jewish Education at the William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where she completed her practicum in synagogue education at Congregation Habonim.
Ivy joined the B'nai Jeshurun team in July, 2006. For the past two years, she oversaw the B'nai Mitzvah Program, served as the Assistant Principal of the Bnai Jeshurun Hebrew School and supervised the Ozrim (helpers) program in the Hebrew School. Ivy views Jewish education as a lifelong pursuit that requires each person to embrace and challenge a rich tradition, culture and community. Ivy is committed to helping develop the next generation of knowledgeable and dedicated Jewish leaders.
In her spare time Ivy enjoys traveling with her husband, David, rollerblading, cooking, reading a good book and spending time with her family. Ivy also takes advantage of the opportunity to volunteer her time as an interviewer for the Brandeis University Alumni Admissions Counsel and by reading with children in the New York public schools.
Davey Rosen
Family Educator
Davey Rosen, Family Educator, was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. His
formal Jewish education began at Congregation
Shaarey Zedek in Southfield, MI, and continued at
Hillel Day School, a
Solomon Schechter School, in Farmington Hills, MI. His Jewish education was
enhanced by informal experiences with United Synagogue Youth,
B'nai Brith Youth
Organization, Tamarack Camps in Michigan, and
Camp Ramah in Canada. Davey
attended Tichon Ramah Yerushalayim (TRY), the Ramah Jerusalem High School
program in Israel, during the spring semester of 11th grade, and after high
school, he returned to Israel for Young Judaea Year Course, where he was a
volunteer on Kibbutz Ketura. Following his graduation from the
University of
Judaism in Los Angeles, where he received a B.A. in Modern Jewish History and
Thought, Davey attended the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies for one year. In
2004, after five years of academic studies in Los Angeles, Davey moved to New
York City to work for Young Judaea, supervising regional programs in Upstate New
York and Connecticut during the school year and running operations at
Camp Young Judaea Sprout Lake in Verbank, NY, during the summer. Davey completed a Master
of Arts degree in Jewish Education at the William Davidson Graduate School of
Jewish Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he completed his
practicum in informal and communal education at United Jewish Communities. Davey joined the B'nai Jeshurun team as the Family Educator in July, 2008. However, he is very familiar with the BJ community, playing guitar and singing for children's Shabbat and holiday services since the summer of 2007. Davey is passionate about creating opportunities for people to actively engage with the diverse voices of Judaism in order to discover their own voice within the Jewish tradition.
In his spare time, Davey is a singer-songwriter performing original music throughout New York City. As well, he is a member of JamDaven, a band that seeks to create interactive, pluralistic, musical prayer experiences; integrating elements of traditional Jewish prayer with modern music. Davey is also an avid Detroit Pistons fan and still dreams of playing in the NBA.
Kerrith Solomon
Director of Teen Programs
Kerrith Solomon, Director of Teen Programs, was born and raised in southern Connecticut. She grew up at Temple Israel in Westport, CT where she attended Hebrew School and eventually found her way to URJ's Kutz Camp as a participant, and later as staff. Kerrith graduated with a BA in Religion from Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT and shortly thereafter moved to New York where she worked at UJA-Federation of New York in the Educational Resources and Organizational Development Department. Kerrith eventually went back to school and is currently in rabbinical school at the Jewish Theological Seminary.
Kerrith came to B'nai Jeshurun in the fall of 2004 and worked on children's services, b'nai mitzvah and teenagers, but since returning to school has focused her work on the teen program. She has also worked on two of BJ's recent Israel trips. Kerrith believes in creating new and challenging experiences for our teens inside and outside of the synagogue and class room in order to encourage them to articulate their own Jewish identity. This year, in addition to creating exciting programs for teenagers, Kerrith is looking forward to getting back into the class room and teaching 7th grade in the BJ Hebrew School.
Between classes and work, Kerrith loves to go to the ballet and theater and is always looking for good book suggestions. She is an avid Harry Potter fan and sadly, is looking for a new hobby now that the series has ended.
Rebecca Rosenthal
Youth & Family Shabbat and Holidays Coordinator
Rebecca Rosenthal, the Youth & Family Shabbat and Holidays Coordinator, was born and raised in New York City. Her formal Jewish education began at BJ's Hebrew School (then called the West Side Jewish Community School) and was supplemented by her time at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires and her participate in teen life at BJ. For many years during high school, Rebecca lead children's services for children under three. Following her graduation from Yale University, where she received at B.A. in Religious Studies, Rebecca entered Rabbinical school at the Jewish Theological Seminary. During her time in Rabbinical School, Rebecca has worked at JEXNET: The Network for Experiential Jewish Education, Congregation Habonim, Park Avenue Synagogue, leading Shabbat services at the Atria Senior Home and as a Rosh Edah at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires.
Rebecca joined the staff of BJ in 2006 as the Shabbat and Holidays Coordinator. She oversees children's services, Junior Congregation and Family holiday programs such as the Sukkah decorating party and the Tu BiShevat Seder. Rebecca also teaches in the Hebrew school. She is excited to be working in the community that helped form her Jewish identity and loves getting to know all the families.
Rebecca is currently in her fourth year of rabbinical school and in her spare time she enjoys traveling, cooking, hanging out with her friends and doing what she can to help her husband, Adam Arenson, finish his dissertation in American History.
Elana Ayalon
Program Administrator (Youth and Family)
Elana Ayalon, Program Administrator (Youth and Family), was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She attended East Midwood Day School, Yeshiva of Flatbush and graduated from Long Island University with a B.A. in Criminal Law. After college Elana moved to New York City, where she spent several years working in media sales. A chance meeting led to her working for the Chancellor at the Jewish Theological Seminary and that was her introduction to the Jewish non-profit world. After working at JTS, Elana spent five years at the Columbia/Barnard Hillel where she was the office manager and development associate.
In her spare time Elana enjoys spending time with her friends and her dogs, searching for the perfect people watching spot in Manhattan, writing, watching the Yankees and reading books of minimal literary merit. Elana is very excited to be joining the B'nai Jeshurun team and looks forward to a wonderful, enriching experience.