Our Educators
Ivy G. Schreiber
Director of Education for Youth and Family
Ivy Schreiber
Ivy 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 including many years in United Synagogue Youth (USY), and summers at Camp Ramah in New England 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 continued teaching in Hebrew Schools and Judaica high schools, 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 first two years, she oversaw the B’nai Mitzvah Program, served as the Assistant Principal of the Bnai Jeshurun Hebrew School and supervised the Ozrim (teachers’ aides) program. In July 2008, Ivy became the Director of Education for Youth and Family at BJ, leading BJ’s Hebrew School and the Youth and Family Education team. 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, participating, committed and dedicated Jewish leaders.
In her spare time Ivy enjoys spending time with her family – her husband, David, and their baby Brady! She loves traveling, cooking, and curling up with her cats and a good book. Ivy also volunteers her time as an interviewer for prospective students at Brandeis University and by reading with children in the New York public schools.
Emily Walsh
Assistant Director of Education for Youth and Family
Emily Walsh
Emily is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, where she attended religious school at The Valley Temple and was active in the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization. While working toward a BA in Journalism at Indiana University, Emily spent her summers working at Goldman Union Camp Institute (URJ Camp) in Zionsville, Indiana. After graduation, she served as a Jewish Campus Service Corps Fellow at the St. Louis Hillel at Washington University. Emily recently completed Masters in Arts degrees in Jewish Education and Jewish Communal Service at the Rhea Hirsch School of Education and the School of Jewish Communal Service, respectively, from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Los Angeles, studying as a Wexner Graduate Fellow and Davidson Scholar. There, she had internships at the Los Angeles Jewish Federation and Temple Beth Sholom in Santa Ana, California.
Emily joined the Youth and Family team at B’nai Jeshurun in June, 2009. She is responsible for the B’nai Mitzvah programs, and works closely with families with young children, coordinating Shabbat and Holiday services and program. Her commitment to Judaism brings alive her passion for fusing learning with action. She is dedicated to inspiring Jews of all ages to follow a path of Jewish education that they find rich, meaningful, and even challenging.
Emily is thrilled to be living in New York where she can take advantage of all that the city has to offer. As a child she dreamed of staring in Broadway musicals, and is now, at least, geographically closer to making that dream a reality! She also enjoys spending time outdoors, practicing yoga, and traveling.
Ira Dounn
Teen Educator
Ira Dounn
Ira has a wealth of experience in working with teens and leading service learning trips. While studying at the University of Chicago, where he concentrated in Public Policy Studies, he served as a board member and the project leader of Habitat for Humanity, and also participated in service learning trips with Hillel to New Orleans and to Buenos Aires, Argentina. After college, Ira studied in Israel, and then at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah until 2008. In January 2008, he traveled to Ghana on American Jewish World Service’s (AJWS) Rabbinical School Delegation. Currently, Ira also works at Jewish Child Care Association’s (JCCA) Bukharian Teen Lounge, a comprehensive after school program for Bukharian teenagers in Queens. Ira loves bringing his experience and enthusiasm for Jewish education to the BJ Teen program!
Leora Frankel
Rabbinic Intern for Youth and Family
Leora Frankel
Leora has been a BJ member for many years, and began working at BJ in January of 2009. Leora has vast experience in Jewish Education working with kids of all ages. Leora grew up in East Brunswick, NJ where she was very active in Young Judaea, the Zionist youth movement. Leora completed the undergraduate Dual Degree Program between Barnard College and the Jewish Theological Seminary, majoring in Psychology and Bible, as well as a Master’s degree in Jewish Education at JTS. Leora has been to Israel over a dozen times, including two year-long academic programs, and has worked in Jewish camping, leadership training, and synagogue education, most recently for national Young Judaea. She is currently enrolled in her third year of rabbinical school at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York and is a Schusterman Fellow. Leora can be found leading Junior Congregation, and is proud of the great start to the “Rosh Hodesh: Its’ a Grils’ Thing” Program for 6th grade girls, which builds self-esteem, leadership skills, Jewish identity, and friendship networks of adolescent girls. Leora also leads Tefillah in Hebrew School and organizes some community programs for families at BJ.
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.