Meet our Wonderful Teachers at Kesher School
GAN HA’YELADIM (GARDEN OF CHILDREN)
Young Families with children infancy through first grade (twice monthly)
ALEPH
Students K-1 (twice monthly)
Gan Ha’Yeladim (Garden of Children - Young Families Programming) and Aleph Class:
(These programs are offered in conjunction with each other and share the same Rabbi and Educator team).
Rabbi Ruth Smith graduated from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 1994. She spent 9 years as a congregational rabbi during which time she developed and participated in programming for families with young children. While a pulpit rabbi, she was a teacher to students of all ages. Among the adult classes she has taught are: Exploration of the Ethical Teachings of the Jewish Holidays, A Spiritual Introduction to the Jewish Prayer Service, and a discussion group for intermarried couples. Currently she is a Jewish chaplain at the University of Maryland Medical Center. As a member of Beit Tikvah, she runs the monthly children's service for elementary age children. With the Gan HaYeladim (Garden of the Children) program, she brings her experience building community with young children and their families to the Beit Tikvah Community. Rabbi Ruth and her partner, Larry, have twin 9 year old sons.
Deborah Buffalin coordinates the Gan Ha’Yeladim (Young Families – Garden of Children) program and teaches Aleph Class. Morah (teacher) Deborah grew up in a culturally Jewish home in New York City, and attended Carnegie Mellon University for degrees in architecture and urban affairs. After moving to Baltimore to work in community development and non-profit housing administration, Deborah stayed home to raise her three children. She is currently the office manager for a multi-media creativity lab at Johns Hopkins University.
Deborah’s deeper exploration into her Jewish heritage as an adult was triggered by her own children’s attendance at Beit Tikvah’s Kesher School. As Deborah participated in the Jewish education of Julian, Leila, and Amelia, she became deeply engaged in wrestling with Judaism and wanted to share her family’s learning with others. She became the Zemanim teacher (culture, values, and holidays) at Kesher School in 2003, and quickly became known as “the project lady” for her love of turning any and all lessons into a hands-on experience. In the classroom, she brings her experience working with many age groups and diverse populations, from volunteering in Baltimore County schools, to coaching extracurricular activites, and serving as informal advisor and spare “mom” to dozens of college students every year.
This year, is thrilled to be trusted with the premiere of Beit Tikvah’s young families program, Gan HaYeladim, and its new association with Kesher School’s Aleph Class. Family programming is Morah Deborah’s passion, and these programs allow her to engage in and share her family’s love of Judaism.
BEIT
Students in Grades 2-3 (weekly)
Shayna Lebovic teaches the Aleph class. She was raised in a Jewish home in Baltimore, Maryland and attended a local Jewish private school. Her nurturing home life and enriching education instilled in her a love for her heritage and a desire to share her love with others. Shayna’s first year out of high school was spent abroad volunteering at a Jewish foster home. She enjoyed interacting with the children, helping them with their homework, teaching them dance (another love of Shayna’s) and organizing daily activities.
Currently she is working as a clinical assistant at the Center for Mental Health and attending Towson University where she is pursuing a dual major in psychology and family studies. She has maintained top grades since beginning at Towson University and has been awarded the honorable distinction of Dean’s List recipient for every semester to date.
Shayna is no stranger to Synagogue youth education. She has spent her high school years volunteering at her local synagogue youth education division. Shayna is excited to be part of the Kesher community.
GIMMEL
Students in Grades 4-6 (weekly)
Allyson Mattanah teaches the Gimmel class, grades 4 through 6. Growing up in a secular family in a small New England town, Allyson was drawn to Jewish customs and humour, but began to take Torah learning seriously in College. She became active at the U.C. Berkeley Hillel, lived in a Jewish Bayit, and worshiped at the local Modern Orthodox and Conservative Synagogues. She graduated from U.C. Berkeley with Honors in the Humanities with a minor in education. Allyson met her true love across the mechizah, got married, went to law school and received a J.D. from U.C. Hastings College of the Law. With her husband and first born babe in arms, Allyson moved back east. The growing Mattanah family finally settled on what they now consider their spiritual home in Reconstructionist Judaism in Roland Park. Allyson's passion for progressive education landed her on the Kesher Committee of Congregation Beit Tikvah. Through the CoChav process, Allyson put her theories to the test in guiding a cooperative and productive group of learners in the Ilanot class. When she is not making new materials or thinking up new lessons for Ilanot, Allyson works as an attorney for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Allyson lives in Keswick (Alonsoville) with her fabulous husband, Jonathan, and delightful children, Jeremy (12) and Nadia (9).
Mazal Tov to Allyson Mattanah!
Jewish Women's Archive (JWA) has awarded the inaugural Natalia Twersky Educator Award to Allyson Mattanah. The honor recognizes educators who use JWA's material in creative and engaging ways, as Allyson did when she designed a lesson that draws parallels between women in the Purim story and Jewish women who helped build the American Labor Movement.
SHORASHIM
Students in Grades 7-8 (weekly)
A two year capstone class designed for the pre and post B'nei Mitzvah years.
The Shorashim class is partially funded by a grant from the Jewish Education Enhancement Program of the Center for Jewish Education.
Micheline Anderson
Morah Miche teaches Shorashim students, after spending a wonderful year teaching Bet. Miche was raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia by two wonderful parents who gave her the gift of a formal Jewish education at the Hebrew Academy of Tidewater (HAT). After graduating from HAT, Miche remained passionate about Judaism, becoming a Bat Mitzvah and then garnering leadership positions in her reform synagogue’s youth group and National Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY). She received her bachelor's from Duke University in 2006 and then spent eight months living in Tel Aviv as an editorial assistant for the international newspaper, Haaretz. Upon her return, Miche immediately reinvigorated her love for her hometown Jewish community, working as Marketing Coordinator for Jewish Family Service of Tidewater, teaching Sunday School to pre-Bar and Bat Mitzvah students at Ohef Sholom synagogue, and serving as a weekly tutor for Grades 1-6 at Ohef Sholom as well. A transition to graduate school brought Miche to Baltimore and she is thrilled to have found a new home in the Kesher community. She hopes to inspire in her students the same love for Jewish tradition that her family instilled in her.
PRINCIPAL
Debbie Rosenberg served as a teacher and consultant at Kesher School from 2006-2010. Kesher Committee appointed her Principal in 2011. She is a Maryland State certified teacher with a decade of experience in Maryland K-12 schools. She is currently the Department Chair of Social Studies in a Maryland non-public K-8 school. She holds a B.A. from Beloit College, an M.A. in American History from Portland State University, and her educational certification courses were taken at the Johns Hopkins University.
Principal and Morah (Teacher) D'vora grew up in New York City, and attended Reform synagogues and Workman's Circle Sunday schools (which is where she got her love of Yiddish and Jewish history). Through her adult life, she has pursued increased knowledge of Judaism, culminating in her choice to pursue a Jewish topic for her Master's Thesis (entitled Agricultural Aliyah: The Am-Olam Movement in the United States), and her shift into Reconstructionist Judaism. She continues her studies into Jewish Civilization by auditing courses at the Baltimore Hebrew University in Biblical Jewish History and Biblical Scholarship.
Morah D'vora delights in being able to visit classrooms and work with the students in Kesher School one-on-one and in groups. Her favorite time in school is the Morning Assembly, when she gets to “travel to Jewish time” with the entire school. She loves to plan exciting field trips, music & dance festivals, and she especially loves messy art projects. Her favorite educational programming takes students out of their classroom and puts parents in it! Family programming is an important part of Morah D'vora’s interests, and she loves to see it reflected in Kesher programs. She invites you to visit Kesher any Sunday of the year to see our program in action, and/or to contact her directly with any questions about our school at kesherprincipal@beittikvah.org.
Young Families with children infancy through first grade (twice monthly)
ALEPH
Students K-1 (twice monthly)
Gan Ha’Yeladim (Garden of Children - Young Families Programming) and Aleph Class:
(These programs are offered in conjunction with each other and share the same Rabbi and Educator team).
Rabbi Ruth Smith graduated from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 1994. She spent 9 years as a congregational rabbi during which time she developed and participated in programming for families with young children. While a pulpit rabbi, she was a teacher to students of all ages. Among the adult classes she has taught are: Exploration of the Ethical Teachings of the Jewish Holidays, A Spiritual Introduction to the Jewish Prayer Service, and a discussion group for intermarried couples. Currently she is a Jewish chaplain at the University of Maryland Medical Center. As a member of Beit Tikvah, she runs the monthly children's service for elementary age children. With the Gan HaYeladim (Garden of the Children) program, she brings her experience building community with young children and their families to the Beit Tikvah Community. Rabbi Ruth and her partner, Larry, have twin 9 year old sons.
Deborah Buffalin coordinates the Gan Ha’Yeladim (Young Families – Garden of Children) program and teaches Aleph Class. Morah (teacher) Deborah grew up in a culturally Jewish home in New York City, and attended Carnegie Mellon University for degrees in architecture and urban affairs. After moving to Baltimore to work in community development and non-profit housing administration, Deborah stayed home to raise her three children. She is currently the office manager for a multi-media creativity lab at Johns Hopkins University.
Deborah’s deeper exploration into her Jewish heritage as an adult was triggered by her own children’s attendance at Beit Tikvah’s Kesher School. As Deborah participated in the Jewish education of Julian, Leila, and Amelia, she became deeply engaged in wrestling with Judaism and wanted to share her family’s learning with others. She became the Zemanim teacher (culture, values, and holidays) at Kesher School in 2003, and quickly became known as “the project lady” for her love of turning any and all lessons into a hands-on experience. In the classroom, she brings her experience working with many age groups and diverse populations, from volunteering in Baltimore County schools, to coaching extracurricular activites, and serving as informal advisor and spare “mom” to dozens of college students every year.
This year, is thrilled to be trusted with the premiere of Beit Tikvah’s young families program, Gan HaYeladim, and its new association with Kesher School’s Aleph Class. Family programming is Morah Deborah’s passion, and these programs allow her to engage in and share her family’s love of Judaism.
BEIT
Students in Grades 2-3 (weekly)
Shayna Lebovic teaches the Aleph class. She was raised in a Jewish home in Baltimore, Maryland and attended a local Jewish private school. Her nurturing home life and enriching education instilled in her a love for her heritage and a desire to share her love with others. Shayna’s first year out of high school was spent abroad volunteering at a Jewish foster home. She enjoyed interacting with the children, helping them with their homework, teaching them dance (another love of Shayna’s) and organizing daily activities.
Currently she is working as a clinical assistant at the Center for Mental Health and attending Towson University where she is pursuing a dual major in psychology and family studies. She has maintained top grades since beginning at Towson University and has been awarded the honorable distinction of Dean’s List recipient for every semester to date.
Shayna is no stranger to Synagogue youth education. She has spent her high school years volunteering at her local synagogue youth education division. Shayna is excited to be part of the Kesher community.
GIMMEL
Students in Grades 4-6 (weekly)
Allyson Mattanah teaches the Gimmel class, grades 4 through 6. Growing up in a secular family in a small New England town, Allyson was drawn to Jewish customs and humour, but began to take Torah learning seriously in College. She became active at the U.C. Berkeley Hillel, lived in a Jewish Bayit, and worshiped at the local Modern Orthodox and Conservative Synagogues. She graduated from U.C. Berkeley with Honors in the Humanities with a minor in education. Allyson met her true love across the mechizah, got married, went to law school and received a J.D. from U.C. Hastings College of the Law. With her husband and first born babe in arms, Allyson moved back east. The growing Mattanah family finally settled on what they now consider their spiritual home in Reconstructionist Judaism in Roland Park. Allyson's passion for progressive education landed her on the Kesher Committee of Congregation Beit Tikvah. Through the CoChav process, Allyson put her theories to the test in guiding a cooperative and productive group of learners in the Ilanot class. When she is not making new materials or thinking up new lessons for Ilanot, Allyson works as an attorney for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Allyson lives in Keswick (Alonsoville) with her fabulous husband, Jonathan, and delightful children, Jeremy (12) and Nadia (9).
Mazal Tov to Allyson Mattanah!
Jewish Women's Archive (JWA) has awarded the inaugural Natalia Twersky Educator Award to Allyson Mattanah. The honor recognizes educators who use JWA's material in creative and engaging ways, as Allyson did when she designed a lesson that draws parallels between women in the Purim story and Jewish women who helped build the American Labor Movement.
SHORASHIM
Students in Grades 7-8 (weekly)
A two year capstone class designed for the pre and post B'nei Mitzvah years.
The Shorashim class is partially funded by a grant from the Jewish Education Enhancement Program of the Center for Jewish Education.
Micheline Anderson
Morah Miche teaches Shorashim students, after spending a wonderful year teaching Bet. Miche was raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia by two wonderful parents who gave her the gift of a formal Jewish education at the Hebrew Academy of Tidewater (HAT). After graduating from HAT, Miche remained passionate about Judaism, becoming a Bat Mitzvah and then garnering leadership positions in her reform synagogue’s youth group and National Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY). She received her bachelor's from Duke University in 2006 and then spent eight months living in Tel Aviv as an editorial assistant for the international newspaper, Haaretz. Upon her return, Miche immediately reinvigorated her love for her hometown Jewish community, working as Marketing Coordinator for Jewish Family Service of Tidewater, teaching Sunday School to pre-Bar and Bat Mitzvah students at Ohef Sholom synagogue, and serving as a weekly tutor for Grades 1-6 at Ohef Sholom as well. A transition to graduate school brought Miche to Baltimore and she is thrilled to have found a new home in the Kesher community. She hopes to inspire in her students the same love for Jewish tradition that her family instilled in her.
PRINCIPAL
Debbie Rosenberg served as a teacher and consultant at Kesher School from 2006-2010. Kesher Committee appointed her Principal in 2011. She is a Maryland State certified teacher with a decade of experience in Maryland K-12 schools. She is currently the Department Chair of Social Studies in a Maryland non-public K-8 school. She holds a B.A. from Beloit College, an M.A. in American History from Portland State University, and her educational certification courses were taken at the Johns Hopkins University.
Principal and Morah (Teacher) D'vora grew up in New York City, and attended Reform synagogues and Workman's Circle Sunday schools (which is where she got her love of Yiddish and Jewish history). Through her adult life, she has pursued increased knowledge of Judaism, culminating in her choice to pursue a Jewish topic for her Master's Thesis (entitled Agricultural Aliyah: The Am-Olam Movement in the United States), and her shift into Reconstructionist Judaism. She continues her studies into Jewish Civilization by auditing courses at the Baltimore Hebrew University in Biblical Jewish History and Biblical Scholarship.
Morah D'vora delights in being able to visit classrooms and work with the students in Kesher School one-on-one and in groups. Her favorite time in school is the Morning Assembly, when she gets to “travel to Jewish time” with the entire school. She loves to plan exciting field trips, music & dance festivals, and she especially loves messy art projects. Her favorite educational programming takes students out of their classroom and puts parents in it! Family programming is an important part of Morah D'vora’s interests, and she loves to see it reflected in Kesher programs. She invites you to visit Kesher any Sunday of the year to see our program in action, and/or to contact her directly with any questions about our school at kesherprincipal@beittikvah.org.
