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Faculty & Staff
We are fortunate to have an outstanding group of professionals on our school staff. Our team of teachers are dedicated to the children and committed to their education. They are actively involved in school programs and are devoted to the success of our school. Our staff brings with them a very diversified range of experiences and education. We are fortunate to have them share their skills and experiences with each of us.
Miriam Abrams-Stark is our new Director of Congregational Learning, and our new Principal, but is not new to the synagogue. She has worked many years with our youth and our older adults. She is already enjoying her new position, and is looking forward to working with all members in the Temple community to provide high quality Jewish educational programs.
Rivka Eskovitz is a new member of our staff, but certainly not new to teaching! She received her BA and a Teaching Diploma from Gratz College in Philadelphia. She has 35 years of teaching experience, including Religious Schools, day schools & Jewish high schools. She recently received the prestigious Grinspoon Steinhardt Award in Excellence in Jewish Education. She loves teaching and loves children.
Ben Farber is a student at Brown University who recently graduated from his post-confirmation religious school classes, as well as its Morim training program in Cherry Hill, NJ. Through URJ Camp Harlam in Kresgeville, PA, he traveled to Israel, became a counselor-in-training, and worked as a cabin counselor this past summer, helping to teach a daily Jewish lesson to young children. He has also worked in secular elementary school classrooms throughout his years in high school.
Rivkie Gerber comes to us from the Bureau of Jewish Education. She is our Special Education consultant. Rivkie has a creative approach to teaching and carries with her a bag full of tricks that is filled with educational games and activities that engage children to learn. Rivkie has been a Jewish educator for over 25 years, and has worked in our school for 10 years.
Ilana Kapach loves children and passing on to them her love of Hebrew, Israel and Judaism. She has been teaching Pre K through high school in different schools for the last eight years. She has taught our second graders for many years- this year; she will work with the 3rd and 4th grades. She thanks you for sharing your children with her!
Nicole Katzman has been teaching Kindergarten at Temple Emanu-El Religious School for the past four years. Under her direction, the program continues to flourish. When she is not teaching, she is the PJ Library Director at the Bureau of Jewish Education of Rhode Island. She has four children and enjoys hiking, swimming, traveling and art!
Toby W. Liebowitz has been teaching at Temple Emanu-El for more years than she can remember! For the past few years she has been teaching Hebrew and Prayer to grades 5 and 6 and overseeing the Hebrew curriculum. She recently organized and led a Family Trip to Israel, bringing six families with young children for an amazing experience in Israel. She is searching for some wonderful families for the next trip!
Shana Newman has been on our staff for two years, first as a substitute teacher and last year as an assistant teacher in 2nd Grade and for 5th and 6th Grade Hebrew. Shana is very excited to be teaching different classes this year and is looking forward to exploring Jewish values and customs with the 5th, 6th, and 7th graders! In her spare time, you'll find Shana out and about with her awesome dog, Buddy.
Alyse Teitelbaum is a committed member of our community, and is involved in many of our programs. She leads Kappy’s Kids Shabbat morning and has been a dedicated volunteer in our USY and Kadima programs. She will be teaching our 1 st graders this year. She brings her experience and enthusiasm as a mother, educator, and Youth Commission member to provide your children with a fun, spiritual environment to explore.
Yardena Winkler has been a teacher in our school since moving here from Maine in 1995, where she knew Miriam and taught her children! She brings a love and enthusiasm for Judaism and Jewish learning to everything she does. She is also working full time this year at the Rashi Day School in the Boston area.
Sue Yardeni has been teaching children in a Jewish setting for over 15 years. She has taught many arts programs and English to primary school age children in Israel. She has taught at Temple Habonim in Barrington, and for the last four years has taught here at Temple Emanu-El. Her family of four moved to RI from Israel eight years ago. She has two wonderful children, Sheeri and Ariel, soon to be graduating from college and high school, respectively.
Our clergy will also be teaching classes.
Rabbi Franklin needs no introduction! He has been the Senior Rabbi at Temple Emanu-El since 1981. In our Religious School, he teaches the 7th grade Prozdor class. This year, he will be teaching exclusively about Israel, as he is eager to share with them his love for Israel. He will be using a brand-new, sophisticated interactive curriculum with his class, designed by the David Project.
Rabbi Joel Seltzer is our new congregational Rabbi. Rabbi Seltzer will be involved in many of the educational programs of the synagogue. He will be teaching the 6th Grade Silver Bar/Bat Mitzvah program on Tuesdays, and will also teach our Prozdor students on Sundays. He is looking forward to sharing his love of text study and Midrash with his students and their parents.
Cantor Mayer also needs no introduction, being our Cantor since 1989. He has created many new and diverse musical programs during his tenure here. He is currently working on a large-scale musical commemoration of Kristallnacht, to take place on Nov. 9. In our school, he teaches the 6th Grade Silver Bar/Bat Mitzvah program on Tuesdays, and leads our school Minhah and Shacharit services.
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