Religious School Teachers and Staff 5785
Rabbi Toba Spitzer (she/her)
Senior Rabbi & Tefillah As Experience Teacher
t.spitzer@dorsheitzedek.org
Rabbi Toba Spitzer has been the spiritual leader of Congregation Dorshei Tzedek since graduating from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 1997. Rabbi Spitzer has long been active in peace and justice work both in the U.S. and in Israel/Palestine. She currently serves on the Board of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, and as President of the Massachusetts Board of Rabbis. She brings her love of music and her guitar-playing to CDT services, and her passion for teachings to adults and children both at CDT and throughout the greater Boston area.
You can find more information about Rabbi Toba and links to her writings here.
Earnest Arky Solomon (he/they)
Education Director
e.arkysolomon@dorsheitzedek.org
Earnest Arky Solomon is honored to be the Education Director and is eager to support CDT in creating inclusive, meaningful, and justice oriented Jewish learning opportunities.In addition to working at CDT, Earnest is a SVARA Teaching Kollel fellow, which equips trans and queer teachers to lead empowering Talmud learning communities. Earnest received an M.A. in Jewish Studies at the Graduate Theological Union and a B.A. in Near Eastern Studies at UC Berkeley. Earnest draws on his education to create learning experiences rooted in history, storytelling, cultural arts, and social justice. Prior to moving East, Earnest ran an outdoor Jewish religious school in the Oakland Redwoods and a Jewish farming program at URJ Camp Newman. Earnest is married to Emma Arky Solomon and they enjoy playing board games, studying Torah, spending time with their two cats, and working to build a more equitable world.
Jess Green (they/she)
Inclusion Director
inclusion@dorsheitzedek.org
Jess Green is the CDT RS Inclusion Director and is thrilled to be in their 4th year at CDT. Jess also teaches children in both temple-based after-school program and a local circus center. Jess has taught at Boston Worker’s Circle Shule, run the nature department at Camp Tel Noar, and served as the Family Learning Circle teacher at Nehar Shalom. Jess earned her Master's degree in Jewish education with a focus on inclusion from Hebrew College in 2020. With a focus on co-creating Jewish spaces that are truly inclusive and accessible and a belief that everyone can learn and live Jewishly and in community, Jess also supoorts and staff and lay-leadership effort to increase accessibility in the CDT community as a whole. Jess loves to celebrate holidays with chosen family hang out with the kiddos in their life, take circus classes, and be at the beach.
Rahab Hiram Webbe (they/הוּא)
Administrative Assistant
rh.webbe@dorsheitzedek.org
Rahab Hiram treasures being a part of the Dorshei Tzedek family as the Administrative Assistant. They love to experiment with ways of fusing their Greek Sephardic background with Reconstructionist minhag, and they have recently become more involved with contributing to Jewish ritual life. In addition to their work at CDT, they are currently persuing the completion of their BA in Jewish & Hebrew Studies online at the University of Wisconsin. Rahab Hiram currently lives in Boston with their wife, Emelia (who also happens to be an educator at the CDT Religious School!), and their little family of two cats, two rats, and a beloved tarantula named Buttercup. In their free time, they enjoy playing the piano, studying spiders, and watching horror movies.
Bella Grace Harris (they/she)
Nitzanim (3 y/o-preK)
Bella is eagerly anticipating being the lead teacher for the Nitzanim! Bella aims to teach little ones from a place of compassion, flexibility, and play. A graduate from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, you may have seen them for the past two summers performing in Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's Shakespeare on the Common. But they also have a minor in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, which has served them well in their additional passion, working with kids. Bella was a preschool/mommy and me teacher at Gymboree in Manhattan, the head of day school at The Tiny Scientist in Brooklyn, and has been working with little ones professionally for over a decade. Bella loves the fiber arts, autumn, and their cat Pearl.
Hannah Crozier (she/her)
Nitzanim Assistant Teacher
Hannah is so excited to return to teaching at Dorshei as the Nitzanim Assistant Teacher. She is a senior at Concord Academy and has spent the last 3 years as a madricha in Kitah Alef. Aside from working with children, Hannah loves performing arts, reading, hiking, and spending time with her family, and is passionate about her Jewish identity. She loves being able to continue her participation in the Dorshei community as a staff member, and hopes to spark a similar passion in her students.
Rivka Nechemya Thrope (any/all)
Gan/Alef (First Grade)
Rivka Nechemya is looking forward to joining the CDT religious school community for a second year! As the Gan/Alef teacher, Rivka Nechemya aims to encourage creativity, playfulness, and caring community. He is excited to use his background as an outdoor educator to foster explorative learning, both inside and beyond the walls of our classroom. During Rivka Nechemya’s free time, ze loves to smell wildflowers, learn to knit, and pet hir wonderful calico cat, Chickpea.
Andrea Kamens (she/her)
Kitah Bet (2nd Grade)
Andrea Kamens is excited to continue as Kitah Bet lead teacher on Sundays, bringing her passion for ethical, complex, beautiful Torah and her favorite puppets with her. This is Andrea’s 8th year at CDT. She also teaches 2nd grade, and middle grade Hebrew at Temple Beth Shalom in Needham. Andrea is a storyteller and teaching artist specializing in inclusion. She's on the board of The Story Space in Somerville (and online), a weekly venue started 32 years ago by the late Brother Blue and Ruth Edmonds Hill to allow for the sacred task of listening to all people. Andrea’s the founding director of Youth Standing Strong Camp, a global online storytelling camp matching mentors with youth tellers across all borders. She and her husband have been Boston residents for over 25 years, and have five kids and three cats.
Nate Feinfeld (he/him)
Kitah Bet Assistant Teacher
Nate is thrilled to be returning to Dorshei Tzedek to work as a Kitah Bet teaching assistant on Sundays. He is a senior at Westwood High School in Westwood, MA. He worked at Dorshei's religious school for two years previously, and will continue to bring his passion for Jewish values, ethics and ideals with him this year. He works as a camp counselor at Mass Audubon's Moose Hill nature camp during the summertime, working with children in grades K-3. He also enjoys hiking, biking, swimming, and playing multiple different musical instruments.
Hilary Rubin (she/they)
Kitah Gimel (third grade)
Hilary can't wait to teach Kitah Gimel and to meet the CDT community this year! Hilary grew up attending religious school at Or Hadash outside of Philadelphia (a reconstructionist synagogue!) as well as Camp Havaya. She moved to Boston after completing a Bachelor’s of Social Work from the University of Vermont and has spent the past year working as an assistant teacher at the Gifford School in Weston. Hilary lives in Brighton with their partner Yoni and cat Lester.
Eleanor Kaplan (she/her)
Kitah Gimmel Assistant Teacher
Eleanor Kaplan (she/her) is eager to be back at Dorshei Tzedek as an assistant teacher for Kitah Gimmel, having previously worked in Dalet and Alef. She is a junior at Newton North High School, and enjoys all things visual art in her free time, especially drawing and making comics. Eleanor spent this past summer as a counselor at Camp Kaleidoscope at the JCC in Newton, and is very excited to be working with kids throughout the year as well. She is so grateful for this opportunity, and can’t wait to encourage creativity in Kitah Gimmel this year.
Devora Rohr (she/her)
Kitah Dalet (Fourth Grade)
Devora Rohr (yes, "ROAR!") has been teaching Nitzanim and Shorashim at CDT for many years. This year, she is looking forward to exploring the biblical Avot and Imahot (patriarchs and matriarchs) from Bereshit (Genesis). Trained in Godly Play and Torah Godly Play, Devora is eager to emphasize the storytelling methodology of Torah Godly Play, text study, and hevruta (partnership) work, and personal connections in the curriculum this year and to discover how this year's Kitah Dalet (4th grade) interprets the actions and relationships of our religious ancestors.
Yoni Slater (they/them)
Kitah Hey (Fifth Grade)
Yoni is excited to be teaching Kitah Hey at CDT this year! Yoni grew up attending Camp Havaya as a camper and spent 3 summers on staff and they are looking forward to joining the CDT community. Originally from Evanston, IL, Yoni has been living in the Boston area since receiving their BA in Psychology and Peace Studies from GW in Washington, DC in 2022. They’ve spent the past year and a half working as the MA organizer for the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and are beginning their first year at Hebrew College this fall. Yoni lives in Brighton with their partner Hilary and cat Lester.
Hannah Limov (they/she)
Kitah Vav (Sixth Grade)
Hannah is deeply excited to be returning for a third year at CDT. They are a third year rabbinical student at Hebrew College, having spent the previous 8 years living and working in western North Carolina in a variety of social work positions and at various synagogues. She received her BA in Environmental Studies and Cultural Anthropology from the University of Colorado Boulder and their Master of Social Work from Western Carolina University. They believe that Judaism holds powerful wisdom for healing our hearts, minds, and the world, particularly within and for queer community. They love to adventure in the woods (particularly Jamaica Pond & The Arboretum!), dig their hands into soil tending to plant babies, dance, & sing off key with friends, particularly during shabbos.
Ila Karp (she/her)
Kitah Vav Assistant
Ila is ready to start up another fun year as the assistant teacher in Kitah Vav. She has previously worked as a Madricha for Kitah Gimmel and Nitzanim. Ila is a Junior at Boston Arts Academy and loves hanging out with friends, playing cello, and everything musical theatre. She is honored to hold an Assistant Teacher role and is super excited to continue engaging in her Jewish Community this year!
David Rhodes (he/him)
Kitah Zayin Teacher (Seventh Grade)
David Rhodes is a Program Associate on the Jewish education team at Facing History and Ourselves. He holds a master’s degree in Education Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and he is passionate about working with educators and students to explore how to engage across differences, analyze systems, and learn from the past. He taught social studies and Spanish in Upstate NY for seven years, before moving to Newton in 2019 with his wife, Jeni, and three children, Nadav (11), Anya (10), and Seyla (6).
Liz Krushnic (she/her)
Kitah Zayin Assistant (Seventh Grade)
Liz is excited to enter her sixth year working with the wonderful students of the CDT Religious School. Prior to her time at CDT, Liz worked for three years as the Youth & Community Organizer at Boston Workers Circle Center for Jewish Culture and Social Justice, where she ran the Teens Acting for Social Change program. In addition to working at CDT, Liz is a clinical herbalist. In her spare time, she loves baking birthday cakes, and spending time in her garden in Jamaica Plain. A Newton native, Liz is delighted to be working in the community where she grew up.
Noa Micarelli (they/them)
Kitah Zayin Assistant (Seventh Grade)
Noa Micarelli (they/them) is excited to join the CDT religious school community this year! Noa has a bachelor’s degree in drama studies from Hampshire College and is currently studying towards a master’s degree in library science at Simmons University. They can also be found teaching visitors of all ages about U.S. history at the Old North Church Historic Site in Boston, singing with seniors at Newton’s Golda Meir House, and performing as a singer-songwriter at venues across the region. Outside of work, they’re passionate about sci-fi novels and seeing movies on the big screen
Rakiyah Webbe (they/she)
Floating Educator
Rakiyah is delighted to be returning in 5785, making the transition from assistant teacher to floating educator. They are passionate about art in all forms and disability rights. They are currently enrolled at Bunker Hill Community College pursuing the studio arts. When not creating or working, you can find them playing games of all kinds or hanging out with their two cats and their wife who you may know as CDT's admin assistant Rahab Hiram Webbe!
coco (corine) rosenberg (they/themme)
Madrichimot and Teen Program Coordinator
coco is thrilled to be returning to the CDT community as the Madrichimot and Teen Program Coordinator for 5785. An artist, educator, organizer, and care worker, coco is passionate about building joyful community, connecting with our creative selves, and following youth leadership as we build a more just world together. corine holds a B.A. from the University of Michigan in Social Theory and Practice, an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Arts in Education, and is a certified nurse aide (CNA). Beyond their work as an educator and organizer, coco loves sci-fi (especially Star Trek and Octavia Butler), foraging and herbalism, hiking, and building queer and disabled community ritual.
Rabbi Emily Mathis (she/her)
Weekday Tutor
Rabbi Emily has served communities across much of the Jewish spectrum, most recently in Cambridge and on Boston’s North Shore. Prior to her work in Jewish settings, Emily directed programming in the fields of environmental education, urban gardening and family literacy. In addition to her rabbinic work, she is a family herbalist, and can generally be found in the kitchen working on her next project and drinking coffee. She and her spouse, Hali Diecidue, live in West Newton with their three girls (24, 14, and 8) and one labradoodle.
Adah Hetko (she/her)
Weekday Tutor
Adah Hetko is looking forward to returning for her sixth year at Dorshei Tzedek! This year, Adah will be teaching weekday tutoring. Adah has designed and delivered educational programming in a variety of settings including Vassar College’s Office of Religious and Spiritual Life and Contemplative Practice, Baltimore Yearly Meeting camps, and the Yiddish Book Center. She is also a singer, songwriter, and dance leader active in the local and international Yiddish cultural scenes. Adah performs regularly with klezmer/Yiddish song bands Levyosn [Leviathan], and Soloveychicks [Nightingales], and she leads services for a variety of congregations in greater Boston.
Lucy Brown (they/them)
Weekday Tutor
Lucy is so excited to join the CDT religious school community as they start their first year at Hebrew College! Lucy spent the last four years teaching healthy relationships and internet safety workshops to middle school and high school students throughout New York City. They love connecting with kids and teens through interactive educational experiences, and are looking forward to learning alongside their students this year. Outside of work and school Lucy loves playing ultimate frisbee, rock climbing, and all things outdoors!