Our team
Passion for Jewish learning. Dedication to the Jewish people. Belief in Judaism’s power to improve the world. Every member of the Pardes team – wherever they are in the world – brings these values to life.
Board of Directors
Dammara Markowitz
Israel Chair
Dammara Markowitz
Israel Chair
Dammara is a dynamic Jewish educator and strategic leader, serving as Pardes’ Israel Board Chair and holding leadership roles with JFNA, UJA-NY, The Jewish Education Project, and Mem Global. An alumna of Pardes’ Day School Educators Program and a Wexner Heritage Fellow, Dammara was included in The Jewish Week’s “36 Under 36.” As the creator of Jewish Cocktails – an innovative project expressing Torah through mixology – and other initiatives that reimagine Jewish learning in a modern context, Dammara is empowering future generations to carry Jewish heritage forward with confidence.
Karen Rivo
North America Chair
Karen Rivo
North America Chair
Karen serves as Chair of the North American Board of Pardes, bringing decades of leadership in Jewish communal life and a deep commitment to Israel and Jewish learning. A longtime Pardes supporter and learner, Karen has participated in Pardes Learning Seminars alongside her husband, Marc, and was first introduced to Pardes through her daughter Jessica’s participation in the Pardes Center for Jewish Educators. Karen previously served on the North American Board of the Union for Reform Judaism, where she founded and chaired its Israel Leadership Network, and as President of Temple Beth Sholom in Miami Beach. A retired registered nurse with a master’s in health administration, Karen is passionate about advancing Pardes’ next chapter and expanding its impact on Jewish communities worldwide.
Israel Board of Directors
Nathaniel Jhirad
Treasurer
Brad Grob
Immediate Past Chair
Mark S. Cohen
Board member
John H. Corre
Board member
Michael Gillis
Board member
Brian Glenville
Board member
Hayim Herring
Board member
Sherwin B. Pomerantz
Board member
Audrey Kaplan Scher
Board member
Jonathan Tassoff
Board member
Richard Aron
Legal Advisor
North America Board of Directors
Mark S. Freedman
Immediate Past Chair
Thomas K. Barad
Board member
Deborah Denenberg
Board member
Rabbi David Gedzelman
Board member
Daniel Krasner
Board member
Mark Levenfus
Board member
Suzanne Wachsstock
Board member
Libby Werthan
Board member
Melissa Werthan
Board member
Executive Leadership
Leon is the first Pardes alumnus to lead the institution. Ordained by Hebrew Union College, he has served in numerous rabbinic and educational leadership roles across denominations. Leon is a regular contributor to the Jewish, Israeli, and American press, and also an editor of the Reform High Holy Day machzor Mishkan HaNefesh.
Joel Weiss
Executive Director, Israel
Joel Weiss
Executive Director, Israel
Joel holds a B.A. from Binghamton University and an M.A. from the Hebrew University’s Institute of Contemporary Jewry. He served in the IDF Tank Corps and spent years working in venture capital before transitioning to the nonprofit world. Ouside of work, Joel enjoys sailing and holds an international skipper’s license.
Joe Nadis
Chief Development Officer
Joe Nadis
Chief Development Officer
Joe holds a B.A. in History and Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. He brings extensive development skills — having helped raise and invest more than $150 million for nonprofit causes — to Pardes, where he appreciates being part of a team and institution whose core values resonate so deeply with his own.
Meesh Hammer-Kossoy
Rosh Beit Midrash for Year-Long Programs
Meesh Hammer-Kossoy
Rosh Beit Midrash for Year-Long Programs
Meesh is a Pardes alumna with degrees from Brandeis and NYU, and Orthodox ordination from Beit Midrash Har’el. She has taught at NYU, Drisha, and Midreshet Lindenbaum. Despite writing her doctoral dissertation on criminal punishment, Meesh is known as a lover of mercy and kindness.
Aviva Lauer
Gottesman Family Chief Education Officer
Aviva Lauer
Gottesman Family Chief Education Officer
Aviva has decades of experience in curriculum development, classroom teaching, and school administration. She holds a master’s in Jewish Studies with a specialization in Midrash, and served as the head of Immanuel College’s Jewish Studies department. Aviva is an avid Anglophile, and also speaks elementary Arabic and Yiddish.
Simone Katz
Chief Marketing Officer
Simone Katz
Chief Marketing Officer
Simone grew up in Los Angeles and holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Columbia University. She led major branding and organizational transformations in her previous position at OpenDor Media. Simone enjoys the challenge of helping a more than 50-year-old institution evolve with excellence and relevance.
Staff
Deborah Anstandig
Educational Director of Engagement
Deborah Anstandig
Educational Director of Engagement
Deborah holds degrees from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Yeshiva University, and Hebrew College, where she also received rabbinic ordination. Her passion is teaching Torah that speaks to today’s challenges, most notably communal polarization. In her free time, Deborah enjoys biking, swimming, and singing.
Nechama Goldman Barash
Educational Director of Pardes Learning Seminar
Nechama Goldman Barash
Educational Director of Pardes Learning Seminar
Nechama holds a master’s in Talmud from Bar-Ilan University, and is a certified Yoetzet Halakha from Nishmat. She is also a faculty member at Matan and Midreshet Torah v’Avodah. Nechama is the author of Uncovered: Women’s Roles, Mitzvot and Sexuality in Jewish Law. She enjoys ice cream, meditation, and yoga.
Joanne Barth
Office Manager
Joanne Barth
Office Manager
Originally from Cleveland, Joanne completed Israeli National Service in Ofra and lived on a kibbutz for many years. She currently resides in Ma’aleh Adumim. Joanne deeply appreciates getting to know Pardes’s amazing students personally and working alongside outstanding faculty.
Stephanie Baum
Director of Finance, North America
David I. Bernstein
Dean Emeritus
David I. Bernstein
Dean Emeritus
David holds B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from New York University, and studied at Yeshivat HaMivtar and Hebrew University. He has devoted decades to Jewish education and also leads Jewish heritage trips throughout Eastern and Central Europe. David’s preferred destination for recharging has always been the basketball court.
Aviva Blumstein
Marketing Manager
Aviva Blumstein
Marketing Manager
Aviva holds a B.Ed. in Judaic Studies, but has spent the past 18 years involved in marketing communications and strategy. Her work at Pardes is the ultimate merger of professional experience and passion. Outside of work, Aviva conveys Torah concepts through writing short stories, musicals, and works of non-fiction.
Tani Cohen-Fraade
Director of Alumni Engagement and Activation
Tani Cohen-Fraade
Director of Alumni Engagement and Activation
Tani is a Pardes alumnus who has taught and led Jewish day schools in Brooklyn and Greater New Haven. Passionate about integrating music into the teaching of tefillah and Jewish texts, he brings creativity and warmth to his educational approach. Tani enjoys hiking, playing music, and cooking for family and friends.
Simon Dick
Director of Operations, North America
Simon Dick
Director of Operations, North America
Simon holds a master’s in Ancient Judaism from JTS, an MBA from the University of Louisiana–Monroe, and is pursuing a J.D. at the University of Denver. He led Pardes’s major data systems transition to Salesforce. As a licensed ham radio operator, Simon enjoys spending his spare time on the airwaves.
Polina Dolgopolskaia
Program Operations Manager
Polina Dolgopolskaia
Program Operations Manager
Polina was born in Russa, grew up in the USA, and now lives in Israel. She holds a B.A. in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University and an M.A. in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from Hebrew University. Outside of work, Polina enjoys mosaics, ceramics, and exploring new art forms.
Rahel Dweck
Administrative Director of the Summer Program
Rahel Dweck
Administrative Director of the Summer Program
Rahel holds graduate degrees in Jewish Studies, Tanakh, Talmud, Philosophy, and Jewish Education. A certified yoga instructor, she brings a holistic, integrated approach to education, and is also deeply involved with Pardes’s programs for Jewish educators. Rahel enjoys running, swimming, homemade meals, and lifelong learning.
Michael Emerson
Director of Special Projects
Michael Emerson
Director of Special Projects
Originally from Memphis, TN, Michael graduated from Columbia University, earned a master’s in Education and Jewish Studies at NYU, and received rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University. He has taught in SAR High School and Drisha, and also directed a service-learning fellowship for Jewish teens.
Hila Fogel
Development Associate
Hila Fogel
Development Associate
Hila has a B.A. in Folklore, Bible, and Literature from Hebrew University and an M.A. in Comparative Literature from Bar-Ilan University. She served in the IDF Foreign Relations Corps as a liaison to the UN unit. One of Hila’s favorite places to visit is Acadia National Park, where she has hiked every mountain.
Ilana HaCohen
Director of Global Engagement
Ilana HaCohen
Director of Global Engagement
Ilana is a Pardes alumna who holds degrees from Cornell University and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She helped create the Pardes Arts & Culture Fellowship, which continues to enrich the learning community. Ilana loves fresh blueberries in summer, almond tea in winter, and is studying to become a yoga teacher.
Zvi Hirschfield
Director of Summer Program
Zvi Hirschfield
Director of Summer Program
Zvi teaches Talmud, Halakha and Jewish Thought and is very involved in Pardes programs for Jewish educators, with a focus on tefilah in schools, modern Jewish thought, and Israel education. Zvi has studied at Columbia, Harvard, and Yeshivat Har Etzion. He received rabbinic ordination from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.
Monica Kleinman
Director of Learning Operations
Monica Kleinman
Director of Learning Operations
Monica grew up in Wisconsin, currently lives in Kansas, and has taught all over the USA. She holds rabbinic ordination from HUC-JIR. Monica appreciates being able to connect with people over Torah, from her husband (also a Reform rabbi, with whom she wrote an ethical will while they were engaged) to every member of the Pardes team.
Sefi Kraut
Director, Mahloket Matters
Sefi Kraut
Director, Mahloket Matters
Sefi leads fellowships and professional development training for educators, rabbis, and organizational leaders. She also co-created the Mahloket Matters Teens curriculum, which explores personal and societal challenges through Jewish texts and social-emotional learning. Outside of work, Sefi enjoys playing flag football.
Reuven Margrett
Senior Director of Educator Training
Reuven Margrett
Senior Director of Educator Training
Originally from London and now based in Michigan, Reuven holds an M.A. in Jewish Education and rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Zalman Nehemiah Goldberg. When not talking about tefilah education, gamification, and student engagement, Reuven can be found playing disc golf or pickleball – or relaxing with a nice craft beer.
Naomi Michlin
Director of Foundation Relations
Naomi Michlin
Director of Foundation Relations
Naomi holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Swarthmore College. She was a Dorot Fellow and is a Pardes alumna. Prior to starting work at Pardes in 2006, Naomi conducted U.S. public policy research as a Senior Analyst at Abt Associates in Cambridge, MA.
Jess Minnen
Director of Faculty, North America
Jess Minnen
Director of Faculty, North America
Jess’s passion for transformative Jewish education has driven her work for Hillel International, Birthright Israel, OneTable, and Momentum. She has studied at Jewish institutions of higher learning in the USA, Israel, and Sweden, and holds ordination from JTS. Jess is mom to one amazing dog and one amazing human.
Carmella Rose
Assistant Director of Engagement, Israel
Carmella Rose
Assistant Director of Engagement, Israel
Carm manages engagement with potential candidates for Pardes‘s core immersive programs and organizes events for the Pardes community in Jerusalem. A big fan of the outdoors, Carmella is happy to chat with Pardes students and guests about seeing the best parts of Israel during their time here.
Jason Schwartz
Data Analyst and Systems Coordinator
Jason Schwartz
Data Analyst and Systems Coordinator
Originally from Santa Cruz, CA, Jason holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from San Francisco State University. He has studied Torah at Pardes and Shapells, and currently at the Mir Yeshiva. Prior to his involvement in nonprofit administration, he could be found working as a DJ and NYC public housing community organizer.
Miriam Sela
Marketing Operations Manager
Miriam Sela
Marketing Operations Manager
Originally from Canada, Miriam is a curious, data-driven risk taker. Miriam managed marketing operations at OpenDor Media, ansā, and GoInspire before joining Pardes. She values the opportunity to work at an organization that combines a powerful mission with amazing people.
Haim Shalom
Director of Israel Education
Haim Shalom
Director of Israel Education
Haim has rabbinic ordination from HUC-JIR, degrees in Jewish History, Middle Eastern Studies, and Jewish Education, and certification as a tour guide. He has held rabbinic and educational positions around the globe, from Poughkeepsie to Perth. Haim is a 7th generation descendant of founders of England’s Reform Movement.
Hadas Shams
Director of Finance, Israel
Hadas Shams
Director of Finance, Israel
Hadas is a CPA with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Accounting and Information Systems. Her efforts to digitize many of Pardes’s systems have given Pardes teams the time to focus on work that truly matters. Hadas values the supportive, people-first environment that brings Pardes staff to genuinely want to give of themselves.
Miriam Souza
Digital Marketing Associate
Miriam Souza
Digital Marketing Associate
Miriam studied film at Torat HaChayim Film School and has worked as a teacher and social media manager for Torah-focused organizations. Originally from London, she now lives in Tzfat. Miriam finds inspiration in the accomplishments and personal characters of Pardes staff colleagues and students.
Meet our teachers
The Pardes faculty are master scholars and educators devoted to the transmission of Jewish learning at the highest level. Meet the teachers whose scholarship and mentorship shape our global learning community.
