Ohav Sholom Hebrew School
Faculty Biographies/Introductions
Principal / Educational Director - Rabbi Perry Schafler
Rabbi Schafler is a licensed school/district educational administrator, with certification and experience in clinical and school social work. He holds a professional diploma in educational administration as well as graduate degrees in Jewish studies and social work. He has earned MA, MSW, PD, and LCSW degrees. Rabbi Schafler comes to our school with a rich background in formal and informal Jewish education from congregational, day school, and communal settings. As principal, he looks forward to working with our wonderful Rabbi, school board, teachers, parents, and students to ensure a meaningful and exciting Jewish learning experience for all the children in our school.
K’ton Ton – Allyson Casden
Morah Casden has been teaching at Ohav Sholom for the past two years. Her love, warmth, smile and enthusiasm are infectious. Great arts & crafts projects, wonderful singing and a positive heartwarming introduction to Jewish tradition are the hallmarks of this class.
Mechina - Merryl Katz
Morah Katz has been working at Congregation Ohav Sholom of Merrick for the past seven years. She is currently the Mechina teacher at Ohav Sholom and enjoys it very much. Working with the younger children and teaching them all about the Jewish holidays, the Hebrew Alef Bet, and Bible stories is something that she truly loves! She is currently employed at B'above Worldwide Head Start. Helping children and families reach their highest potential is very rewarding to her. She is looking forward to meeting her new class and having a great year of fun and learning!
Kita Alef - Lisa Gelernter:
Morah Lisa was born in Tel Aviv, Israel. She served in the Israeli army for two years, and attended Wingate University in Israel. She then worked with mute, blind, and other children with disabilities for two years. She came to the USA in 1984 and worked in the J.C.C of West Hempstead for ten years, running a successful “Early-Late” child care club for working mothers. On the faculty of the Ohav Sholom Hebrew School since 1994, she instills a love of Israel in the students. Her favorite projects include pen pal writing between American and Israeli children and a clothing and toy drive to donate to orphan homes in Israel. She loves children and has a unique way of teaching Hebrew, with a smile and love.
Kita Bet–Abby Harris
Morah Harris is currently working as an assistant teacher at HANC for Nursery Bet children and has been employed by HANC these past six years in their Early Childhood program. In previous years she worked as a Gimmel and Daled teacher at South Baldwin Jewish Center and enjoyed her teaching experience there, too. She feels privileged to be coming to Ohav Shalom for this coming school year. In addition to teaching, she worked at Ruach Day Camp for eleven years as an art teacher, ceramics teacher and trip director.
At home, she has three growing sons ages 15, 18, and 21 who bring endless joy, boundless energy and keep her on her toes. She looks forward to spending a wonderful and productive year with your children!
Kita Gimel - Rachel Rosenbloom
Mrs. Rosenbloom was born in Bahrain, a Persian Gulf island with a small Jewish community. She immigrated to Israel with her family shortly after the Six-Day War. She studied at the Teacher's Institute in Tel Aviv (Seminar Hakibbutzim) and worked in Tel Aviv before moving to the U.S. in 1988. In the U.S., she first worked at the Hebrew Education Society in Brooklyn. She currently works at the Little Village School - a school for children with special needs in Seaford. She has also been teaching at Ohav Sholom for the last five years.
Kita Dalet – Jennifer Eisenberger
Morah Eisenberger attended Darchei Binah Seminary for two years in Jerusalem, Israel. She is presently a student at Touro College for Women in Manhattan. She has varied youth work experience including serving as Youth leader at Young Israel of West Hempstead for years, and as a counselor at Camp Lavi, Ruach Day Camp, Camp Morasha, and Camp SEG - NCSY Kiruv Camp. She has also volunteered for TOVA, providing mentoring for at-risk teenagers. Morah Eisenberger served this past year as a Judaic Studies teacher for Eighth grade girls at HANC, as well as teaching Jewish Philosophy at a special institute for young adults. She will be serving as a teacher assistant for both Judaic and secular subject at HALB elementary school this coming year.
Kita Hay - Elana Beck
Morah Beck studied in Israel for two years after high school. She currently has her B.A in Psychology and is on her way to completing her Masters in Education. She has taught in various Yeshiva day schools. She is currently teaching Hebrew studies in a Russian Yeshiva High school in Brooklyn. She has been teaching at Ohav Sholom for two years.
Kita Vov - Les Grussgot
Les has held the following positions at Ohav Sholom: Teacher of the Vov Class for the past ten years, Youth Chairperson, Junior Congregation Leader, as well as Chairperson of the Merrick Community Hebrew High for fourteen years. His secular education experience includes 34 years with the New York Department of Education as teacher and Assistance Principal of Special Education at the Junior High School level. He has a clear understanding of the academic, social and emotional needs of seventh graders, and looks forward to sharing a fulfilling experience with your children. He will focus on the similarities and differences in our religious backgrounds and on the priorities we all share--- a love of Judaism, a belief in our responsibilities to family and community, and a determination to fully develop our potential.
Music Teacher and Bar/Bat Mitzvah Instructor-Jeff Beris
Mr. Beris has been the music director at Ohav Sholom for the past 8 years, following more than 20 years teaching in L.I. Hebrew schools and the Hillel Country Day School. He has also been our Bar/Bat Mitzvah instructor for the past 10 years, teaching many children from Ohav as well as neighboring synagogues to successfully chant their Torah and Haftorah portions. As an active member of Ohav Sholom, Mr. Beris is involved in many of our youth programs during Sabbath Services and synagogue activities, such as Junior Congregation, Youth Shabbat, afternoon Oneg Shabbat, Family Bingo Night and Succah Happening.
