Teaching
Education as growth or maturity should be an ever-present process
John Dewey Experience and Education

Health Education
I have created and taught a successful health education program at the Jewish Community High School for the past four years. The semester course covers important topics like healthy relationships, depression, suicide, eating disorders, drug education and sexual health. The course emphasizes healthy lifestyle choices in a comfortable, judgement-free environment. The information is based on the latest scientific studies and on educational information from The Haight-Ashbury Free Clinic, The Teen Pregnancy Coalition of San Francisco, Huckleberry Youth/ Cole Street Clinic and Planned Parenthood Golden Gate.

The goal of the course is to enable students to find ways to make for healthy living, deciphering media messages and acquiring accurate information from a variety of health resources to which students can refer for the rest of their lives.

Jewish Education
My interest in Jewish philosophy began while still in high school. One summer at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin I took a class on biomedical ethics which inspired me to explore Jewish texts and apply them to modern ethical dilemmas. I continued to learn and eventually took on leadership roles in my own Jewish community as president of my youth group, and participated in a variety of other educational programs in both the US and Israel.

I decided to further my studies in Jewish Philosophy at The Jewish Theological Seminary and received a BA in Jewish Philosophy in May of 1998. While studying, I also taught Hebrew school at SAJ, The Society of the Advancement of Judaism and then for two years at Kane Street Synagogue in Brooklyn, NY. I had an internship at the Israeli Consulate in New York where I worked in the Press and PR departments. I also worked at the Brownstone Brooklyn Jewish Coalition, heading community-wide food drives, overseeing senior events, and organizing family education programs for families with children with special needs.

My love for teaching led me to pursue a Masters in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary. My academic concentration was adolescent education and my thesis focused on raising the self-esteem of adolescent girls through the arts.

Upon moving to San Francisco, I taught in middle schools, after-school programs as well as family education programs.

After two years in San Francisco, I was offered an incredible opportunity to move to London to be the Informal Educator for the Movement for Reform Judaism. I oversaw three departments and served as an educator and consultant for the movement, mainly to university students and young adults. As the Informal Educator I led many workshops, retreats and discussion groups, as well as two university student seminars on Jewish identity to mainland Europe, one to Brussels and one to Berlin.

After two years in London, I returned to San Francisco and was offered a fantastic opportunity to work as a dance teacher at the Jewish Community High School. I continued to work at JCHS teaching dance, Pilates, yoga and Health education. I also taught Talmud and Hebrew (levels 1 and 2) at the high school.

I continue to bridge my passion for movement with my identity and spiritual background in my yoga and movement classes.

Please contact me if you would like to schedule a yoga, dance or movement class that incorporates Judaism or general mindfulness and spirituality.

Please contact me if you would like me to deliver a workshop on any of the topics mentioned above, from lessons on buidling self-esteem to understanding sexual health.