Guidance Department Department - Faculty List

Dr. Rayzel Yaish serves as Ma'ayanot's Director of Guidance, guidance counselor for tenth and twelfth grades, and mehanekhet for twelfth grade. She earned a B.A. in Pre-Med and Psychology from Stern College, and she received her Ph.D. in Clinical Health Psychology from the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology at Yeshiva University. Prior to coming to Ma’ayanot in 2007, Dr. Yaish was the Director of Guidance at the Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy Middle School. She has worked with teens for many years, as a Head Counselor both at Camp HASC and Camp Simcha. Dr. Yaish enjoys consulting and presenting workshops for a variety of local and national organizations on topics related to mental health, general health, the special needs population, communication, leadership, and the interface of spirituality and psychology. 

Mrs. Nechama Becker is one of Ma'ayanot's founding faculty members, having taught Jewish History to our earliest classes. She left Ma'ayanot briefly to pursue a Masters in Social Work, and then rejoined the faculty in 2007 to serve as Guidance Counselor and mehanekhet for ninth grade. Mrs. Becker earned an M.A. in Jewish History from Bernard Revel Graduate School at Yeshiva University and an M.S.W from Fordham University.

Mrs. Amy Birman serves as a guidance counselor and mehanekhet for ninth grade.  Mrs. Birman has a B.A. in Psychology from Barnard College and an M.S.W. from New York University’s Shirley M. Ehrenkranz School of Social Work. In addition to her prior work at Ma’ayanot, she has held positions as a social worker at Cancer Care and Ohel Children’s Home and Family Services, and as a social work intern at Riverdale Mental Health Center and These Our Treasures. Mrs. Birman’s warmth and understanding make her a valued member of our guidance department.

Dr. Oshra Cohen is the guidance counselor and mehanekhet for the eleventh grade. Dr. Cohen earned her B.A in Psychology at McGill University and her Ph.D in Clinical Psychology from the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology at Yeshiva University. Prior to coming to Ma'ayanot in 2009, she worked at The New York State Psychiatric Institute, served as a clinical health psychologist at CAPS of Rockland County, and was an adjunct faculty member at Stern College and at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology. In addition to working at Ma'ayanot, Dr. Cohen maintains private practice offices in Manhattan and Rockland County.