Talmud Department - Faculty List

Rabbi Donny Besser teaches Talmud and Halakha, serves as Mashgiach Ruchani for our students, leads the Parsha Club, and runs the Mishmar Program. He joined the Ma'ayanot faculty in 2005, prior to which he practiced law for six years. Throughout his career, Rabbi Besser has been involved in informal Jewish education for teens and adults. He was also involved in editing the Masoret HaRav Yom Kippur Machzor, whose commentary incorporates insights of Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, and he is currently preparing a birkon with the Rav’s commentary. He earned his J.D. from Columbia Law School and received semicha from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University.

Mrs. Dena Block, a Ma'ayanot alumna, teaches Talmud, History and Jewish History. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Mrs. Block serves as Director of Student Programming and as a ninth grade mehanekhet. After graduating from Ma’ayanot in 2004, Mrs. Block first studied at Migdal Oz in Israel before attending Barnard College. She earned a B.A. in History from Barnard College and an M.A. in Biblical and Talmudic Interpretation from the Graduate Program for Advanced Talmudic Studies at Yeshiva University. Mrs. Block is currently studying toward an M.A. in Jewish History from the Bernard Revel Graduate School at Yeshiva University and is training to become a Yoetzet Halacha through Nishmat.

Ms. Sarah Gordon, Ma'ayanot's Director of Student Activities, also teaches Talmud and Jewish Philosophy and serves as an eleventh grade mehanekhet. After graduating from Stern College with a B.A. in Judaic Studies, Ms. Gordon spent two years studying at Yeshiva University's Graduate Program in Advanced Talmudic Studies. She holds an M.A. in Jewish Education from the Azrieli Graduate School of Yeshiva University and another M.A. in Modern Jewish History from the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Yeshiva University. She has spent time studying in education programs at Midreshet Lindenbaum and Pardes and is currently participating in a Certificate program in Experiential Jewish Education through Yeshiva University's Center for the Jewish Future. Ms. Gordon also has extensive experience in informal Jewish education, having served in a number of leadership positions at Camp Stone, including Educational Director, as well as working as a Program Head for Bnei Akiva's MachHach Ba'Aretz Israel trip.

Mrs. Chava Lerner, a graduate of Ma’ayanot’s Class of 2004, teaches Tanakh and Gemara, and serves as an eleventh grade mehanekhet. Mrs. Lerner studied for two years at MMY before earning a B.A. in Judaic Studies and Psychology from Stern College. She also holds an M.A. in Bible from Bernard Revel Graduate School of Yeshiva University, and an M.A. in Biblical and Talmudic Interpretation from Yeshiva University’s Graduate Program for Women in Advanced Talmudic Studies. Prior to joining the Ma'ayanot faculty, Mrs. Lerner worked at SAR Academy for two years, beginning as a Beit Midrash Fellow and then moving on to a position as a Judaic Studies teacher. Mrs. Lerner approaches her teaching with passion for Talmud Torah and dedication to progressive classroom instruction.

Rabbi Zev Prince teaches both Talmud and Halakha, and he serves as Director of Religious Programming and Director of the Ma’ayanot Scholars Program. Prior to joining the Ma’ayanot faculty, Rabbi Prince worked in adult education as a member of the Boca Raton Community Kollel.  He earned a B.S. in Psychology from Yeshiva University and Semicha from REITS, the Yeshiva University Kollel in Jerusalem.

Ms. Devorah Wolf teaches Talmud and coordinates our Tikvah elective and Book Day.  She has a B.A. from Barnard College, is a graduate of the Stern Graduate Program in Advanced Talmudic Studies, and is pursuing a Master's Degree in English Literature at Hunter College.  Ms. Wolf has also studied at Drisha Institute, Bernard Revel Graduate School, and Pardes Institute.  Prior to coming to Ma'ayanot she taught for The Princeton Review and tutored students in writing at Stern, Barnard, and Lander Colleges.