Mrs. CB Neugroschl serves as Head of School at Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls, a position she has held since 2020. Coming to Ma’ayanot is a return since Mrs. Neugroschl previously served as Ma’ayanot’s Director of Admissions and taught Jewish History and Jewish Philosophy.
Mrs. Neugroschl is an educator with over twenty- five years of pedagogic, curricular, and administrative experience in both Judaic and General Studies. She served as Head of School at Samuel H. Wang Yeshiva University High School for Girls (Central) from 2010-2020 and as Assistant Principal and Co-Director of General Studies at SAR High School, where she introduced innovative curricular initiatives and special programming, from 2006-2010.
Mrs. Neugroschl studied at Michlala College for Women for two years, and earned her B. A. at Stern College for Women in 1993. She continued her studies at Yeshiva University’s Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies, with a focus on History of Halakha and Medieval Ashkenaz. She received her M.A. in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from Harvard University in 1998 where she studied the nexus of law and spirituality in the work of Maimonides.
Mrs. Bailey Braun comes to Ma’ayanot with a wealth of experience as a school social worker and Torah educator. Prior to joining Ma’ayanot, Mrs. Braun created a guidance program at Netivot HaTorah, a 600-student elementary school in Toronto. She also worked as a social worker at a public high school for at-risk teens. Mrs. Braun conducts lectures and seminars at retreat centers, college campuses, and synagogues throughout the U.S. and Canada on topics including Women in Jewish History, Chumash, mysticism, meditation, and poetry. She has a Master’s in Social Work from Ryerson University, a B.S.W. from Lakehead University, and a B.A. in Religious Studies from York University in Toronto.
In addition to serving as Assistant Principal of Co-Curricular Life and Director of the Ma’ayanot Scholars Program, Rabbi Zev Prince teaches Talmud and Halakha. Rabbi Prince runs many of our Torah programs outside of the classroom and works with all of our co-curricular departments. Prior to joining the Ma’ayanot faculty in 2008, 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 RIETS, the Yeshiva University Kollel in Jerusalem.
Mrs. Nina Bieler, Ninth Grade Dean, earned a B.A. in Psychology from Stern College and an M.S.W. from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University, where she received a certificate for Excellence in Jewish Community Service. Mrs. Bieler formerly worked as Ma'ayanot's Director of Admissions for six years. Prior to joining Ma’ayanot in 2004, Mrs. Bieler honed her community organization skills through her work at the UJA Federation of NY, The Jewish Community Relations Council in NY, and the Lenox Hill Bikur Cholim.
Mrs. Benjamin has been a member of the Ma'ayanot faculty since 2017, and teaches US and World History, Government, and Introduction to Sociology. Prior to that, she taught Social Studies at RYNJ for 17 years, and has taught US History and AP US History at Heichal HaTorah. She also served as an adjunct lecturer and Associate Professor of Sociology at Drew University. Mrs. Benjamin earned a B.A. in History from Rutgers University, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude, and an M.A. in Sociology from NYU, where she completed her PhD Comprehensive Exams in American Law, Family, and Gender Studies.
Rabbi Donny Besser teaches Talmud and Halakha, serves as the Judaic Studies Enrichment Coordinator, and is Mashgiach Ruchani. Rabbi Besser also serves as a dayan for the RCA Beit Din of America, and was involved in editing the Masoret HaRav Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah machzorim and a new Birkon, whose commentaries incorporate insights of Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik. Rabbi Besser joined the Ma'ayanot faculty in 2005, prior to which he practiced law for six years. He earned his J.D. from Columbia Law School and received semicha from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University.
Mrs. Judy Buchnik has experience as an ESL teacher in Israel and as a Hebrew teacher and tutor in the United States. She has taught Hebrew at The Moriah School for seven years and at Bereisheet in Tenafly, an enrichment program for Israeli children . She is the owner of JBE Tutoring, which provides a wide range of academic tutoring to students. In Israel, she taught English at the Youth Renewal Fund, Savyonim Junior High School, and Moreshet Zvulun Elementary School. She holds a B.Ed in English Education from Beit Berl College and an M.A. in Political Science and Communications from Bar Ilan University.
Mrs. Gillian Cofnas joined the Ma'ayanot team in 2015 and teaches Chemistry, Physics, and STEAM. Mrs. Cofnas earned BASc and MASc degrees in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Toronto. Early in her career, Ms. Cofnas gained extensive research experience through her work in biomedical research facilities. She shifted to a career in education by teaching Chemistry at RYNJ’s middle school and individually tutoring students, primarily in math and science. She is Ma'ayanot's Science Research Coordinator and coach of our Science Olympiad team.
Mrs. Suzanne Cohen is the Tanakh Chair and serves as Co-Director of Israel Guidance. She holds a B.A. from Stern College, where she was both a Max Stern Scholar and a Kukin Fellow. She also earned an M.S. in Jewish Secondary Education from the Azrieli Graduate School at Yeshiva University and an M.A. in Bible from Bernard Revel Graduate School at Yeshiva University. Prior to joining Ma’ayanot’s faculty in 2003, Mrs. Cohen taught Tanakh at Bat Torah Academy and coached students for the National Bible Contest. Mrs. Cohen's is a past Chair of the RYNJ Board of Education.
Mrs. Devora Dawidowicz joined the Ma'ayanot faculty in 2015 and teaches Talmud and Halakha. She earned a B.A. in Judaic Studies and Biology from Stern College for Women, an M.S. in Jewish Education from the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education at Yeshiva University, and is currently training to receive Yoetzet Halakha Certification from Nishmat's Miriam Glaubach Center's US Yoatzot Halakha Program. Before joining the Ma’ayanot faculty she taught Tanakh at Maimonides Upper School, Torah Academy of Brighton and the Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School in Livingston, NJ.
Rabbi Jeremy Donath teaches Halakha and Tanakh. He is currently the Rabbi of Congregation Darchei Noam in Fair Lawn. Rabbi Donath received semicha from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS), an M.A. from Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, and a B.A. from Yeshiva College.
Mrs. Talia Feder, affectionate called "Nurse Tali" is an RN who received her degree from New York University School of Nursing. She comes to us from the Learning Center for Exceptional Children, where she served as the full-time school nurse and provided a range of services for students ages 3-21 in both mainstream and special-education services.
Rabbi Dr. Jay Goldmintz joined the Ma'ayanot faculty in 2014 and teaches Tanakh and Jewish Philosophy. He is a veteran day school educator who has published widely on curriculum, tefillah education, child and adolescent religious development, and religious parenting. He is author of the 2014 National Jewish Book Award-winning Koren Ani Tefila Weekday Siddur. He serves on the Editorial Board of the Koren Magerman Educational Siddur series. He was a Jerusalem Fellow and has received both a Gruss Excellent Teachers Award and a BJE Creative Teaching Award. He has served in various capacities including teacher, department chair, Israel and college guidance counselor, and eventually Headmaster at Ramaz School over the course of more than 30 years. He received a B.A. with Honors from University of Toronto, semikha from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, an M.S. from Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, and an Ed.D. from Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education at Yeshiva University, where he also served as an adjunct professor.