Mrs. Tamar Appel, our Associate Principal, has brought her passion for teaching to Ma'ayanot since 2004, where she has taught Hebrew, American History, European History, Jewish History and Public Speaking. She is also a 9th grade mekhaneket. Mrs. Appel has a B.A. in American History and an M.A. in Modern Jewish History from the University of Pennsylvania, where she also completed her coursework toward a Ph.D. and won the Penn Prize for Excellence in Graduate Student Teaching. She is committed not only to guiding students toward intellectual development, but also to helping them find their own personal paths as young Jewish women.
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.
As Executive Director, Mrs. Rachel Feldman manages the business office and works to ensure the smooth operation of daily activities for students, faculty, and administration. Since joining Ma’ayanot in 2008, her multi-faceted responsibilities have included budget management, building maintenance and security, and transportation. Mrs. Feldman also oversees the logistical coordination of all major events at Ma’ayanot, from Open House to Graduation. She received her B.A. in English Communications from Stern College for Women.
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.
Mr. Yoni Blu has joined our Hebrew department. Mr. Blu holds a B.A. from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and a teaching certificate from the Hotam program at the Levinsky and Oranim Colleges. He taught high-school students for the past three years at Multidisciplinary School Amal Makif in Beer Sheva.
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.
Dr. Oshra Cohen serves as a guidance counselor. 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.
Ms. Margolin has served as chair of the social studies department at Katzhanelson High School and as a teaching assistant at Tel Aviv University. She has also worked at The Abraham Joshua Heschel School, where she was a Hebrew teacher. In addition, she has various work experiences outside of the field of education in the start up world. She holds an MBA and an LLB in Law and Business Management from Tel Aviv University, a teaching certificate in social studies from Beit Berl and is a member of the Israeli bar.
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 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.
Mrs. Shifra Friedman, a Ma'ayanot alumna, teaches Tanakh and serves as our Assistant Director of Student Activities. She previously taught Judaic studies at SAR Academy's Middle School for six years. Mrs. Friedman studied at Migdal Oz before earning a B.A. in Judaic Studies from Stern College and a dual Master’s in Education and Jewish Studies from New York University. Mrs. Friedman is a graduate of Nishmat’s Miriam Glaubach Center’s U.S. Yoatzot Halakha Fellows Program and serves as a Yoetzet Halakha in Westchester, counseling women in areas of health and halakha. She and her husband serve as the OU-JLIC couple at the Columbia/Barnard Hillel. Ms. Friedman has served as an educator and worked in programming at Camp Moshava in Indian Orchard, PA.
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.