Wilhelmina Gottschalk: Director, Alvin Browdy Religious School
wgottschalk@ohrkodesh.org
Wilhelmina Gottschalk has directed the Alvin Browdy Religious School since spring 2021. Previously, she served as the interim director of ABRS on two separate occasions, and collaborated with Cantor Labovitz to create curriculum and support teachers back when the school had under 30 students. Now that ABRS has nearly 100 students K-7, Wilhelmina is eager to help create community among the school families, in addition to providing engaging learning experiences. Wilhelmina has an MA in Jewish Education from the Davidson School of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. She loves helping teachers and students create classroom experiences that support the strengths and interests of everyone in the space.
Melanie Winick, Administrative Assistant for Education
A native of the area, Melanie Winick is the new Administrative Assistant for Education at Ohr Kodesh Congregation. In her childhood, she was a part of almost every youth program that OKC offered. Melanie attended the OKC Early Childhood Center (ECC) as a toddler, graduated from and taught at the religious school, and was on the Board for Ohr Kodesh’s USY chapter. After graduating from Towson University with a B.S. in Mass Communications in the spring of 2022, she is back to work at the synagogue. Melanie is a very positive person and possesses great organizational, research and communication skills.
Teachers
Emilie Tackett, KindergartenSundays
Shalom! I am a Freshman at George Washington University. I spent the past year in Israel studying at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and interning as an education fellow at ANU (the Museum of the Jewish People) in Tel Aviv. I am originally from Lexington, Kentucky, where I taught Hebrew and Sunday school at my local congregation. During high school, I was very involved in United Synagogue Youth (USY) and was the President of my region during senior year. This past summer, I was the lead counselor at my local federation camp with the 4-6 year-olds, and am excited to work with this age group this year.
Brenda Bergstein, 1st gradeSundays & Wednesdays
I’m so glad to be part of ABRS again this year! As a long time active Ohr Kodesh member, I have learned that I love teaching at Ohr Kodesh with all ages. I’ve been an ECC teacher and substitute for many years. This will be my fourth year at ABRS, and each year we have lots of fun and I learn something from the students too! Another hat that I wear at OKC is the volunteer librarian at Ohr Kodesh Salzberg Family Library. Using our library as my base, sharing the library books and material with our community, I’ve taught adult education classes on the History of The Printed Haggadah, the Jewish Chocolate Trail, Was King David Real or a Myth? and many other subjects. This summer I not only became a savta (grandmother) again, but I worked with the Ohr Kodesh ECC 3s and 4s, introducing library story times for the students that they really enjoyed.
Yvette Epstein, 2nd gradeSundays & Wednesdays
Dear parents, shalom,
This will be my 9th year teaching 2nd grade at Ohr Kodesh. I taught Hebrew and Judaic studies in Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade at JPDS for 12 years. I have also taught Hebrew and Judaic studies in Montessori to Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade for 8 years, and worked as a co-teacher at Shomrei nursery school in Silver Spring for 8 years. I am currently in my 4rd year teaching Hebrew in Preschool at the Hebrew Academy.
I am looking forward to teaching your children this year and hope for a successful year with lots of learning and growth. We will learn about the Jewish holidays and their customs, prayers, Bible stories, the Parasha of the week, conversational Hebrew, Hebrew reading and writing, and Israel. We will also do some projects that will be related to holidays.
I want to wish you all a happy and healthy New Year.
Sandy Weinberg, 2nd grade
Sundays & Wednesdays
Sandy is a life-long educator with many years of experience, both in the classroom and in special education. She has worked extensively with special needs, identifying what every child needs in order to learn and thrive. Sandy looks forward to creating a classroom environment where students are eager to learn, feel safe to question, and constantly re-discover the joy of Jewish celebrations.
Beth Eisen, 3rd grade
Sundays & Wednesdays
Beth Eisen moved to Bethesda in December, previously having lived in NJ, CA, and PA. She works full time as Head of Marketing and Communications for Playworks, a national nonprofit leveraging play to bring out the best in every kid; she hopes to create a playful and joyous classroom this year. She's been involved Jewish leadership in many aspects of her life, including leading multiple Birthright trips. She looks forward to teaching 3rd grade.
Helen Ritman, 4th gradeWednesdays
Hi parents: I am delighted to work with your children this year. I have been teaching since I was 17 and I have loved every minute of it! I received a B.S. in Jewish Studies and an M.A. in Jewish Education from Baltimore Hebrew University. It gives me great joy to guide your children on their Jewish journeys while they connect with thousands of years of our people's heritage. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to work with them. I’m looking forward to a successful year for each and every child.
Solomon (Solly) Bernstein, 4th grade Sundays
Solly is a sophomore at The George Washington University, studying psychology. He has been a Jewish day camp counselor for four summers, and a religious school teacher for three years, combining two in his hometown of Ann Arbor, MI, and one at ABRS last year. He is looking forward to working with this year's fourth graders, watching them grow and learn as they come to know more and more about their own personal relationships with Judaism. In his free time, Solly loves to cheer on the New York Mets and play ultimate frisbee. He can't wait for a great year!
Abigail Epstein, 4th gradeSundays
Hi everyone! I am a junior at the University of Maryland and am studying both finance and marketing. I am originally from New Jersey by the beach. I have taught Hebrew school for three years, and am returning to ABRS for a second year after assisting in the 1st grade class this past spring. I look forward to teaching at ABRS again this year and meeting new students!
Eva Wildavsky, 5th GradeSundays & Wednesdays
Eva is really excited to return to ABRS, where she previously taught for three years. In addition to teaching at Ohr Kodesh, she will also be teaching English to adults, and working at an MCPS Elementary School. She likes books, music, and colorful things. She's looking forward to helping her students have a good year together and learn more about Judaism!
Rabbi Batya Glazer, 6th GradeWednesdays
Batya Glazer was ordained as a Conservative rabbi at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 1998, where she also studied at the Davidson School of Jewish Education. She has decades of experience in Jewish education at all levels and in both formal and informal settings. She identifies her first experience as a Jewish educator was as an eight-year-old consultant for her mother, who taught 3rd graders in Hebrew school. Working in Jewish Community Relations Councils, Batya built relationships through designing and leading educational programming, dialogue, and coalition-building. She is committed to listening deeply and developing an understanding of the concerns and the cultural context of diverse communities and working closely with lay leaders to bring together representatives and diverse perspectives of the Jewish community. Rabbi Glazer has a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University, a Master of Hebrew Letters degree from The University of Judaism, and a Master’s degree and Rabbinic Ordination from The Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Batya is the proud mother of Elana, Noah, and Meirav.
Meirav Steinlauf, 6th Grade
Sundays & Wednesdays
Meirav is completing her final semester at Temple University. She has taught religious school for four years, and particularly enjoys working with middle school students as they begin to ask big questions about their identity and personal values. She is interested in social justice, advocacy, and education. In addition to teaching religious school, this will also be her second year leading High Holiday programming at Ohr Kodesh.
Marcia Elbrand, 7th Grade
Wednesdays
Marcia taught upper grades at Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple in her native suburban Cleveland for more than 20 years. She persistently shows her students how Torah values and commentary interpretation are applicable in today's life. A journalism teacher and poet, her recent book, Flying Earrings, “sees life through a Jewish lens.” She completed a fellowship at the Cleveland College of Jewish Studies, and spent a decade as a regional Outreach director of the then Union of American Hebrew Congregations (now URJ).
Rabbi Hillel Brazin, 7th Grade
Sundays
Hillel teaches Judaic studies and Hebrew at the lower school of Krieger Schechter Day School in Pikesville. He received rabbinic ordination from Yeshivas Elimelech, and has an MA in Jewish Education from the Baltimore Hebrew Institute of Towson University. This is a return to ABRS for Hillel, as he also taught 7th grade for the spring semester of 2023.
Michelle GrossSundays & Wednesdays
Michelle Gross has studied language pedagogy, disorders, and assessment at UC San Diego, UMD, CSUSM, UCLA, WITS Maalot Seminary, and the University of South Carolina. She now works as a substitute ESL teacher for MCPS after having had a career as a Navy language analyst and database programmer. Her hobbies include yoga, music, and learning new languages (Spanish, French, Arabic, and Persian). Two of her three sons attended Shoresh at Ohr Kodesh while they were in public school.
Nora Slott, Inclusion & Educational SupportSundays & Wednesdays
This is Nora’s fifth year at ABRS. She has worked in classrooms, in the office, and with children one on one. Through her experience as a teacher and as a student she knows that every child has a unique and complex relationship with Jewish learning, and she hopes to help create an environment that offers something to each of them.
