Administrative Staff
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 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 M.A. 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
mwinick@ohrkodesh.org
A native of the area, Melanie Winick is the 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. In her free time, she enjoys finding new restaurants to visit and researching new recipes to cook.
Faculty (2024-25)
Yael Burgess Eisenberg, Kindergarten
Sundays
Yael is delighted to be the Kindergarten teacher for the 2024-2025 school year at ABRS. Yael has worked and taught at ABRS over the past three years, where she has found it rewarding to educate members, and to see them grow and expand their Jewish knowledge. Yael is a graduate of the Tikvah Scholars program as well as the Solomon Scholars program. She also attends Ohr Kodesh's Sunday evening Tzohar program. Yael is very excited to teach at ABRS this year!
Brenda Bergstein, 1st grade
Wednesdays & Sundays
Brenda is so glad to be part of ABRS again this year! As a long time active Ohr Kodesh member, she has loved teaching all ages at Ohr Kodesh. Brenda has been an ECC teacher and substitute for many years, this will be her fifth year at ABRS. Each year, her class has lots of fun learning, and Brenda learns something from the students, too! Brenda is also the volunteer librarian at the Ohr Kodesh Salzberg Family Library. Using the library as her base, sharing the library books and material with our community, she has 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.
Yvette Epstein, 2nd grade
Wednesdays & Sundays
This will be Yvette's 9th year teaching 2nd grade at Ohr Kodesh. She taught Hebrew and Judaic studies in Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade at JPDS for 12 years. Yvette also taught Hebrew and Judaic studies in Montessori, Kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade for 9 years, and worked as a co-teacher at Shomrei nursery school in Silver Spring for 9 years. She is currently in her 5th year teaching Hebrew at the Hebrew Academy. Yvette is looking forward to teaching your children this year, and hopes for a successful year with lots of learning and growth. Her class 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. They will also do some projects related to holidays. Have a happy and healthy new year.
Shir Revach, 3rd grade
Wednesdays & Sundays
Shira Shurtz, 3rd grade
Wednesdays & Sundays
Shira is delighted to teach at ABRS this year. Shira is originally from Mevaseret Zion (near Jerusalem), and graduated high school in Israel. Today, Shira is a shinshin (a volunteer working abroad to connect others to Israel). Shira has played the flute for many years, and she loves music of all kinds. In Israel, Shira used to participate in the scouts and taught for many groups of children. Shira came to the USA to bring Israeli culture to the community, experience a different Jewish lifestyle than her own, and build connections.
Helen Ritman, 4th grade
Wednesdays
Helen looks forward to working with the 4th grade again this year. She has been teaching since she was 17, and has loved every minute of it! Helen received a B.S. in Jewish Studies and an M.A. in Jewish Education from Baltimore Hebrew University. It gives her great joy to guide children on their Jewish journeys while they connect with thousands of years of Jewish heritage. Helen is looking forward to a successful year for each and every child.
Solomon (Solly) Bernstein, 4th grade
Sundays
Solly is a junior at The George Washington University, studying psychology and political science. He has been a Jewish day camp counselor for five summers, and a religious school teacher for four years, combining two in his hometown of Ann Arbor, MI, and two at ABRS. 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!
Anat Perets, 5th grade
Wednesdays
Morah Anat has taught for many years in Jewish day schools and religious schools in the area. She is a native Israeli but has lived in the DMV for many years. Her passion is to reach out to every student, to teach them how to love Judaism, Israel, and the Hebrew language. Some of Anat's hobbies include reading, arts and crafts, and traveling. This year, she is looking forward to getting to know everyone in a fun and creative way. Morah Anat is excited to join the ABRS team and community.
Yaheli Azani, 5th grade
Sundays
Yaheli was born in Israel and grew up in a diplomatic family, spending his childhood in Nairobi, Tel Aviv, Los Angeles, and New York. He is currently studying computer science at the University of Maryland, and loves basketball, spending time with family & friends, and everything ‘Israel.’ Yaheli loves to teach the Hebrew language, as well as other subjects - ultimately fostering a strong connection with students of all ages. He is looking forward to joining the ABRS team this year!
Meirav Steinlauf, 6th grade
Wednesdays & Sundays
Meirav has a B.A. in Religious Studies from 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, Meirav is Ohr Kodesh's Teen Engagement Associate.
Uri Farber, 7th Grade
Wednesdays & Sundays
Bio coming soon!
Specialists
Michelle (Morah Malka) Gross, Hebrew
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.
Dana Zatman, Art
Sundays
Dana Zatman is a multidisciplinary artist, digital illustrator, and instructor. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design at the University of Michigan. Dana worked in the corporate world of graphic design and advertising before pursuing her passion to become a full time studio artist and instructor. She is known for her enthusiastic approach in the classroom and the vibrant colors used throughout her artwork. She specializes in creating curriculum that integrates Judaics and visual arts, and she teaches workshops and classes throughout the the Washington D.C. area.
Raviv Brooks, Music
Sundays
Raviv graduated from Goucher College with a BA in Sociology with a focus in music. Raviv completed the Maryland Early Childhood Leadership Program (MECLP) at UMBC, earning a certificate in Leading for Change in Early Childhood Education. He has worked in the early childhood field through a variety of different positions including: lead classroom educator, music educator, Hebrew educator, religious school educator, song leader, non-profit coordinator, administrative coordinator, and most recently summer camp director. Raviv is committed to bringing meaningful learning experiences to the children, and helping the educators to unlock the potential of their craft. Raviv grew up in the OKC community and now lives in Georgetown with his wife, Chaviva.
