Welcome | About TBE

Staff

Meet our staff

Adult & Youth Jewish Living & Learning
Gan Elohim Early Learning Center
Caring Connections
Development
Administration
Maintenance

Adult & Youth Jewish Living & Learning

Contact Alison
781.997.4213

Alison Kur

Executive Director, Jewish Living & Learning

Alison Kur, Temple Beth Elohim’s Executive Director, Jewish Living & Learning, oversees Jewish programming at TBE that connects members of all ages — children, youth and adults — to Jewish history, traditions and values.

In 2014, Alison received the prestigious Covenant Foundation Award for excellence and innovation in Jewish education. Before coming to TBE in 2003, Alison worked at Combined Jewish Philanthropies, Boston’s federation, where she helped launch the Leadership Development Institute, designed to train teams of professional and volunteer leaders from Boston-area congregations. Alison is a past president of the Rashi School Board of Directors and currently holds an honorary board position at the school.

Prior to becoming a Jewish educator, Alison was chosen to participate in the Wexner Heritage Leadership program, a two-year initiative designed to strengthen Jewish volunteer leaders by engaging them in comprehensive Jewish learning with outstanding faculty. After a career as an attorney and child advocate in the public sector, Alison obtained a Master’s degree from the Hornstein Program at Brandeis University and made the career change to Jewish education. Alison has three adult children, Abi, Jem, and Zach, and she lives in Newton with her dog, Yofi.

Rabbi Vanessa Harper
Senior Director, Adult Jewish Living
781.997.4212

Hannah Richman Kearney
Director, The Well
781.997.4216

Cantor Josh Rosenberg
Director of Youth and Family Learning
781.997.4217

Sandy Aronson
Director of Tikkun Olam Initiatives & Partnerships
781.997.4220

Eliana Stein
Assistant Director of K-7 Learning Programs
781.997.4215

Alison Klein
Assistant Director of Havayah
781.997.4207

Lynn Burke Harrell
Executive Assistant & Adult Learning Coordinator
781.997.4211

Tamar Forman
Experiential Educator and Mental Health Clinician
781.997.4219

Mira Warmflash
Tikkun Olam Youth Educator
781.997.4219

Aiden O’Neal
Youth Learning Support Specialist
781.997.4214

Julia Sclove
Youth Engagement Specialist
781.997.4223

Gan Elohim Early Learning Center

Contact Lisa
781.997.4231

Lisa Scott

Director, Gan Elohim Early Learning Center

Lisa Scott was Assistant Director of Early Childhood at Gan Elohim for four years prior to becoming our Director. Lisa has made her career working in Jewish education. After teaching kindergarten for 14 years at the Maimonides School in Brookline, Lisa pursued a Master’s Degree in Special Education at Framingham State University and taught 1st through 3rd grade in that field. Lisa then moved to administration, first as an Assistant Principal, and then as Secular Studies Principal and Student Support Services Coordinator. In 2011, Lisa’s passion for early childhood education brought her to the FJECC at Temple Israel in Boston, where she was the Assistant Director and the Director of Admissions for seven years before joining the Gan Elohim community.

Wendy

Wendy Wilensky
Assistant Director

Francesca Castillo
Administrative Assistant, Gan Elohim
Bluebird Room Teacher

Sara Wantman
Float Teacher

Susan MacEwen
Orange Room Teacher

Mary Lynn Zupan
Puppy Room Teacher

Rachel Flynn
Tadpole Teacher

Megan Gilmartin
Tadpole Teacher

Rachel Foley
Duckling Teacher

Lisa Hurwitz
Duckling Room Teacher

Lois Madeson
Duckling Room Teacher

Beth Mintz
Bluebird Teacher

Ania Riahi
Red Room Teacher

Sarah Miller
Red Room Teacher

Mary Delorey
Yellow Room Teacher

Doreen McGaff
Yellow Room Teacher

Jackie Goose
Blue Room Teacher

Stephanie Strachman
Blue Room Teacher

Vivian Rubinstein Podrid
Float Teacher

Tina Moskow
Float Teacher

Carolyn Drucker
Float Teacher

Liz Shron
Float Teacher

Caring Connections

Susan Karon
Associate Director, Caring Connections
781.997.4243

Development

Gloria Kuris
Development Associate
781.997.4255

Administration

Contact Stephen
781.997.4241

Stephen Ashkinos

Executive Director, Administration & Operations

Stephen joins TBE as Executive Director of Administration and Operations following his years as the Regional Development Agent for Brooklyn Water Bagels. Previously, Stephen was the COO of a New York-based creative solutions company where he managed operations as well as expanded their business model to include an inhouse advertising agency. Stephen also founded and served as CEO of an award-winning portfolio of companies in New York City that included a live action production company, design and visual effects company, and editorial facility.

Stephen lives in Sudbury with his wife Jennifer and two daughters, Jamie and Sydney.