Our Faculty

Rabbi Ira Kosowsky, Director of Machon Maayan, is a dynamic and inspirational educator who believes in personal growth through open discussions, in-depth Torah study, and community involvement.

Rabbi Kosowsky has established Student Leadership Programs in many countries – including England, South Africa and the United States – that are characterized by practical leadership training, which has empowered the graduates to get involved in many meaningful challenges in the Jewish world. He has rabbinical ordination from Yeshiva University, and a Master's degree in Bible from Bernard Revel Graduate School.

Rabbi Ben Zion Goldfisher, Mashgiach Ruchani, is an extremely talented and popular educator both in the formal and non-formal realms. With the ability to relate to others at all levels of religious observance, intellect and age, he has inspired and affected countless students at Midreshet Moriah, Be'er Miriam, Birthright, Aish Hatorah, NCSY, Reishit Yerushalayim and Toras Shraga, among others. While Rabbi Goldfischer's classes and programs are known to be challenging and enlightening, they are always delivered with humor and entertainment.

Rabbi Goldfischer has been involved in NSCY as far as he can remember but most significantly he founded and directs The Jerusalem Journey, a month-long touring and learning program in Israel, where he connects public school students with their Jewish roots, sharing his vast knowledge of our heritage and history through archeological sites, Biblical texts, hikes and trips.

Rabbi Goldfischer received his Rabbinical Ordination from Yeshiva University and holds a B.A. in Biology and History. He is also a licensed Tour Guide through the Ministry of Tourism.

Mrs. Meryl Lee Abraham, coordinator of internships and house-mother, has an ability to impart her passion for Torah and Mitzvot in a manner that is truly unique. She is able to synthesize classroom curriculum into the terms of daily living, while building confidence and self-esteem in her students.

Mrs. Abraham was the director for many years of a vast network of outreach programs throughout New Jersey known as L.A.V.E. (Life And Values Education). She founded the Ari Kraut Friendship Circle, which provides community assistance to families with special needs children, by pairing the children with trained and eager teen volunteers.

Rabbi Michael Bramson is a warm and engaging teacher, who caters to the needs of each individual student. His ability to incorporate comments and concerns from across the spectrum makes him a truly universal educator.

He currently teaches at Torat Chaim in Yerushalayim and at Tiferet in Ramat Bet Shemesh. The influence of his talents have been felt during the summers by the Ethiopian community of Natzrat Elit in Israel, during Shavuot & Simchat Torah in the city of Newport News, Virginia, on Shabbatonim throughout New Jersey, and as one of the most successful teachers at the Berman Hebrew Academy of Greater Washington.

Rabbi Bramson has Rabbinical Ordination from Yeshiva University and a B.A. in Psychology.

Rebbetzin Toby Einhorn runs classes which combine in-depth textual learning and skill building with spiritual inspiration and a holistic way of looking at our world.

She has taught courses in Bible and Jewish Thought in the United States, the former Soviet Union, Israel, Hong Kong and South Africa. She holds a Master's Degree from Bernard Revel Graduate School in Bible and a BA from Stern College for Women in Philosophy and Jewish Studies.

Rabbi Aaron Wexler is a popular and thought-provoking instructor in Talmud, Zionism and Jewish Thought. His insights into texts and ideas are both inspiring and motivating for his various groups of students.

Rabbi Wexler currently teaches at Machon Gold and Eretz Hatzvi and has been leading Birthright tours for the past five years. He has an M.A. in Jewish History, as well as a B.A. in Archeology, and he is also a licensed tour guide.

Dina Ettigson - currently teaches at Tiferet. Students thrive on her rare combination of intellect and spirituality. After receiving her B.A. from State University of New York at Albany and working at Morgan Stanley, Dina moved to Israel and joined the Matmidot Program at Matan and then the Machon Gevoha Program at Nishmat.

Leah Sirote transmits to students her own love of Torah and Talmud Torah and their relevance to her own life and to theirs.

Leah has taught Tanach at Midreshet Moriah, Frisch and the Yeshiva of Flatbush High School. She holds a Master's Degree in Bible from Bernard Revel Graduate School and a Master's Degree in Jewish Education from Azrielli Graduate School.

Rabbi Dov Lipman is the author of "Discover a Book on Jewish Thought" for teenagers. His knowledge and depth of understanding comes alive in the classroom with his exciting and personable teaching style. Rabbi Lipman received Semicha from Rav Yaakov Weinberg zt"l of Ner Yisrael Baltimore and completed a Masters in Education from John Hopkins University. Rabbi Lipman was involved in outreach at college campuses in America and at a summer camp in the former Soviet Union. He was also the director of student life for Yeshiva Yesodei Hatorah.

Dina Blank holds a Bachelor's Degree from Columbia University and an MA in Jewish History from the Bernard Revel Graduate School at Yeshiva University. She is a graduate of the Atid Fellows program and is a mainstay on the faculty of Shaalvim for Women.

Pesha Fischer has worked as the Campus Torah Educator at the University of Maryland. Previously she was the Judaic Studies Coordinator at Yavneh Academy in Dallas. Pesha has studied in the Bruriah Scholars program at Midreshet Lindenbaum and Matan. She holds a Master's Degree in Jewish Education from Yeshiva University. She has taught at MMY and Michlelet Neve Daniel and is also currently teaching at Tiferet.

Michael Feur has worked as the Program Director of Yeshiva Torat Chaim and as a teacher at various institutions in Jerusalem. He specializes in using outdoor education with yeshivot in order to open new pathways for learning traditional ideas. He has a BA in Environmental Geology from Colorado College and a MA in Sustainable International Development from Brandeis University.

Yosef Bienenstock has taught in the Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto and the Adath Israel and Shaar Shalom Congregational Schools. He received an MA from Azrielli Graduate School and has taught in Yeshivat Reishit Yerushalayim and Knesset Yisrael.

Rabbi Moshe Lichtman received semicha from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and from Yeshiva University and has taught at Shaarei Mevaseret Tzion, MMY, Machon Gold, B'not Chayil and Yesodei Hatorah. He is the translator of several books, including the classic work Eim Habanim Semeichah, and Simcha Raz's biography of Rav Kook zt"l, An Angel Among Men.

Barbara Vidomlanski, a Rakezet for Machon Maayan, studied in Midreshet Moriah, and afterwards continued her studies at Stern College where she completed her degree in education. Barbara began teaching in Chorev High School in Yerushalayim and over the past few years she has been a popular teacher and rakezet at MMY and more recently at Tiferet. Barbara and her husband are an essential part of the educational staff at Camp Moshava.

Miriam Friedman, a Rakezet for Machon Maayan, holds a Master's degree in Social Work from Yeshiva University. She has most recently studied at Nishmat Center for Advanced Jewish Study for Women. She has built lasting relationships and inspired growth in her work with youth in many different settings, including Tikva, Camp Extreme, and Neveh Yerushalayim.

Michal Gruen, a Rakezet for Machon Maayan, studied at Michlalah and then received her BA from Stern College. Michal has worked at Kushner Academy, Rabbi Pesach Raymon of Edison, Michlelet Esther, MMY, and currently at Tiferet. She is a certified aerobics instructor and teaches at one of the local health clubs in Ramat Beit Shemesh.

Adina Bloomberg, a Madricha for Machon Maayan, has been involved in informal education for a number of years, mostly through New England Region NCSY. Most recently she has been teaching at the Margolin Hebrew Academy in Memphis, TN having moved there after Hurricane Katrina. She has the ability to mix teaching and personal attention to create a unique experience for her students.