ULPANAT ORLY
אולפנה תורנית, בית שמש
Come meet our amazing, caring and dedicated staff!
Ariela Davis - Menahelet
Ariela Davis is an energetic Jewish educator with close to 20 years of experience teaching a range of Judaic subjects at the middle school, high school and collegiate levels at schools in New York, Jerusalem, Houston and Charleston, SC. Before making Aliyah to Bet Shemesh, Ariela served as the Judaic Principal of Addlestone Hebrew Academy and the Rebbetzin of Brith Sholom Beth Israel, where she worked with students and adults of a range of backgrounds and hashkafot. Ariela received her BA in Journalism from Stern College and her MS in Jewish education from Azrieli Graduate School for Jewish Education and uses her love of writing, speaking and learning to inspire students and adults to find meaning and relevance in Judaism in a way that enables them to connect and flourish on their own individual path. Ariela loves Israeli history and politics, correcting the spelling on street signs in Israel, watching dolphins at sunrise and hiking in Israel - and specifically racing her students up mountains!
Zippi Klein - Assistant Menahelet
Mrs. Klein is a former hockey player, kickboxer and a Tanach enthusiast and she brings her energy, laughter, warmth and love of learning into her classes, which makes her a favorite with all of the students. With a B.A. in Biology and Tanach, an MS. in Education and a certificate in Teacher Mentoring, Mrs. Klein brings over a decade of experience in teaching, curriculum development and school administration, at the elementary, middle and high school levels and she most recently served as a Tanach chair in Los Angeles before making aliyah. In addition to supporting each student’s needs, Mrs. Klein strongly believes in helping students elevate their own expectations to maximize their growth in learning. In addition to her administrative work as Sganit Menahelet, Mrs. Klein is Mechanechet to our 12th grade and teaches Navi to all students, which includes drawing out battle plans that would make the IDF jealous.
Miriam Zlotnick - Office Manager, Director of Programming
Miriam joined our staff this year to run the Ulpanat Orly office and to help in planning inspiring, unifying, and fun programming for the students throughout the year. Having made aliyah as an older teenager and understanding the challenges and triumphs of that experience is what initially drew Miriam to Orly. Although Miriam studied Education at Michlalah Jerusalem College, her true passion is working with teenagers in an informal setting and playing a more organizational role. For many years Miriam did administrative work for both an educational non-profit and Yeshivat Lev HaTorah, and she is bringing her warmth, strong attention to detail, organization and creativity to the Orly staff.
Avital Gastwirth - Kodesh, Science, Art
Morah Avital Gastwirth wears many hats- both with her experience, as well as the myriad of classes she teaches at Orly. On any given day, Morah Avital teaches Tanach, Science, Halacha and Art and also serves as the 10th-11th grade Mechanechet. On the days she is not teaching, Morah Avital is pursuing her certificate in Nishmat’s Yoetzet Halacha course, having previously completed Machon Puah’s Yoetzet Refui (halachic medical counselor) certificate.
HaMorah Avital made aliyah with her family as a teenager and knows what it's like to enter the world of Bagrut when you're just getting accustomed to the country. In addition to her degree from המכללה האקדמית הרצוג and experience teaching at Orot Etzion and Derech Avot, HaMorah Avital brings a wealth of fascinating experiences to our school as a previous editor of Mizrachi Magazine, an author of a book on Tanach which she is currently editing AND a talented artist.
Esther Nehama Gross - Rakezet Cheshbon, Math
HaMorah Esther Nehama Lubarsky teaches math to students in grades 7-11 and is preparing our students for the Math Bagrut. With roots from Nashville and the Ukraine but born in Israel (and with an uncle who is a Rav in Anatevka which as it turns out IS A REAL PLACE), HaMorah Esther Nehama grew up in Ramat Bet Shemesh. She has a degree in math and learning disabilities from Merkaz Bet Yaakov (Chadash) in Yerushalayim and teaches at Mishkenot Daat in addition to her classes at Ulpanat Orly. In her spare time, she is a certified medic for United Hatzala, mentors teenage girls at Yedidim and tutors in math. She enjoys singing and acting and is a dynamic teacher at Orly, where she also enjoys chatting with the girls about whatever is on their minds.
Rachel Javasky - Kodesh
Ulpanat Orly believes that students don't and shouldn't fit neatly into a box and our 7th-9th grade Halacha teacher and Mechanechet, Rachel Javasky very much aligns with and exemplifies this approach. Coming from a mixed Ashkenazi/Sfardi background and with an appreciation for both, Rachel has taught students from across the academic, grade and hashkafic spectrum- from advanced classes to students with learning differences at Tiferes Bais Yaakov and Ulpanat Orot Girls School in Toronto to אורות עציון Orot Etzion and Midreshet Lindenbaum in Israel. What unites all of Rachel's teaching experiences is that she loves working with students who are intellectually curious and she encourages students to pursue their questions and think for themselves. Bright and personable, Rachel has a masters degree in Jewish Education and loves learning and teaching Tanach and Halacha. Welcome Rachel to Ulpanat Orly, we are very excited to have you join our faculty!
Peninah Rothman - Kodesh
Peninah Rothman is a veteran teacher, having spent decades of teaching children, teenagers and women in various communities in Eretz Yisrael and the US. As an educator and a gardener, she loves to watch things come to life, blossom and grow, especially in Eretz Yisrael. The experience of Aliyah with a family makes the success of Olim close to her heart.
Peninah is a graduate of Bais Yaacov of Boro Park Teachers' Seminary. Her experiences have connected her with Yeshiva, Chassidic and Dati Leumi communities.
Currently she teaches Tanach to women online as well as Chumash in Ulpanat Orly, where her focus is to foster emotional and spiritual growth in creative ways, BS"D.
Her passion is Torat Eretz Yisrael and she draws her inspiration from the writing of Harav Kook ZT"L.
Peninah and her husband live in Kiryat Moshe, Yerushalayim where Rav Aharon teaches at Machon Meir.
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Michali Caplan - Rakezet Ruchani
The daughter of a well-known outreach rabbi in South Africa, Gavriel Klatzko a"h, who passed away tragically when he was 28, Michali Caplan has been through a lot in her life which led her on a journey that resulted in resilience, self-awareness, honesty and a strong sense of emunah... all while still being very relatable. Michali and her husband, Ephraim run a popular minyan in Ramat Bet Shemesh Gimmel called the Barber Shop Minyan (Shaar HaShamayim) whose goal is to ensure that people can daven and be received in a place of love, without judgment. Michali has a special way of connecting to teens and enjoys running team-building programs and helping teens work through challenges through acceptance, love and understanding. Through her work at Ulpanat Orly, her husband's shul and by sharing her story at various seminaries and kiruv organizations, her dream is to continue her father's legacy of inspiring people to find and connect with Hashem in a way that speaks to them.
Shana Wasosky - Director of Penn Foster
Shana Wasosky has been teaching at Ohr Moshe for many years and with her 20 years of experience and the hundreds of students who have completed their GED or Penn Foster degrees with her guidance, she was the natural person to lead our Penn Foster program when the school opened in 2019. Early in her education career, Mrs. Wasosky embraced the challenge that every student needs to learn differently and embarked on a journey of educational reform in the homeschooling and traditional classroom platform. Mrs. Wasosky holds a Bachelor's degree in history and physics, a Master's degree in Education, and is a trained Jewish Montessori teacher. She and her husband are former Aish Denver Directors and she is the curriculum developer of the Geerz program, which was started by her husband as a program to use mountain biking as a method of imparting life skills and empowering adults and children to strengthen their self-confidence. In particular, this program has proven to be incredibly successful for students who have ADHD and other social/behavioral challenges. She is beloved by parents, students and faculty members alike and we are incredibly lucky to count her as a pillar of our staff.
Hila Mansoor - Toshba, Lashon, Sifrut
Hila Mansoor has been involved in girls education for over 20 years, teaching religious and Hebrew subjects in elementary school and high school. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree (BA) in education from Beit Vagan College, Jerusalen specializing in Bible study. In addition, she had extensive training in Jerusalem and a second degree from “Orot” college, in Jewish psychotherapy and coaching in the NLP approach.
Hila feels privileged and passionate about girls education, and over the years has focused on establishing good relationships with students. She often keeps up with students for years after graduation!
Amira Glicksberg - Lashon, Sifrut
Morah Amira recently returned to Israel after several years of Shlichut in South Africa, where she ran community programs, including one for strengthening and inspiring students who returned from seminary in Israel. Morah Amira currently works at the Bet Shemesh Iriya's Ulpan to help new Olim acquire Hebrew, as well as privately with students who need tutoring in Lashon. A big believer in teaching via small groups with games and activities, Morah Amira has nearly completed her masters degree in educating students with learning differences such as dyslexia. With her education, experience and approach to learning, Morah Amira is a huge asset to helping any student excel in Hebrew at their level and ability.
Rochal Sultan - Kodesh, English
Rochal had been living in Beit Shemesh for 17 years after making aliyah as a teenager. After receiving a B.Ed from Michlala she had been teaching High school English. She is also the program director of Yachad in Moshava Alevy where she spends her summers with her husband and 3 kiddies! She is VERY excited to be joining the Ulpanat Orly family!
Pnina Savery - English
Ulpanat Orly is thrilled to welcome Mrs. Pnina Savery as our new English teacher. A warm and passionate teacher with many years of experience teaching English in high school and giving lectures on Tanach across the UK, Mrs. Savery loves to bring texts alive and make them feel relevant to modern life, including Tanach, Shakespeare and Harry Potter! Mrs. Savery holds a masters degree in Jewish History from Hebrew University and is a graduate of the Advanced Tanach Programme in Matan and of the Office of the Chief Rabbi's Ma'ayan programme. A new Olah to Israel from the UK, we know that Mrs. Savery will be a great support for the many new Olot who will be joining us this year. Welcome Mrs. Savery and thank you to Rabbi Johnny Solomon for recommending her!
Yochi Chavruni - Graphic Design
Iris Gado - Sport