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Who We Are
About RAVSAK
Our Mission
RAVSAK: The Jewish Community Day School Network is the international center for the advancement and support of pluralistic Jewish day school education. We promote academic excellence, maximal inclusion, Jewish diversity and religious purposefulness. We believe that the future of the Jewish People is enshrined in Klal Yisrael - the notion of Jewish Peoplehood. RAVSAK is dedicated to empowering professionals to educate children and their families from across the spectrum of Jewish life. (Revised, Spring 2006)
Our Vision
Whereas once community day schools were few and loosely connected, today RAVSAK has become the fastest growing network of Jewish day schools in North America. Attending to the leadership and management needs of over 120 schools serving nearly 30,000 students, we stand at the cutting edge of Jewish day school education and leadership.
In partnership with member schools and with support from visionary philanthropic leaders, RAVSAK will transform Jewish life in North America and beyond by strengthening community day schools, encouraging religious purposefulness, and fostering authentic Jewish pluralism. We will invest new generations of Jews in a commitment to life long learning, an understanding of the vibrancy inherent in diversity, a deep attachment to Israel, a celebration of the richness in Jewish culture, and a vision of a world made better through acts of chesed and tzedakah. We raise the professional status of our member schools and in doing so, work to ensure that community day schools, new and long established, are able to meet the pressures and high standards of research-based best practices and parental expectations.
Our Core Jewish Values
| Klal Yisrael |
The unity of the Jewish People |
כלל ישראל |
| Talmud Torah |
A commitment to life long Jewish learning |
תלמוד תורה |
| Derech Eretz |
The promotion of civil discourse |
דרך ארץ |
| Tzelem Elokim |
The importance of the individual, each created in the Divine Image |
צלם אלקים |
| Tzionut |
The centrality of Israel, Zionism and the Hebrew language |
ציונות |
| Gemilut Chasadim |
A commitment to teaching acts of righteousness |
גמילות חסדים |
| Iyun Tefilah |
The promotion of religious purposefulness and the worthiness of prayer |
עיון תפילה |
Executive Commitee
RAVSAK is organized as a 501 (c)(3) and is governed by an Executive Committee composed of active Heads of Schools. Elections are held every two years at our Annual Meeting, where the membership in attendance votes to accept or reject a slated Executive Committee as defined by our bylaws and as recommended by the Nominating Committee. If you are a head of a RAVSAK school and are interested in serving on the next Executive Committee, please contact Bathea James.
At the January Annual Meeting, the membership unanimously approved a new slate of officers who will serve as our Executive Committee for 2007-2009.
Susan Weintrob, President
Susan Weintrob is Head of School at the Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School in Foster city, CA, in the San Francisco Bay Area. For the last six years, she was Head of School at Hannah Senesh Community Day School, where she took the school through a major capital campaign and a move into a new facility. Susan worked as Assistant Principal in a Schechter and a General Studies Principal in a Yeshiva Day School. Before her career in day school administration, Susan was a professor at Ball State University's English Department, where she taught literature, composition and Jewish Studies, and was Faculty Advisor to Hillel. Her career includes teaching on the high school, college and adult levels; writing a weekly newspaper column; lecturing and writing on topics concerning the Jewish world; and home-schooling her children. She continues to present at conferences and participate in national think tanks. She served as a mentor for RAVSAK's Project SuLaM. Susan has lived in many locations across the United States, and in France. No matter where she has lived, Susan has a passion for Jewish education and community. Susan's degrees are in Literature and Educational Administration. She is married to violinist Neil Weintrob and has two children.
Dr. Barbara Davis, Vice President for Communication
Barbara Davis is principal of the Syracuse Hebrew Day School in Central New York. She has a B.A. from Barnard College and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Columbia University. She is professor emerita of Spanish at Onondaga Community College. Barbara was a member of the 1999 Lookstein Center Principals Seminar at Bar Ilan University and has enjoyed membership in RAVSAK for many years. A photographer, she has also developed photographic exhibits chronicling the Syracuse Jewish and African American communities and is the author of Arcadia Publishing's "Syracuse African Americans." Barbara has three children and five grandchildren.
Dr. Betty Winn, Vice President for Development
Betty is completing her 4th year as head of the Abraham Joshua Heschel Day School in Northridge, CA, following a founding head who had been at the school for 32 years. Undaunted by the task, Betty brings her own long history as an educational leader to Heschel, having been in public education for more than a decade before entering the world of private education for nearly as many years. She holds a BA from UCLA and an MA from Pepperdine. Betty is drawn to Project SuLaM as it presents the opportunity for both personal and professional growth; learning that will be meaningful to her as an individual as well as a school head. She also shared that things have not been the same at her school since she joined RAVSAK.
Dr. Ray Levi, Vice President for Planning
Dr. Ray Levi, (A.B. Oberlin College; M.A. Claremont Graduate School; Ph.D. Case Western Reserve University), is beginning his eighth year as Head of School at the Minneapolis Jewish Day School. Dr. Levi came from Ohio, where he was Head of the Agnon School, Cleveland's Jewish Community Day School, for seven years. Previously, Dr. Levi was a primary teacher in grades Kindergarten thought three in both public and independent schools, an Adjunct Professor of Education at John Carroll University, and Director of Special Curriculum Projects at University School. Dr. Levi is a Mentor on the faculty of the AVI-CHAI - funded Day School Leadership Training Institute at the Jewish Theological Seminary. He serves on the Executive Committee of RAVSAK (the Jewish Community Day School Network), is Secretary of the Council for Spirituality and Ethics in Education (CSEE), and chairs the Heads Council of the Minnesota Association of Independent Schools in the fall. He is a past member and secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Independent School Association of the Central States (ISACS) and the Editorial Board of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).
Dr. Rennie Wrubel, High School Representative
Dr. Rennie Wrubel, Milken Community High School's (MCHS) Head of School, oversees the Middle and High Schools of about 800 students. She is responsible for the entire educational program of the schools, supervision of all staff and administration, recruitment of faculty and staff, fundraising and development. Dr. Wrubel has been Head of MCHS since 1997. She comes to Milken with her Doctorate in Educational Administration from Fordham University in New York, a Masters Degree in English and American Literature from the University of Wisconsin, and dual Bachelors Degrees from Fairleigh Dickinson University in English Literature and Education. She served as an English teacher and English Department Head in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and New York before becoming Assistant Principal and Principal of Byram Hills High School in Armonk, New York from 1984 to 1997. During her administration, Byram Hills was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School. Dr. Wrubel has been honored as a Johns Hopkins University, Center for Talented Youth, SBD Administrator Fellow. Recently, Dr. Wrubel was presented with the prestigious Milken Family Foundation Jewish Educator Award for 2006. Most important, Dr. Wrubel and her husband are proud grandparents of Eitan, Nir and Tamar who live in Israel.
Rory Paul
Rory Paul is Head of School and CEO at Gray Academy of Jewish Education in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Prior to joining the independent Jewish School system Rory worked for twenty-six years in the Public School system as a teacher, facilitator, consultant and administrator at the elementary, middle and high school levels. After completing undergraduate degrees from both the University of Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba in Sociology, Psychology and Education, Rory completed his post graduate studies in Special Needs Education, Brain Theory and Education Administration at Sonoma State University, University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan. Rory is currently a member at large for the Canadian Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), the Canadian Educational Standards Institute (CESI) and the Manitoba Council for International Education (MCIE). As well, he is vice president of the Manitoba Federation of Independent Schools (MFIS) and serves as Chair of the Education and Professional Development Committee.
Bathea James, Immediate Past President
Bathea James is the former Executive Director of the Tucson Hebrew Academy in Tucson, Arizona. Prior to this position Bathea was a clinical social work therapist at the Anxiety and Phobia Center in Tucson. Bathea who comes from Johannesburg, South Africa was a senior lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand for 10 years before moving to the King David School in Johannesburg. Bathea has numerous degrees in the fields of business, clinical social work, African Languages and Biblical Studies as well as in Educational Leadership. Bathea was also a graduate of the Harvard Principals' Center Summer Institute 2003. Bathea is also a member of the Arizona Board of Health Examiners and is a Licensed Master Social Worker.
RAVSAK Staff
Robin Feldman, Director of Member Services
Robin Feldman is the Director of Member Services for RAVSAK. Robin has a passion for working with Jewish youth in the formal and informal worlds of Jewish education, and has been doing so for over twelve years. In the formal education sector, Robin worked as a team teacher for the El Paso Hebrew Day School (now known as the El Paso Jewish Academy) and as the Coordinator of Student Life for the Solomon Schechter High School of Long Island. In the world of informal education, Robin has worked on the local as well as regional levels as Director of Youth for United Synagogue and Young Judaea. Robin currently lives in Bay Terrace, NY with her husband Jonathan and their two children Sarah and Samuel. As Director of Member Services, Robin is responsible for membership outreach and retention, planning our annual conference, network communications and serving as your point person at RAVSAK. Robin can be reached at rfeldman@ravsak.org.
Shaya Klechevsky, Assistant to the Executive Director
Shaya Klechevsky is the Assistant to the Executive Director at Ravsak. Born and raised in Brooklyn by two Israeli parents, Shaya attended Brooklyn College where he received his degree in Psychology and Health and Nutrition Sciences. He later attended the French Culinary Institute where he studied to become a classically trained French Chef and now specializes in healthy, kosher, gourmet meals. However, his affinity and connection to the Jewish community has kept him in related fields; Shaya worked for the Jewish National Fund first as an Administrative Assistant, then later as the Fulfillment Systems Coordinator. Consequently, he joined his alma mater, the Yeshivah of Flatbush, where he worked as the Information Manager and Creative Consultant to the Director of Admissions and Associate Principal. Shaya will be using his many skills and talents in furthering the goals and progress of Ravsak. Shaya can be reached at shaya@ravsak.org.
Dr. Marc N. Kramer, Executive Director
Marc Kramer is the Executive Director of RAVSAK: The Jewish Community Day School Network. He holds a bachelors degree in Near East and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University, an MSW from the Columbia University School of Social Work, a masters from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, and both a masters and a doctorate from Teachers College- Columbia University. In addition to his work with RAVSAK, Marc is an educational consultant and group facilitator for the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services of New York. He is the author of several major studies on Jewish day school education and develops psychotherapeutic programs that explore the interface of traditional Jewish texts, civic engagement, and normative mental health issues. In his role as Executive Director, Marc represents our member schools on the regional and national fronts, serving on numerous organizational boards and steering committees, provides on-site consultation, and develops new initiatives to strengthen Jewish day school education. Dr. Kramer is the former head of the Beit Rabban School in New York, NY and the Director of Judaic Studies for the El Paso Hebrew Day School (now known as the El Paso Jewish Academy). Marc is the recipient of the 2006 Covenant Award. Dr. Kramer can be reached at mkramer@ravsak.org.
Elliott Rabin, PhD, Director of Educational Programs
Elliott Rabin is the Director of Educational Programs at Ravsak. He has a broad background in Jewish education at a variety of levels and institutions. Most recently, Elliott was the director of education at Makor, a program of the 92nd Street Y specializing in outreach to Jews in their 20s and 30s. He has taught classes in Jewish Studies, Hebrew language and literature, and world literature in settings ranging from JCCs to universities, including the University of Louisville, Baruch College and New York University. Elliott holds a PhD in comparative literature, with a specialty in Hebrew, from Indiana University. He is the author of Understanding the Hebrew Bible: A Reader's Guide (Ktav), a book that aims to make biblical scholarship accessible and relevant to a general audience. Dr. Rabin can be reached at erabin@ravsak.org.
Marla Rottenstreich, Marketing Coordinator
Marla Rottenstreich is the Marketing Coordinator for RAVSAK. She holds degrees in Jewish Studies and Natural Resource Management. Marla has conducted workshops and produced literature on such topics as Jewish environmentalism, Hebrew Letter Movement Meditation, Eco-Kashrut and more. She most recently served as Program Director at The Jewish Center in Princeton, NJ and has been a Jewish educator in many communities. Marla currently lives in Highland Park, NJ with her husband Mitchell and her daughter, Mayana Shira. As Project Coordinator, Marla is responsible for developing relationships with companies and organizations that offer goods and services that would be worthwhile to the RAVSAK community. Please contact her to inquire about Associate Membership, Strategic Partnership, Advertising in the RAVSAK Newsletter or Outreach at the RAVSAK Conference. She can be reached at marlar@ravsak.org.
Adam Shaw-Vardi, Graphic Designer & Technology Consultant
Adam Shaw is RAVSAK's Graphic Designer, Technology Consultant and Webmaster. If you wanted to know who designed, maintains, and is always improving the RAVSAK website, Adam is the man! Adam is a graduate of the Thelma Yellin School of Art in Givataim, Israel. Since 1998 he has been working for two Israeli newspapers, Yedioth Ahronoth and Haaretz as a web-developer and graphic designer. Adam brings his technological skills, artistic talents, and an important Israeli perspective to his work at RAVSAK. In his role of "tech guy," he is able to combine these three domains. Adam is particularly excited to design, build and maintain new websites for member schools who have yet to develop an Internet presence of their own. Adam is happy to hear from you. He can be reached at webmaster@ravsak.org.
