Administration

Dr. Ray Levi, Head of School (AB, Oberlin College; MA in Education, Claremont Graduate School; PhD in Music Education, Case Western Reserve University, focused on literacy development and original language and music composition by young children), is beginning his thirteenth year at the Day School. Dr. Levi came from Ohio, where he was the Head of the Agnon School, Cleveland’s Jewish Community Day School, for seven years.  He is a Mentor on the faculty of the Day School Leadership Training Institute (DSLTI) an AVI CHAI Foundation program at Jewish Theological Seminary preparing aspiring leaders for Jewish Day School.  A past chair of the Heads Council of the Minnesota Association of Independent Schools (MAIS), he is Vice-President of   the Council for Spirituality & Ethics in Education (CSEE) and served on the Executive Committee of RAVSAK, the Jewish Community Day School Network, and.  Dr. Levi is a past member of the Board of Governors of the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) and the Editorial Board of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).  In addition to many years of classroom teaching in the primary grades and as a middle school advisor,  he has been an adjunct professor of Education at John Carroll University (Cleveland), a director of special curriculum projects at University School, and a staff development consultant for the Institute for Educational Renewal.  He and his wife Ginny are the parents of two grown daughters.

Yoni Binus, Upper School Director (BA in History, Boston university; M.ED in counseling, Boston University, School of Education), is beginning his second year at the Day School and his first as Upper School Director. Last year, he came on as Upper School Counselor after three years as a high school counselor at The Webb Schools, an independent boarding school in Southern California. Prior to working in California, Yoni was a Residence Director at Boston University where he oversaw and managed a dorm of six hundred undergraduate students, a faculty-in-residence, and a team of Resident Assistants. His experience and knowledge in the field of human development along with his work in diverse academic settings bring a foundational perspective on preparing students for their world beyond the day School.

Helen Siegel, Lower School Director (BA and MSEd, Queens College, City University of New York), is beginning her 21st year at the Day School. She has enjoyed a wide range of teaching experiences in three different states, including over 14 years in public education in New York City. She has taught ESL, Spanish, junior high school English, and more. Always involved in Jewish education as a supplementary school Hebrew and Sunday school teacher, Helen joined the Day School faculty as an opportunity to integrate general education with Hebrew and Jewish studies. At the Day School Helen served as a third grade teacher and Division Coordinator for grades 3-6, and now begins her eighth year as a Day School administrator.  She has served on an accreditation team for ISACS and is a member of the JCRC’s Speakers Bureau, educating the broader community about the Holocaust.  As a master/mentor teacher for adult distance learners, she worked with local Jewish educators in the Gratz College Covenant Foundation’s Jewish Education Certificate program.  She completed the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Principal’s Institute in the summer of 2005, studied in the Nishma and Na’aseh professional development seminar on prayer in 2007-08, and participated in subsequent learning circles on prayer in 2008-09. In addition, she participated in a JCES-sponsored seminar on mentorship during the 2008-2009 school year.  As a trained Asset Champion and current member of the executive board for St. Louis Park’s Children First initiative, she is a liaison to the wider community in her support of all students. She looks forward to another exciting year working with the students, families, and faculty in the outstanding program at the Day School.

Robert Portnoe, Judaic Studies Director; Grade 8 Judaic Studies and t’filah (BA and MA in History, University of Pennsylvania; BS in Economics, University of Pennsylvania Wharton School; Juris Doctor, National Law Center of George Washington University, Washington DC;), is beginning his eighteenth year at the Day School. He has been involved in Jewish education for all ages, pre-school students through adults. He currently teaches adult education for Congregation Darchei Noam. Rob is a member of the Educational Leadership Team and Administration team at HMJDS.

Alissa Abelson, Executive Assistant (BS University of Minnesota, MSW, Augsburg College), brings experience in a similar role from her most recent position at the Early Childhood Center for the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in New York City. Alissa has also worked on the support team at the Sabes JCC. Alissa is married to Cantor Stephen Abelson and has two daughters, Madilyn and Stacie who were both born in New York.

Ofer Alphabet, Information Technology Director (BS in Management Information Systems, University of Tel Aviv), is beginning his 10th year working with HMJDS and the entire Barry Family Campus. Originally from Israel, he was a Captain in the Israel Defense Forces Intelligence Division. Ofer came to Minnesota in 1985 where he owned a computer consulting company and physical therapy clinics. After selling his companies, Ofer wanted to be more in touch with the Jewish community and came to work at the Campus. Ofer and his wife, Pam, are the proud parents of two daughters, Taylor (a 6th grader at HMJDS) and Sydney (a 2nd grader at HMJDS).

Justin Berndt, Communications Coordinator (MA in Communications, Wayne State University, BS in Journalism, Central Michigan University), is new to HMJDS this year. Justin oversees our publications and our new upgraded website, as well as initiating a systemic approach to the use of social media. Prior to joining the Day School, Justin worked at two public relations agencies spent time as a print journalist in the Metro Detroit area. He’s excited to share all the wonderful things happening at HMJDS with you.

N. Melegari (Mel) Newman, Staff & Student Services Coordinator, Lower School Administrative Assistant (BS in Communication Arts-major in Theater & Dance, minor in Music, University of Wisconsin-Superior), is beginning her 16th year at the Day School. She came to the Day School because she feels that facilitating the education of children (our future) is important and rewarding. Mel and her husband, Scott, have three children. She also sings in the praise-and-worship band her husband leads at their church. She highly values the cross-spiritual enlightenment she gains by working within this community.

Abbe Gordon Payton, Admissions & Outreach Director (BA in Journalism, University of Minnesota), is beginning her eleventh year at the Day School. Her professional experience is in public relations, marketing, advertising, sales, publishing, and management. She particularly enjoys working with prospective and new parents, helping to integrate them into our vibrant school community. Abbe, a Florence Melton Adult Mini-School graduate, has served on several ISACS (Independent Schools Association of The Central States) accreditation teams and presented multiple times at the PEJE (Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education) Assembly. Abbe has four children: two are HMJDS graduates and two are Welsh terriers.

Steve Richardson, Business Director (MBA in Accounting University of Wisconsin-Madison, BS in Managerial Systems, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, CPA) began his career as a member of the audit staff of Coopers & Lybrand LLP (now PricewaterhouseCoopers). He left public accounting to enter the commercial real estate industry, where he served as Chief Financial Officer at Northco from the company’s formation in 1984 until recently. During his tenure, he was also Principal and a member of the Board of Directors. He is looking forward to the new and unique challenges and rewards he will encounter in a nonprofit environment. Steve grew up in Green Bay and, though he moved to the Twin Cities after college, he remains a Packers fan. He enjoys playing handball. He and his wife Karen have two grown sons.

Rebecca Skelton, Institutional Advancement Director (Masters Degree in Public Affairs from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs), is beginning her first year at the Day School. Prior to joining the day school, Rebecca served as the Director of Community Development for the Minneapolis Jewish Federation, overseeing the Federation’s allocations, strategic planning, and research activities. Prior to relocating to Minnesota in 1997, Rebecca served as Legislative Director for the Union of Reform Judaism’s Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, where she advocated on a wide range of federal policy issues and created the Reform Jewish Movement’s first grassroots, state policy structure.  She also served as the Washington Representative of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, working with Members of Congress and the Executive Branch on policy and funding issues of importance to Chicago area Jewish agencies and institutions.  Rebecca also has worked as a Legislative Assistant with the CJF-Washington Action Office. Rebecca is married to Shepard Harris, a lobbyist with the law firm of Fredrikson and Byron.  They have three children.

Bat Sheva Berman, Hebrew Coordinator (Teaching degree, Teacher’s Seminar), is beginning her eleventh year at the Day School. After high school, she served in the army for two years where she planned youth programs in development towns. She taught Hebrew and directed all holiday programs at Torah Academy for 21 years before coming to the Day School. Bat Sheva lives in St. Louis Park with her husband and three children. She is the winner of the Mann Jewish Educator of the Year Award and Grinspoon – Steinhardt Award for Excellence in Jewish Education. Bat Sheva developed the curriculum for Kol Ivrit, a new, highly successful Hebrew immersion camp for students entering grades one to four, run jointly by the Day School and the Sabes JCC.

Randy Kustanowitz, Substitute Coordinator, originally hails from New York. He has been in the Twin Cities since 1984. He went to the Hebrew Academy of Suffolk County in New York as a child and sent his daughter to the Day School. His background is in Minneapolis public schools as a substitute teacher. He lived in Israel for six months on Kibbutz Hazorea and participated in the ULPAN program.

Susan Divine, Controller (Business Administration-Accounting, University of Minnesota; CPA), is beginning her eighteenth year at the Day School. Susan previously worked at Coopers and Lybrand LLP (now Pricewaterhouse Coopers), first as an auditor then as a tax advisor specializing in non-profits and fiduciary tax work. Susan enjoys brisk walks along the lake and an exciting game of Mah Jongg.

Lynn Lederman Annual Fund Coordinator (degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and William Mitchell College of Law), is the HMJDS annual fund coordinatror and the proud parent of four HMJDS and TCJMS graduates. Prior to coming to HMJDS, Jill worked at Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minneapolis and Abbott Northwestern Hospital Foundation and also served as a Guardian Ad Litem through Hennepin County Juvenile Courts. Prior to that, she practiced family law in St. Paul and was a law clerk for Hennepin County Judge Jonathan Lebedoff.

Jill Blustin, Upper School Administrative Assistant (CPA; BS in Accounting, University of Minnesota), is beginning her eighth year working at the Day School and her fourteenth year as a Day School parent. Jill previously worked at Deluxe Corporation for seven years as a Corporate Accounting Analyst, Accounts Receivable Manager and as a team member on a Business Architecture/Shared Services Design Team implementing SAP Software. Prior to that, Jill worked at Grant Thornton for five years as an auditor. Jill and her husband Sholly have two children: Sam, who is a Day School graduate, and Talor, who is currently in eighth grade at the Day School.

Andrea Johnson, Development Assistant (Diploma in Office Administration, Office Services, KRS Computer Business School), joined the Day School over ten years ago. She enjoys working closely with the students, family and faculty. Drea has three children, Leo, a high school junior; Loni, a 2011 HMJDS graduate; and Amarah, who is in Cassie Mott’s third grade class at HMJDS. She believes that having her children attend the Day School is allowing them the opportunity to experience and have more knowledge of different cultures. Drea values the Day School community’s togetherness, and appreciates how the community supports one another.

Ethan Tarshish, Admissions Assistant (Interdepartmental degree in Film Studies, Jewish Studies, and Writing, University of Minnesota), dives into his sixth year at the Day School (his 13th year if you count when he was a student). A Day School alumnus, he has also worked closely with the Jewish community while acting as Advocate for Temple Israel’s Na’aseh V’nishma program in the past 12 years. A self-proclaimed “comic book aficionado,” Ethan brings his love of reading and storytelling to the Day School, injecting adventure and excitement into any given day. Ethan also has a comic series he self publishes at www.woeisoz.com . Ethan enjoys books, films, filmmaking, writing, and solving mysteries with his wife Julie, & two- two year old sons Charlie and Oscar. Like Zoinks!