My first two Bar/Bat Mitzvah students were my daughter, Yamit, and my son, Gabi. Working together as a team, the experience was incredibly rewarding for all of us as they reached their proud day. All the hours of studying and effort paid off.

But rewind about three decades earlier to me becoming a Bar Mitzvah. Growing up a public school kid and a committed Conservative Jew in eastern Long Island, I was strongly influenced by a great Bar Mitzvah tutor, who supported and guided me through the entire process. Surpassing my own expectations, I read the entire Torah portion and Haftarah, delivered a dvar Torah and led the Shacharit prayers on my Bar Mitzvah day. With much credit to and appreciation of my teacher, I still look back on upon that day with a tremendous sense of joy, pride and accomplishment.

Over the past eight years, I have taught more than 30 B’nai Mitzvah students to chant Torah and Haftarah and lead services. I approach every student as a teammate on this journey and create an engaging and highly encouraging environment for each one. My students have diverse learning styles, Jewish educational backgrounds and levels of religious observance. Public school. Day School. Conservative. Reform. Independent.

I am a graduate of Brandeis University and the Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism. My professional career has included more than 10 years as a daily newspaper reporter at the Salem Evening News where I covered everything from Presidential candidates to a mayor who  bought the community’s chametz from the local rabbi every year before Pesach. During that time, I also launched Country Standard Time, a country, bluegrass and Americana music website, now in its 30th year. I also love sports, am an avid runner and go to a lot of concerts. I am an active member of Minyan Ma’or, which is part of Temple Emanuel in Newton Centre, Mass.