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Who We Are | Our Staff

Professional Staff | Administrative Staff

Professional Staff : Barbara Merson, Executive Director

Barbara Merson joined the staff of Temple Shaaray Tefila as Executive Director in 2008, having been a leader in Jewish organizations for many years. She has served as the Assistant Executive Director of the Stamford JCC, the Executive Director of the ISEF Foundation, and the Chief Operating Officer of the Slifka Foundation. She is a Board member of the National Conference of Jewish Women and a member of the Poverty Task force of UJA/Federation. In addition to her work with not for profit organizations, Barbara brings an extensive business background to the Temple . Her corporate jobs include senior management positions in the oil and banking industries, and her educational background includes an MBA in finance and accounting from Columbia University , an MA in English from SUNY Stony Brook, and a BA from Brandeis University .

Throughout her life, Barbara has had a very strong commitment to the Jewish community in the United States and in Israel. Her association with the Reform Movement dates to childhood and her family’s membership in Temple Beth El in Great Neck and participation in the Temple ’s youth group and NFTY. She is dedicated to making Temple Shaaray Tefila a warm, welcoming, and exciting Jewish place for everyone.

Barbara lives with her husband Marty and son Gabe in Pound Ridge. She enjoys music, dance, and teaching group fitness classes.

Professional Staff : Mara Braunfeld, Director of Education

Mara Braunfeld joined Temple Shaaray Tefila as the Director of Education in July 2006. She was born and raised in Texas and is blessed with a wonderful family who have nurtured and inspired her. Mara’s love for Judaism and Jewish learning are rooted in the home that her parents created for their four children. Her passion for Jewish education took flight through her years as a camper and staff member at the URJ Greene Family Camp in Texas. Mara’s philosophy of learning and living Jewishly has developed through her personal experience of the impact Judaism can have on individual and familial lives.

Mara graduated Magna Cum Laude from Brandeis University with a B.A. in Sociology and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She spent the following year living in Jerusalem where she began her studies at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. After two more years of study at the Rhea Hirsch School of Education in Los Angeles, CA., Mara received her Master’s in Jewish Education from HUC-JIR. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, cooking and spending time with family and friends.

Mara lives with her husband Daniel in New York City.

Professional Staff : Brad Zicholtz, Director of Youth Programs

Brad Zicholtz grew up in Queens, NY and attended Temple Israel of Jamaica . There he became a Bar Mitzvah, was confirmed and became president of his youth group. However, it was his nine summers spent between the URJ's Eisner Camp and Crane Lake Camp that inspired Brad to work in the field of youth programs.

Brad is currently working on his Master's Degree at The New School for Non-Profit Management and Public Policy. This is Brad’s eighth year as the Director of Youth Programs. In that time, he has expanded the youth program from three to five youth groups. He also organizes an international house building trip to Nicaragua each year. He is currently on the Board of Directors of Bridges to Community. He lives in Somers with his wife Nicole.

Professional Staff : Beth Kiffel, Early Childhood Center Director

Beth Kiffel joins the staff of Temple Sharaay Tefila as the Director of the Early Childhood Center after a lifelong career as a director and educator in the field of early childhood education. She received her Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood education from Mills College of Education in New York City, and went on to receive her Master's degree in Education from the College of New Rochelle.

Beth has worked in all phases of early childhood education including teaching 3 and 4 year olds at the YMHA in Mt. Vernon, and starting a new school in White Plains. She then spent 5 years directing The Mother and Child Center in New Rochelle, and most recentlly spent the last 14 years directing the JCC Sara Walker Nursery School in Stamford, CT. where she innovated new programs for parents and students, and increased registration by raising the school to new standards of excellence. She strongly believes in developmentally appropriate practices through the power of play and the individualized education of each child to improve self esteem, and achieve success. Beth's philosophy of education is based on the knowledge that a lifetime of learning begins with the early childhood environment.

Beth lives with her husband Gary, in Edgemont, New York. Their daughter Jamie, a graduate of Wellesley College, is a writer who lives with her husband Daniel, in Los Angeles, California.

Professional Staff : Jody Gansel, Assistant Director of Education

Jody Gansel, is a new addition to the Temple Shaaray Tefila professional staff. Jody will serve as the Assistant Director of Education beginning July 2010. She was born and raised in Atlanta, GA and has spent the last two years living and working in Boston, MA as a Youth Educator at a Reform synagogue in the suburbs. Jody gets her love of youth and informal education from her involvement in Jewish youth groups and sleep away camp growing up. Jody spent many summers as a camper and staff member at URJ Camp Coleman and is working for URJ Camp Harlam this summer as an Assistant Director of Jewish Life.

Jody graduated from Indiana University with a B.A. in Jewish Studies and a minor in Sociology. She studied abroad in Israel for a year during college and experienced many different aspects of Judaism in the Holy Land. Jody hopes to pursue a masters in Jewish and Experiental Education in the future. In her free time, Jody enjoys playing Mah Jong, teaching leftys how to crochet, and traveling. Jody lives with a friend in New York City.

Professional Staff | Administrative Staff