Who We Are

Daphna Venyige Gutman is a singer, song leader, prayer leader, and music educator — helping individuals and families connect with Jewish tradition through meaningful music and ritual. She spent many years living in Israel, where she worked on Kibbutz, served in the Israeli Defense Forces, and later spent over a decade at ABC News. Daphna recently completed a two-year fellowship at the Davvenen Leadership Training Institute (DLTI), focusing on Jewish communal prayer leadership and public ritual. She holds a B.A. in Middle Eastern Studies from UC Berkeley and serves as a cantorial soloist throughout the Los Angeles area while also teaching religious school. She is the mother of two.

A Philly born native, Diana Epstein grew up attending Perelman Jewish Day School, Barrack Hebrew Academy and Camp Ramah. She also studied abroad in Israel on Tichon Ramah Yerushalayim (TRY) when she was in high school. She graduated from Brandeis University and currently lives in Center City Philadelphia. Diana’s favorite parasha is Balak, her favorite service is the Torah service, and she is on a quest to find the best bagel shop in Philadelphia!

George Shotz brings over 25 years of community leadership and involvement to his work as a mentor. Originally from Elkins Park, PA, he grew up surrounded by Jewish learning, teaching in the Adath Jeshurun Torah Club and leading children’s High Holiday services for more than 15 years. Professionally, he helped grow early-stage startups, including joining Instacart as its 30th employee and helping it expand nationwide. A longtime leader in Jewish community life, George has served on boards including Jewish Heritage Programs and the Jewish Business Network, earning a Leadership Honoree Award in 2008, and spent eight years helping run LimmudPhilly. Now living in Los Angeles, George brings his love of learning, community, and a good show tune to everything he does, especially when helping students feel confident, supported, and proud of their B’nai Mitzvah journey.

Hannah Ableman is thrilled to join the Hebrew Helpers team as a mentor. A New Jersey native, Hannah grew up attending Young Judaea camps and completed her gap year on Young Judaea Year Course in Israel. Hannah spent five years teaching Hebrew School to elementary-aged kids, both at the Boston-Area Jewish Education Program (BJEP) in Waltham, Massachusetts, and at Adas Israel Congregation in Washington D.C. Hannah graduated from Brandeis University with a degree in Public Health and is now pursuing her Master’s in Social Work at the University of Pennsylvania. Hannah’s favorite Jewish ritual is making challah and sharing it with friends and family.

Samson Rabinowitz is a third-year college student at USC studying Popular Music Performance. A drummer, singer/songwriter, pianist, arranger, and concert producer, he’s a pop/rock music lover who is also classically trained in percussion. He grew up in Washington DC, where he was a well established participant and service coordinator at Adas Israel Congregation in the Traditional Egalitarian Minyan. Since moving to LA, Sammy’s taught religious school at Congregation Or Ami in Calabasas and (currently) Temple Beth Am, worked at Camp Alonim as a camp counselor, become the regular Torah reader at Adat Shalom, and chaperoned retreats for NFTY, deToledo HS, Adat Shalom, and USC’s Hillel.

Sarah Bialkin is originally from the SF Bay Area (Go Giants!), and moved to NYC in 2014 to pursue a career in Musical Theatre and Jewish education. In 2020, she moved to Los Angeles to explore new opportunities in TV/Film and comedy. Sarah currently teaches 5th and 7th grade at Temple Akiba in Culver City. Jewish History, Mysticism, and Ethics are especially interesting to Sarah. Sarah has traveled to Poland, Israel (many times), and Amsterdam through different Jewish fellowship programs and will always consider herself to be a student. Sarah is also a frequent staff member for Birthright. She loves sharing her Jewish experience and traditions with her friends and community, and is on a mission to find the best baba ghanoush in the world!

Sophia was born in Canton, OH, grew up in Oakland, CA and now lives in Brooklyn, NY. She attended pluralistic Jewish day schools and camp, which gave her an excellent foundation in Jewish education and a love of Jewish music. Sophia spent a year in Israel before college, where she studied at a modern-orthodox seminary and volunteered as a medical clown in a Jerusalem hospital. Sophia studied Theatre, Communications & Anthropology at UCLA, where she founded its only Jewish a cappella group, JEWkbox. Every summer, Sophia volunteers at Camp Kesem, which is for kids impacted by a parent’s cancer. Sophia moved to NY in 2017 to pursue a career as an actress and standup comedian. She loves leading services at the Nolita minyan, fostering dogs, and helping young people create or deepen a meaningful connection with their Judaism.

Zach is a casting professional whose desire to make Actors feel empowered in the audition room translates to his desire to empower the students he mentors. His approach to teaching is high energy, encouraging, and consists of a curiosity to learn from his students as much they want to learn from him. One of his favorite things to teach is Torah Trope. He’s a proud AMC A-Lister, dog lover, and avid theatre goer.