Who We Are

Adi is a playwright, screenwriter, and educator based in Brooklyn, NY. He has mentored students for Hebrew Helpers for almost 8 years. He also taught classes at B’nei Jeshurun, Sutton Place Synagogue, Town & Village Synagogue, Congregation Habonim, and LabShul. He also leads services, and has been officiating b’nei mitzvot for Hebrew Helpers since 2017. His fields of study include American history, sociology, literature, and art history.

Andrew is originally from Huntington Beach, California and moved to New York City in 2013 to go to a musical theatre conservatory and then pursue a career in theatre. He is back in Los Angeles as of Summer of 2020! He has been teaching Hebrew school and privately tutoring for over 10 years and has been a camp director at both Jewish day camps and special needs day camps where he was also a song leader. He has also lead many services over the years for different synagogues in California.

David is a teacher and comedian living in Los Angeles. He was born in Miami Florida, has lived in Philadelphia and recently moved to Los Angeles from Chicago Illinois. David has been working with Jewish students for a decade as a teacher and administrator. He currently works for several Jewish organizations in Los Angeles where he focuses on weaving the values of performing arts in with Jewish tradition. When not working with Jewish students, David is a working actor/comedian in Los Angeles. He has toured the country teaching improv, sketch and creative writing to thousands of people of all ages. David spends his free time either on stage, watching the Miami Heat or professional wrestling. The most impressive fact about David is he has proudly attended the past eight WrestleManias.

Deanna is a writer, performer, Jewish educator, ritual leader and facilitator. She has served as officiant and cantor at high holiday and shabbat services nationwide, and creates highly personalized and innovative Jewish-based lifecycle rituals for families and individuals seeking deeper meaning and interaction with tradition. She has visited numerous synagogues, universities and camps as a workshop facilitator, scholar and creative artist in residence. She plays the ukulele, was trained in opera, and loves to hike and salsa dance.

Michael is thrilled to work on managing Hebrew Helpers on the East Coast as the East Coast Coordinator. Michael holds a doctorate in Jewish Education from Gratz College and an honorary doctorate from JTS.  A longtime Jewish educator and administrator, Michael also works as director of curriculum and instruction at Har Zion Temple in Penn Valley,  and lectures and conducts tours of historic Jewish Philadelphia.  Michael spent many years as a USYer and USY director, and a Camp Ramah counselor and Rosh Edah (Poconos). In addition to his Jewish education work, Michael is an avid reader, and a pretty awesome baker specializing in challah, banana bread, and hamantaschen.

Natasha Cooper-Benisty was raised in London and Long Island, but now calls New Jersey home. She holds a Bachelors in Drama from Vassar and a Masters in Jewish Communal Service and Nonprofit Management from Gratz. Natasha attended Jewish Day School and lived in Israel after college, where she became fluent in modern Hebrew. She currently teaches 3rd grade Judaics and Hebrew at Golda Och Academy in West Orange, NJ and 5th and 6th grade Hebrew at Temple Beth Shalom in Livingston, NJ. Natasha enjoys sharing her enthusiasm about Judaism with her students, as well as watching them learn and express their excitement about their faith.

Rachel Olshin hails from the home of the best schnitzel sandwich on the East Coast, (Chickies, if you’re ever in Teaneck, NJ!). She has twelve years of Jewish day school education, spent a year studying in Jerusalem, and prefers matzah with cream cheese to matzah pizza. During her time at Queens College, City University of New York, she received a double BA in Media Studies and History and served on as Religious Coordinator and the Shalom Hartman Migdalim Fellow at Hillel. When she’s not teaching Hebrew school and mentoring students, Rachel’s a screenwriter, screen watcher, and gym-avoider.

Ronit loves working one-on-one with Bar/Bat Mitzvah students and has so since her own Bat Mitzvah! A graduate of NYU School of Drama, Ronit ran the Bar/Bat Mitzvah program at the Park Avenue Synagogue for 5 years. The daughter of a cantor, Ronit has Jewish music in her genes and brings her love of singing and all things Jewish to her work with students. In addition to her work with Hebrew Helpers, Ronit is the assistant to the Cantor and oversees the Bar/Bat Mitzvah program at Adat Ari El in Valley Village. She is an actor, writer and web series producer and brings a fun, energetic spirit to her work.

Shana Caplan recently graduated from Thomas Jefferson University with a Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy. She attended Camp Ramah in the Poconos as a camper and staff member for many years. Shana’s love of teaching goes back to her teens, when she assisted in Hebrew School classes, and she continued as a Hebrew School teacher during her undergrad years. During her free time, Shana enjoys figure skating, playing sudoku puzzles, and eating at local Philly restaurants.

Zohar is a theatre director and educator based in Brooklyn, NY. She has worked in Jewish education for the past fifteen years. This has included teaching at synagogues and Jewish day schools throughout Boston and NYC, being a counselor at Camp Ramah in New England, and privately tutoring students. She has an M.F.A. in Directing from Boston University and loves cats, biking, and cooking.