CJL Faculty 2024-25

Cantor Hayley Kobilinsky

cantorhayley@tinw.org

Cantor Kobilinsky has more than 2 decades of experience as a cantor and educator. She received a BA in Psychology from Columbia University in 1999 and a Masters of Sacred Music degree from Hebrew Union College in 2004, followed by Ordination in 2005. Cantor Kobilinsky finds deep fulfillment from sharing what she loves about Judaism, whether it is our musical traditions, the texts we have inherited, or the many other aspects of our cultural heritage. She is honored to be taking up the reins as Director of our CJL and looks forward to deepening her relationships with all of our students and their families.

Interim Rabbi Daniel Polish ~ Lead High School Instructor

Interim Rabbi Daniel Polish is no stranger to the synagogue and educational worlds. Rabbi Polish has served as a congregational rabbi for half a century, and has taught at Marist University, Harvard, Tufts, Occidental College, and Hebrew Union College. He was ordained by Hebrew Union College and earned a doctoral degree at Harvard University. He is a published poet and has written several books on religious topics as well as numerous articles for scholarly and popular journals. 

Elexis Koch - Kitah Gimmel and Dalet (Third and Fourth Grade Judaica)

Elexis Koch will be returning to our Sunday CJL Faculty this year as a co-teacher for Gimmel/Dalet Judaica. She has fond memories of her Jewish education at Solomon Schechter and later at her Temple in Bucks County, PA. She is a lover of Jewish music and a member of the Temple Israel choir Hallel B’shir. She and her husband are members of Temple Israel and have a daughter who serves as a Madricha (teen aide). She is looking forward to fostering a love of Judaism and an understanding of Jewish values among her students in the CJL this year.

Lane Chazdon ~ Kitah Gimmel and Dalet (Third and Fourth Grade Hebrew) 

Lane Chazdon has taught Hebrew for many years, “the most enjoyable of which have been at Temple Israel.” This year he is teaching Kitah Gimmel and Dalet (third and fourth grade) Ivrit (Hebrew). Lane appreciates being part of the long, long chain of teachers and students that have sustained the Jewish people for thousands of years. He feels that this is a “chain we cannot allow to break.” Lane appreciates the “special feeling when a teacher sees a student grasp a concept or skill that has been eluding them. Even better is seeing the student’s confidence grow and motivation get stronger.” Lane incorporates many game-like, small group learning stations to accomplish learning objectives.

Judy Kropf ~ Kitah Hay (Fifth Grade) and Kitah Zayin (Seventh Grade) 

Judy Kropf attended Hebrew University in Jerusalem and taught English as a foreign language (EFL) to Israeli middle and high school students. She also helped to facilitate many English language immersion programs while living in Israel. She joined the CJL Faculty at Temple Israel in 2016. She teaches Kitah Hey Jewish Life Cycles and Hebrew/Judaica, as well as connecting our 5th graders with Israeli penpals. Judy co-teaches our 7th grade B'mitzvah class with Oren Neiman. Judy lives in Garrison with her spouse Noel and has two grown daughters, who are also Hebrew school teachers. In her spare time, Judy loves to bake sourdough bread, crochet, hula hoop, sing folk songs, and dance folk dances from Israel, the Balkans, and Hungary, as well as doing partner dancing with Noel.

Alice Kossin ~ Temple Tots

Alice is a long time Temple and CJL faculty member. As an early childhood educator/counselor, she finds joy in exploring the spiritual connection between tots and their families through music, stories, and art. Temple tot events revolve around holidays, focusing on creating experiences which enhance the bond between families and our Temple community.

Susan Smith ~ Kitah Vav (Sixth Grade) Hebrew and Judaica 

Susan Smith has been a member of Temple Israel for 33 years. Susan comes from a family of religious educators as her father was a Reform Rabbi. She is passionate about teaching Hebrew and uses creative strategies to help her learners decode and comprehend the meaning of Hebrew prayers and identify the Hebrew letters/vowels. She has also received training in the Orton Gillingham approach to teaching the Hebrew alphabet and vowels. Susan has been a Jewish educator at the CJL for the past 16 years and is also a tutor for the B’mitzvah Mitzvah Hebrew Boot Camp program at Temple Israel. Susan works full-time as a Teaching Assistant at Anne M. Dorner Middle School in Ossining in the Special Education Department and resides in Croton with her husband.

Ariela Wehrle ~ HTM (Hebrew Through Movement) Specialist  
Ariela Wehrle has previously taught in the CJL and now works as a Hebrew Resource Instructor in the CJL. She was born and raised in Israel and moved to the United States in 1990. She taught at "Havura on Hudson" for two years. Since 2010, she has been teaching at Temple Israel. She loves “Temple Israel as a Jewish haven and as the school for Jewish education.” Ariela is a specialist in HTM - Hebrew Through Movement – an approach where students learn Hebrew by hearing and responding to Hebrew commands. Ariela believes that students learn best when learning is joyful and playful.

Arbel Ziv ~ Shinshin (Israeli Emissary)

Arbel Ziv is 17 years old and lives in Ein Yahav, a quiet agricultural community in the Arava desert region of Israel. He is very close with his two younger siblings and his friends. Arbel is a hiker and a Formula 1 fan and is passionate about technology.  He has been a volunteer with Magen David Adom, Israel's emergency medical services system, for several years