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ILTC 1999 STAFF BIOS




JEFF HOFFMAN         Email:
Hoff926@aol.com

Jeff is presently on the International Management Team of the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization as the Director of Leardership Programs. Jeff also coordinates the International Staff Conference held this year in November. For the past ten years Jeff was the International Director of programs and publication, directing the International Conventions for AZA and BBG, the February Executive meetings in Washington, DC and working with the International Youth Executive Boards. Jeff is also responsible for editing the Shofar (BBYO's Newspaper) and the BBYO calendar.

Before working on the International staff Jeff had previous experiences working as the Regional Director in the Kentucky-Indiana-Ohio Region, Keystone Mountain Region, and in the Northern Region East. He received his Bachelors Degree from Kent State University and his Master of Social Work Degree in group work and Administration from Adelphi University in Garden City, NY.

This is Jeff's first year directing ILTC, but has been on its leadership staff and directing the leadership curriculum from 1981 through 1988.

Finally, Jeff has attended the Hornstein program at Brandeis University, BBYO University in conjunction with Brandeis, March of the Living staff, and various other work related seminars, lectures and conferences.



HALI HERMAN         Email:
Brian401@aol.com

Hali Herman is the Regional Director for Big Apple Region of BBYO. She has been on the BBYO staff for the past five years, having come to the agency as the Regional Assistant Director for BAR in the fall of 1994. Since then, she has staffed the March of the Living (1996) and has worked International Summer Programs for the past five years. Hali began as leadership staff at three CLTC programs. Hali is in her second year as Assistant Director to the International Kallah and International Leadership Training Conference programs. Hali has her BS in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Sociology.



IVY ALGAZY         Email:
prinipal@aol.com

A native New Yorker, born in Brooklyn and raised on Long Island, had a typical Jewish Long Island upbringing. She was a member of a Reform Synagogue where she was a student in the Religious School through Confirmation. She was a fairly active member of the Temple youth group (President) and of LIFTY. Her summers were spent at the UHAC Joseph Eisner Summer Camp.

At age 16, her parents send her to Israel on a teen tour. She spent two terrific months in Israel and fell in love with the country. That was it! She decided not to go to college after high school, but to make alilyah to Israel. So she packed everything she owned (how much does an 18 year old have?!) and went to live on Kibbutz Ein Hamifratz, near Haifa. After her stay at the kibbutz, she went on to study at the University of Tel Aviv. The following year, she returned to New York with her husband Chaim. She continued to work in the Jewish community as a Religious School Teacher. During the next 20'ish years, she had 3 wonderful children, continued to working and finished her college degree. She eventually became Director of Education at Plainview Jewish Center, a school of over 400 students. Her summers were spent up at B'nai B'rith Perlman Camp as the Girl's Head Counselor. In December 1998 she left Plainview to become the Regional Director of Nassau Suffolk Region.



GAYLE BLOOM         Email:
BBYOnre@aol.com or troubl1@aol.com

Gayle is the Assistant Regional Director for northern Regional East BBYO. She was a member of Marlboro BBG in GJR (Greater Jersey Region, now Greater Jersey-Hudson River Region), was a staff-associate throughout college, and then volunteered as an advisor for GJR for three years. She began working for BBYO three and a half years ago, in Atlanta Council, and then moved back to the northeast in August of 1997 to become a part of NRE.

Gayle received a BA in English from the University of Maryland, College Park. In addition to BBYO, she also teaches Bar Mitzvah classes in the religious school at Kehilat Shalom in Gaithersburg, MD.



ALLISON BUCHMAN         Email:
MIBBYO@juno.com

Allison has been with BBYO for four years. She is currently the Associate Director of Michigan Region. This is Allison's 3rd summer staffing ILTC. She has also staffed the Chapter Leadership Training Conference (CLTC). Allison received a Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan State University.



ADAM ENGELBERG         Email:
BBYOkids@aol.com

Adam earned his Associate of Arts from Broward Community College. He then went on to get his Bachelor of Arts in Business Management degree from the University of Miami. Adam is now the Assistant Regional Director in the Greater Miami Council of the Florida Region.



SETH ROSENZWEIG         Email:
SIRosentex@aol.com

Seth came to GJHRR 5 years ago from Ft. Worth, TX where he was a treatment team coordinator for the Psychiatric institute and the director of community relations for a day treatment center. He spent 6 years as a department director for the local JCC. Seth brings a love for Jewish nature, education and management.



SARAH ROUTMAN         Email:
northstarbbyo@juno.com

Sarah Routman is a published poet and photographer. She received her BFA in Photography and her BA in English/Creative Writing from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. After traveling to over 10 countries as a freelance photojournalist, Sarah went back to school to become a High School English and Drama teacher in Florida and then in Georgia. After 10 years of classroom experience, Sarah got her Masters in Adult Education from the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. She moved to Minneapolis in 1995 with her husband and 2 girls and became the Regional Director for North Star Region BBYO.

Sarah is a passionate, dynamic woman who challenges young people to look at the world around them with their eyes wide open, so they can create dreams with a global vision and then seek the tools to help them achieve even greater heights than they imagined.

Sarha, wiht the help of the BBGs in her region, created the 1st ever BBG Mother/Daughter Fair. She was instrumental in expanding the Passover Ambassadors in Bulgaria program, which she now directs, to include not only youth from Israel and Bulgaria, but youth from the United States as well.



SHARI SILKOFF         Email:
shari@jcchouston.org

Shari Silkoff, the Regional Director of Lonestar Region, is in her fourth consecutive summer at Perlman Camp. While an advisor for Connecticut Valley Region in 1996 she began teaching Creative Art and Judaic Studies at both Kallah and ILTC programs. In 1997 she was hired as Assistant Director for Florida Region and began working full time for BBYO alsong with continuing as an educator in the area of Creative Arts and Judaic Studies. The summer of 1998 brought Shari back to ILTC as a member of the Leadership staff where she began the arduous task of helping to rewrite the program's curriculum. 1999 once again found Shari back at ILTC ready for a great summer with many new programs, classes, and adventures.

Shari has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Paier College of Art. She is a professional Interior Designer and Decorator and an active member of the artistic community. Her paintings have been shown in galleries in Connecticut and in Southern Florida.



ROB PETROFF         Email:
SWRbbyo@aol.com

A graduate of Ohio State University in Education, Rob first became professionally involved in BBYO during his five years as a Youth Director at the JCC in Youngstown, Ohio. After completing his Masters in Social Service Administration, from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, he started working full time for BBYO, in 1994 as the Assistant Regional Director for Greater Miami Council BBYO. In 1996 he became the Regional Director of Keystone Mountain Region. In 1997 he moved to southern California and became the Regional Director for Southwestern Region BBYO. Rob will be directing the AZAA Basketball program for 1999 - 2000. He is an avid fan on the Cleveland Indians and the soon-to-be Cleveland Browns, and enjoys outdoor pursuits such as camping and white-water rafting.



GIL CHADASH         Email:
barycher@inter.net.il

Gil was born in Israel in 1971 and joined the army in 1989. Gil served in the army for 7 years holding a variety of positions such as tank platoon commander, an instructor in I.D.F.'s officer's school and a platoon commander for a special army program for juvenile delinquents. Later on Gil worked in 4WD tours and camel hikes and rides in the Negev Desert. During the last 2 years, Gil has been involved with a special one-year program offered to 18 year old Israelis who want to explore their Jewish identity, Israeli identity, learn about leadership and get prepared for the army. Gil is currently a student at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem studying philosophy and Hebrew literature.



BETH COUSENS         Email:
bcousens@jewishfedwash.org

After a great time in Michigan Region BBYO, Beth Cousens studied English and Creative Writing at the University of Michigan, and planned on moving to New Hampshire or Israel to write deep poetry. But she discovered the joy of working for the Jewish community, and after getting her Masters in Social Work at the University of Maryland and Masters in Judaic Studies at Baltimore Hebrew University, she moved to Washington, to work for the Jewish Federation in the area of Jewish education. While she's not teaching meaningful Jewish things to teenagers or bonding with Ahava BBG #2289, she's out running, inside making great cookies, or trying desperately to learn to play the guitar.



ZOHAR RAVIV         Email:
Zraviv@brandeis.edu

Zohar was born in Israel in 1966 and went through the usual path of school, high school and army service. Between 1993 - 1996 Zohar served at the BBYO Adult International Shaliach to North America. In Israel Zohar worked as a tour guide and educator of Judaism.

Currently Zohar is studying at Brandeis University, finishing a double Masters Degree in Jewish Education and Judaic Studies. He also works as the director of BBYO's ILSI summer program in Israel.



MICHA WIESENBERG         Email:
WiesenbergM@hotmail.com

Raised in North Hollywood, CA, Micha went to Israel for a year of study after high school. He then attended Business school and Marquette University. After graduation he went to work for Jewish organizations across the spectrum, wanting to do what he could to bring the Jewish people together. Currently he is pursuing his MBA at Johns Hopkins University, and Rabbinical Ordination at Ner Israel Rabbinical College.



SANDRA BIRENBAUM         Email:
SanBiren@hotmail.com

Sandra is from San Paulo, Brazil. She works with teenagers directing their dance group called Shalom. The group has 70 kids ages 13 - 17, and they tour the world inside and outside the Jewish community. Sandra worked with CLTC at Beber camp for 2 years as their rikkudim instructor and now joins the ILTC community for her first time.



ITZIK & SHARON CHANAM

Itzik is a musician and music teacher from Israel. He teaches in an elementary school, high school and conservatorium in northern Israel. Itzik plays and teaches guitar, drums and piano. Sharon is a music composer, singer and teacher. She also teaches in a school and conservatorium. Itzik is soon to finish his business M.A. and Sharon has her B.ed in music education. They are in their 6th year teaching music at Kallah and ILTC. They lead creative arts classes including singing and percussion. Itzik has a recording studio and does musical arrangements for musicians.



YONI & ZOFIT HADAD

Yoni and Zofit are currently sharing their 14th summer here at Camp Perlman with the Kallah and ILTC programs. Currently they live in Herzeliya, Israel, however Yoni and Sofit have spent time living in the United States over the past few years. They taught at a school in Boston, MA from 1984 - 1988 and again in Buffalo, NY from 1994 - 1998. Their specialization in the arts has continued to beautify the leadership village each summer.


JEFF BRESSLER

Jeff Bressler is the Associate Director of Development and Public Relations for United Cerebral Palsy of Nassau County. Prior to that he was Associate Director of Special Events for the B'nai B'rith Foundation of the United States. A graduate of Queens College, Jeff teaches in the Not for Profit Management Program at the college. Jeff has also trained and raced horses, been a sports broadcaster and continues to serve as an auctioneer.



BRIAN HERMAN         Email:
Brian401@aol.com

Brian Herman is currently attending his 3rd year of International Summer Programs. He has attended CLTC and IC 97, and now twice, International Kallah and ILTC. In his 28 months of life Brian has come to master the Grace before meals and the clapping of the Birkat Hamazon. This summer, he has taught classes on Disney Movie classics and their songs including "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Little Mermaid."



DEBBIE HOFFMAN         Email:
OneLife@aol.com

Debbie Hoffman received her undergraduate degree from Buffalo State University in Communication Disorders, and a Masters Degree in Special Education from Indiana University. For the past several years she has worked as a special educator and speech therapist in Montgomery County Public School, Maryland. Debbie has enjoyed many summers at ILTC and International Convention with her husband Jeff, and their three children. This summer Debbie is working in the ILTC Library, and is glad to be a part of such an exciting program.



LINDSEY HOFFMAN

Lindsey Hoffman will be entering the 3rd grade in the fall, at Goshen Elementary School, in Gaithersburg, MD. She enjoys soccer, swimming, gymnastics, and ice skating. Lindsey has attended three International Conventions, and is now experiencing her first summer at ILTC. Lindsey enjoys riding the golf cart with her dad, Jeff. She enjoys meeting many participants and working with the staff. She is looking forward to many more summers at ILTC.



FARRAH BERSE         Email:
fberse@alum.wellesley.edu or frb205@nyu.edu

This is Farrah's third summer as AD staff at Kallah/ILTC. She was an ILTC participant in 1994. Farrah graduated from Wellesley College in 1999 where she majored in psychology and Jewish Studies. She will be attending law school at NYU in the fall.



BRENNA COHEN         Email:
avcoh@home.net

Born and raised in Providence, RI, Brenna was an active member of NER BBYO. She participated in ILTC and IC 1992 and ISI 1993. She graduated from Skidmore College in 1997 with a major in French and Government. Most recently she coordinated a hunger and poverty awareness workshop for the Capital Avenue Food Bank in Washington, DC. This winter Brenna will head to the snowy peaks of Colorado to teach skiing.



OLGA GOUSSEVS         Email:
olgabbf@accels.unibel.by or olgagousseva@mailexcite.com

Olga is a student at Minsk State Linguistic University in Belarus. She is majoring in English, Linguistics. She is a graduate of Art school having majored in Decorative-Applied Arts. After that Olga completed a 2 year psychology course and is currently enrolled in a management course. In addition, Olga has completed 2 of her 3 years to become a certified volleyball instructor.


MIKE HERMAN         Email: Brian401@aol.com

Mike Herman is a High School Social Studies Teacher from Brooklyn, NY. Michael is a past member and Regional Godol from Big Apple Region. He has returned to Big Apple as an advisor, filed staff and Sports Director. He has been adminstrative staff for three Chapter Leadership Training Conferences. In 1998 he was Leadership Staff for the International Leadership Training Conference. This year Mike will be running the ILTC Bookstore.



SCOTT KESSLER         Email:
rottinyc@aol.com

Scott Kessler is a twenty year old freshman studying education at Kingsborough Community College. He is a paraprofessional at Mark Twain Junior High School in Brooklyn. Scott was a member of BBYO and was administrative staff for Kallah 1999 and now ILTC.



JESSICA LEVINSON         Email:
PreshusDesigns@netzero.net

After spending 5 years as a very active member of the Big Apple Region of BBYO, Jessica packed her bags and headed up to the University of Rhode Island to spend her freshman and sophomore years of college in Kingston, RI. She then transferred home to Brooklyn, NY to attend Brooklyn College. She's currently a student at the New School in NYC, taking classes in Webdesign. During the programming year she volunteers as the advisor for Big Apple Region's Ruach BBG #2312. Jessica will be working along side the newspaper committee, and together they will create both a print as well as an online version of the ILTC newspaper. She's never been on a BBYO summer program, but she knows this summer will prove to be an amazing experience.



LAUREN SAMET         Email:
LSamet@email.unc.edu

Lauren is currently a senior majoring in Literature in the Middle East at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. From 1992 - 1996 Lauren was an active participant in BBYO. She was council Safranit, MIT Mom, and N'siah. In 1994 she attended Kallah and in 1995 ILTC. In the past couple of years, Lauren has been a Human Relations counselor, taught Hebrew School and Sunday school, studied in Jerusalem and traveled throughout the Middle East and Europe.



JOSHUA A. STULMAN         Email:
LoneWolf314@hotmail.com

Joshua was active in Northern Virginia Council of Northern Region East where he served as the Council Aleph Godol during the 1995 - 1996 year. From there he spent a year and a half studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maryland at College Park. He has recently been serving as the advisor of his old chapter Julius Bisno AZA #2131 for the past year and a half.



SARA ZONDER         Email:
SaraMeghan@aol.com

Sara was an active memebr of Michigan Region BBYO. She attended ILTC 1995, Kallah 1996, as well as IC 96 and 97. Sara worked as a staff member at International Convention in 1998. She is currently a student at Michigan State University studying Hospitality Business.





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