OUR CONSULTANTS

Mickey Katzburg

Founder & Chief Executive

Mickey has worked in educational innovation for many years, since being sent in 1998 as a “shaliach” to Yeshiva University High School in Los Angeles. Since then, he has been involved in managing diverse educational projects involving Hebrew, Jewish Studies, Israel and Jewish identity for organizations in the Diaspora. He was invited by the Hirsch Foundation for Jewish Education to establish the World Center for Jewish Education (previously known as Israel Connection) in order to assist Jewish schools around the world. He is currently studying for an MA in Education Management and Innovation.

“Forming a strong Jewish identity and maintaining an active connection with the Jewish community begins with our children’s day-to-day experiences at school”.

Meirav Kravetz - MA Ed

Professional Development Consultant for Hebrew Language Teaching & Technology

Meirav Kravetz is currently the World Language Coordinator at the RASG Hebrew Academy in Miami, Florida. She has extensive training and experience in blended learning and differentiated instruction. She coaches and trains teachers in many schools in the US and Latin America, as well as leading online workshops and seminars in conjunction with WCJE, CET, and Better Lesson. Meirav was born and raised in Israel and lives today in Florida. She holds a Masters in Education and has extensive experience teaching elementary, middle, and high school students, as well as training teams and individuals in using digital tools for instructional design. She is also fluent in Spanish and speaks some French and Italian.

“We offer teacher-centered support that is practical with applicable solutions. We leverage tech tools and other instructional strategies in order to empower educators”.

Dr. Beverly Gribetz

Educational Consultant for Strategic Planning

Dr. Beverly Gribetz was Principal of the highly-respected Evelina de Rothschild-Tehilla High School in Jerusalem from 1998-2019. From 1987-1996 she was Assistant Dean of the Ramaz Upper School in New York and Headmistress of their Middle School. On moving to Israel in 1996, she served for two years as executive director of the Mekor Chaim Yeshiva High School. She has been a consultant to the Education Department of the Jewish Agency and held several positions at the Pelech Religious Girls’ High School, the Melton Centre for Jewish Education and Machon Pardes. She has BA degrees from Barnard College and the JTS Teachers’ Institute, an MEd from Harvard University, and a PhD in Jewish Education. During her time at Evelina-Tehilla, 20 aspiring principals interned with Beverly through the Avnei Rosha Principals’ course.

Sheli Ehrlich

Director of Educational Resources and Professional Development

Sheli graduated with a degree in Hebrew Language and Theater from the Hebrew University and a teaching certificate from Ben Gurion University in Hebrew Language. She spent two years teaching Hebrew at the Beren Academy in Houston, Texas, before returning to Israel. With great interpersonal skills and a passion for her work, Sheli uses her extensive skills and talents to manage our Hebrew language education department, and mentors the many teachers who take advantage of the WCJE learning materials and syllabuses.

“We are the bridge between creators of educational content – for the teaching of Hebrew, Jewish Studies, Jewish History & Identity – and the teachers, who tell us about their challenges and what kind of resources they need for their classes”.

Idit Ben David - MA

Educational Consultant for Pedagogical & Professional Development

Idit Ben David was born and raised in Jerusalem and moved to the States twenty-two years ago. In 2014, Idit completed her Masters in Jewish Education at JTS and started teaching at the Epstein School in Atlanta. She was introduced to teaching Hebrew using the Proficiency Approach and ACTFL Guidelines, and these methods changed her understanding and the way she teaches Hebrew. She has supervised the writing of the Hebrew curriculum at Epstein using the Proficiency Approach, and the implementation of the Judaic Studies curriculum using the Jewish Day School Standards and Benchmarks for grades K-4, as well as mentoring the teachers in her department. Today, Idit is the Director of Hebrew and Judaic studies K-8th Grade.

“We work with Hebrew teachers to develop and strengthen their professional capabilities and confidence”.

Rabbi Shlomo Kimche

Professional Development Consultant for Jewish Studies Teaching

Born in London, Shlomo Kimche studied at Kibbutz Shaalvim Yeshiva High School and Yeshivat HaKotel before serving in the IDF during the first Lebanon War. He earned degrees in Educational Management and Philosophy at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, plus a Senior Education Diploma and Rabbinic Semicha. Rabbi Kimche served for 3 years as College Rabbi at Mount Scopus College, Melbourne, Australia, one of the largest Jewish day schools in the world. Returning to Israel in 1993, he was appointed Rabbi of the Orot Etzion school in Efrat and became a local community Rabbi. In 1997, he founded the Orot Yehuda YBA Boys High School in Efrat, where he served as Rosh Yeshiva for 20 years, fundraising to build their new campus and establishing it as one of Israel’s leading Yeshiva high schools. In 2019 he was appointed as Vice Chairman of the Bnei Akiva Educational Network of Yeshivot and Ulpanot, comprising 70 schools across Israel with 25,000 students.

Chani Saelman

Director of International Logistics

Chani Saelman was born in Philadelphia and made Aliyah with her family as a child. She received her B.Ed in English and Torah Studies at Michlalah Jerusalem College and completed the coursework towards her M.A. in English Literature at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She has taught high school English in Jerusalem, and Jewish Studies at Emek Hebrew Academy in Los Angeles when she moved there with her family a number of years ago. Chani worked for many years for Bonayich, helping schools around the world obtain Jewish Studies resources. Now working for the WCJE, she advises Bonayich clients and other educators on the best Hebrew and J.S. materials to choose for their classrooms.
 

“Our call center is available 24/7 to provide teachers from all around the world with a one-stop-shop to assist them with all their needs”.

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