Our Affiliation
We are affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, the association of Conservative congregations in North America.
Faculty
The Temple Beth Shalom Family Torah School is implementing a comprehensive new curriculum that addresses Hebrew, Jewish Ethics, Torah, Identity, Israel and Jewish History, through music, art, and school-wide celebration. This is possible thanks to the talented faculty who bless the program with their dedication to students and their families.
TBS Family Torah School’s Faculty
Morah Nina, PsyD – Teacher of Kindergarten
Dr. Nina Bar-Levy, known as Morah Nina, teaches the Kindergarten class at the Family Torah School. She has a Doctorate in Psychology which she earned in 2000 and loves finding creative ways to engage her young students.
Her class is filled with lively music, movement, and art. Her Students are very vocal about how much they look forward to her class each week.
Nina has two children, both of whom also attend TBS Torah School. She has been married to her husband, Alon, for over 13 years and is actively involved in all facets of TBS community life.
Morah April – Teacher of 1st grade
April Better is a student at CSU Long Beach where she is majoring in Jewish Studies and Education.
Morah April has been teaching for years and was recognized as an outstanding teen leader in USY, April is also a senior counselor at Camp Ramah during the summer.
Whether children are just starting Hebrew or have some exposure to the Alef-Bet, Morah April’s engaging approach and creative use of art, song and games that the kids love’ will draw in all children to a learning experience that builds their confidence, their reading skills, and their joy in Jewish learning.
Morah Shlomit – Teacher of 3rd-4th grades
Shlomit Mahgarefteh, known as Morah Shlomit by her students, has been teaching Hebrew and spreading her love of Judaic studies for the past 24 years. Twelve of these years have been at Temple Beth Shalom, where she has taught grades 1-6.
Shlomit grew up in Tel Aviv, where she served in the Israeli Defense Forces and studied history and philosophy at Tel Aviv University. Her hobbies include reading, traveling, and spending time with her family. She is the proud mother of three beautiful daughters.
TBS is lucky to continue to have Morah Shlomit as one of our cherished veteran teachers. She is a fluent Hebrew speaker, and loves sharing her experiences in Israel with her class,including annual projects that brings Israel alive to her kids (we’d say students but Morah Shlomit considers them “her kids”).
Chen Carmi – Fifth Grade Teacher
Chen was born in Jerusalem and is currently pursuing her MFA from the Art department at California State University, Long Beach. Chen is a social photography professional, focusing her lens on urban surroundings, especially weakened societies. One of her projects took place in Ulan Baatar, capitol of Mongolia, a city which knew tremendous vicissitude during the last century. Other projects included photography of the stray dogs in the area of the Jerusalem mountains and the less well-off parts of Tel Aviv.
Cantor Judy Sofer – Teacher B’nai-Mitzvah 7th grade
Judy is a member of the Cantor’s Assembly and most recently served as the Cantor for the Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center, where she led services, officiated at life cycle events, produced and directed musicals, conducted youth and adult choirs, led a temple band for musical Shabbat services, taught Torah trope to adults, and tutored kids (more than 400!) for their b’nai mitzvah services.
Cantor Sofer also serves as the Cultural Arts Program Coordinator for the San Gabriel Valley Jewish Federation and in that capacity she oversees numerous performing arts programs.
Cantor Sofer is a talented Cantor, musician and teacher with extensive experience, and we are fortunate to have her as a member of our clergy team and teaching staff!
