Staff and Faculty
Head of School
Judy Finkelstein-Taff, Head of School, Email
Administration
Amy Friedman, Office Receptionist and Assistant to Finance, Email
Michael Gladstein, School Psychologist, Email
Lauren Jacobson, Development Coordinator, Email
Wendy Kline, Business Manager, Email
Jill Kushnir LeVee, Assistant Head of School and Grade One, Email
Meggie O'Dell, Communications Associate, Email
Rachel Pickus, Middle School Coordinator and Grade Six Humanities, Email
Cortney Stark Cope, Director of Admissions, Email
Abbe Vallen, Assistant to the Head of School and Admissions, Email
Classroom Teachers
Penina Berdugo, Team Leader, Hebrew/Judaic Studies and Kindergarten and Grade One Hebrew/Judaic Studies, Email
Nina Black, Junior Kindergarten, Email
Emily Crane, Grade Four, Email
Melanie Danley, Grade One, Email
Rabbi Reni Dickman, Grade Six Judaic Studies, Email
Sarah Fox Sparber, Reach, Email
Sari Freeman, Grade Two, Email
Melissa Freirich, Grade Five, Email
Levana Freund, Kindergarten Hebrew/Judaic Studies, Email
Rachel Gieseke, JK Enrichment/After Care, Email
Miriam Grussgott, Grades Two and Three Hebrew/Judaic Studies, Email
Elana Hiller, Grade Three, Email
Shlomit Hoch, Grades Six, Seven/Eight Hebrew, Email
Lacey Hoffman, Grade Seven/Eight Humanities and Kindergarten, Grades One, Two and Three Technology, Email
Jamie Kozin, Grade One, Email
Jill Kushnir LeVee, Assistant Head of School and Grade One, Email
Irit Levy, Grades Four and Five Hebrew/Judaic Studies, Email
Ronit Levy, Grades Two and Three Hebrew/Judaic Studies, Email
Hagit Lewis, Hebrew and Judaic Studies, Email
Susan Lorge, Kindergarten, Email
Rachel Pickus, Middle School Coordinator and Grade Six Humanities, Email
John Quassarano, Grade Four Aide, Email
Rabbi David Russo, Grade Seven/Eight Judaic Studies, Email
Amy Saltzman, Grade Three, Email
Alexandra Schnitzer, Kindergarten, Email
Jill Schwartz, Middle School Math and Drama, Email
Dana Solomon, Junior Kindergarten, Email
Alexsandra Treyger, Technology Specialist and Grades Six, Seven and Eight Science, Email
Heidi Zimmerman, Grade Four Assistant, Email
Specialists
Brian Ploof, Physical Education Specialist, Email
Tamar Shapira, Art Specialist, Email
Deborah Skydell, General/Judaic Music Specialist, Email
Rachel Treister, Art Specialist, Email
Alexsandra Treyger, Technology Specialist and Grades Six, Seven and Eight Science, Email
Our staff and faculty are central to implementing the mission of our school. All members of the faculty are experienced certified teachers and are passionate about teaching and learning. They are skilled in teaching students at each particular stage of development and encouraging each child to reach his or her full potential. At each grade level, teachers and specialists plan enriching and challenging activities, and our staff works collaboratively to ensure success for every student. Teachers participate in continuing education such as professional conferences in Jewish and General Studies and educational methodology.
Click on the names of our Staff and Faculty to read their bios.
Judy Finkelstein-Taff, Head of School, Email
Administration
Amy Friedman, Office Receptionist and Assistant to Finance, Email
Michael Gladstein, School Psychologist, Email
Lauren Jacobson, Development Coordinator, Email
Wendy Kline, Business Manager, Email
Jill Kushnir LeVee, Assistant Head of School and Grade One, Email
Meggie O'Dell, Communications Associate, Email
Rachel Pickus, Middle School Coordinator and Grade Six Humanities, Email
Cortney Stark Cope, Director of Admissions, Email
Abbe Vallen, Assistant to the Head of School and Admissions, Email
Classroom Teachers
Penina Berdugo, Team Leader, Hebrew/Judaic Studies and Kindergarten and Grade One Hebrew/Judaic Studies, Email
Nina Black, Junior Kindergarten, Email
Emily Crane, Grade Four, Email
Melanie Danley, Grade One, Email
Rabbi Reni Dickman, Grade Six Judaic Studies, Email
Sarah Fox Sparber, Reach, Email
Sari Freeman, Grade Two, Email
Melissa Freirich, Grade Five, Email
Levana Freund, Kindergarten Hebrew/Judaic Studies, Email
Rachel Gieseke, JK Enrichment/After Care, Email
Miriam Grussgott, Grades Two and Three Hebrew/Judaic Studies, Email
Elana Hiller, Grade Three, Email
Shlomit Hoch, Grades Six, Seven/Eight Hebrew, Email
Lacey Hoffman, Grade Seven/Eight Humanities and Kindergarten, Grades One, Two and Three Technology, Email
Jamie Kozin, Grade One, Email
Jill Kushnir LeVee, Assistant Head of School and Grade One, Email
Irit Levy, Grades Four and Five Hebrew/Judaic Studies, Email
Ronit Levy, Grades Two and Three Hebrew/Judaic Studies, Email
Hagit Lewis, Hebrew and Judaic Studies, Email
Susan Lorge, Kindergarten, Email
Rachel Pickus, Middle School Coordinator and Grade Six Humanities, Email
John Quassarano, Grade Four Aide, Email
Rabbi David Russo, Grade Seven/Eight Judaic Studies, Email
Amy Saltzman, Grade Three, Email
Alexandra Schnitzer, Kindergarten, Email
Jill Schwartz, Middle School Math and Drama, Email
Dana Solomon, Junior Kindergarten, Email
Alexsandra Treyger, Technology Specialist and Grades Six, Seven and Eight Science, Email
Heidi Zimmerman, Grade Four Assistant, Email
Specialists
Brian Ploof, Physical Education Specialist, Email
Tamar Shapira, Art Specialist, Email
Deborah Skydell, General/Judaic Music Specialist, Email
Rachel Treister, Art Specialist, Email
Alexsandra Treyger, Technology Specialist and Grades Six, Seven and Eight Science, Email
The community that has evolved around our school is nurturing and warm. Our daughters are speaking Hebrew, doing complex math problems, reading stories, creating paintings and exhibiting important values that are crucial to being good Jews and Chicagoans.
Jacob H., CJDS Parent
As a Jewish professional, I feel thankful for the dedicated teachers who instill the love of Jewish learning in a new generation of students. As a parent, I feel blessed by it.
Shelly F., CJDS Parent
We have been supporters and funders of CJDS from the beginning because we believe in the importance of a high-quality, non–denominational Jewish education in the city of Chicago. We are a better Jewish community in Chicago because of CJDS and we are very proud of our involvement.
Michele S., CJDS Board of Trustees
Thank you again for the tour at the school earlier today. We were very impressed by the personal attention that the children get as well as the equipment and the content of the classrooms. We could also pick up on a very happy and positive "vibe", and that is as important to us as a rigorous curriculum.
CJDS Prospective Parents
Our son has developed a really advanced sense of justice, kindness and forgiveness that comes from a child being made aware (not just at home) of what it means to be kind and caring...this just seems to be a foundation of CJDS's philosophy.
Amy B., CJDS Parent
The CJDS community is like having a huge extended family. The warmth and caring of the faculty and staff make CJDS an incredible place to be. Not everyone can say that being at work feels like being at home, but I can.
Morah Judy, CJDS Faculty
