Departments and Faculty

List of 11 items.

• Athletics

  Athletics Mission Statement:
  Athletic and Physical Education Department  Mission: The de Toledo interscholastic athletic program promotes fostering a lifelong commitment to physical activity and healthy competition through the lens of Jewish values and traditions. These values drive our student-athletes to become the best version of themselves as both athletes and people. The program stresses the importance of modeling transformational citizenship, of utilizing competitive drive as a tool towards self-actualization, and of spawning a deep-rooted interest of sport entrenched in both play and in acquired in-game knowledge. All of these guiding principles contribute to the primary focus of the program of building stronger athletes while simultaneously building stronger community members.
  
  

  Alvin Castro
  Associate Athletics Director

  BS, De La Salle University
  
  

  Steven Deutsch
  Assistant Athletics Director

  MS, California State University, Northridge

  BA, Syracuse University

• Dance

  Dance Mission Statement:

  The de Toledo High School Visual and Performing Arts Department promotes the exploration of personal expression, creative skills, and Jewish cultural identity. We nurture an understanding of and appreciation for the diverse modes in which people think and communicate. With a wide variety of artistic disciplines, our department cultivates practices and passions that will last a lifetime. 

  
  Dina Nelson, Chair

  BA, California State University, Northridge 
  
  

  Elisha Schaefer
  Israeli Dance

  BA, Vassar College

• English

  English Department Mission Statement:
  The mission of the English department at dTHS is to expose students to a wide variety of texts -- from great literature to infographics -- in an effort to promote close reading and critical thinking, and to foster an understanding of the moves writers make to create meaning. Through analysis and synthesis, students produce thoughtful written and oral responses for a variety of audiences. We facilitate deep inquiry and support students in seeking answers; we nurture an appreciation for literature's ability to imbue a deeper understanding of the human experience; we strive to expose students to impactful writing from around the world to help them develop a broad cultural literacy; we cultivate empathy and compassion for the human experience in all of its diverse forms. We aim to produce college-ready writers and speakers, confident of their clarity, purpose, and voice, in hopes that they may advocate for themselves and others.
  
  Sarah Golden, Chair

  BA, Sarah Lawrence College
  
  

  Femke Baranovsky

  BA, University of Alberta
  
  

  Kimberly Callaway

  BA, California State University, Long Beach 
  MA, California State University, Long Beach
  MSW, University of California, Los Angeles
  
  

  Erin Gastaldi

  MFA, University of Southern California

  BA, Colby College 
  
  

  Darren Masserman

  MA, California State University, Northridge

  BA, University of California, Los Angeles
  
  

  Lauren Schmidt

  MFA, California Institute of the Arts

  BA, Emerson College
  
  

  Tony Soltis

  MA, Slippery Rock State University

  BA, Slippery Rock State University
  
  

  Nancy Supanich

  BA, University of Michigan 
  
  

  Mark Thorpe
  deTOP

  BA, California State University, Long Beach

• Global Jewish Education

  Global Jewish Education Department Mission Statement:
  de Toledo seeks to prepare its students as the next generation of Jewish leaders.  To that end, the mission of the Jewish Studies and Jewish Life departments is to train our students to be literate Jews grounded in our textual and cultural traditions.  The curricular and co-curricular goals of these departments intend to shape the moral character of students through the constant exploration of Jewish values. Because it will enrich their lives, we aim that students claim Judaism’s wide history, wisdom and practice as their own. Further, our goal is to facilitate familiarity with texts and skills so they can actively participate in the Jewish community.  On the grandest scale, our mission is to launch students who employ Jewish values in shaping the direction and tenor of challenges facing them as global citizens.
  
  Yoav Ben-Horin
  Director of Global Jewish Education

  MA, Oxford University, United Kingdom

  BA, Oxford University, United Kingdom

  
  Lior Sibony
  Associate Director of Global Jewish Education
  MA, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  BA, Tel Aviv University
  
  

  Adina Cohen
  Global Jewish Education SIEP Coordinator

  Teaching Degree, Seminar Hakibbutzim, Israel
  
  

  Alex Rubin
  Global Jewish Education Coordinator

  BS, Northwestern University 

• Hebrew

  Hebrew Department Mission Statement:
  The mission of the Hebrew department is to provide students with meaningful and authentic communicative experiences by integrating both oral and written expressions. Students are immersed in a rich array of primary sources in order to foster cultural awareness as well as a love for Israel, its people, and the Hebrew language. 
  
  Adina Cohen, Chair

  Teaching Degree, Seminar Hakibbutzim, Israel
  
  

  Adi Kogman

  BA, Max Stern Academic College of Emek Yezreel, Israel
  
  Dikla Krems
  Hakibbutzim College of Education
  
  Ronit Maish
  BSc, Technion
  
  

  Roman Shnaider

  MA, Bar Ilan University

  BA, Ben Gurion University
  
  

  Dalit Shtevy

  BS, Champlain College

  BA, American Jewish University

• History/Social Science

  History Department Mission Statement:
  The de Toledo High School History Department develops students for whom the study of history deepens their understanding of the past, enriches their engagement with the present, and grounds their commitment to the future. From prehistory to the twenty-first century, students explore their Jewish, American, and global identities. Through critical reading, empathetic thinking, collaborative work, effective writing, and civil discourse, students hone the skills to become engaged citizens and ethical role models.
  
  Etan Kelman, Chair

  MA, California State University, Northridge

  BA, University of California, Santa Cruz
  
  Nicole Brown

  MA, New York University
  BA, University of California, Berkeley
  
  

  Robert Hendlish

  MA, Pepperdine University

  BA, University of California, Santa Barbara

   

  Raymond Marcus
  PhD, Indiana University

  MA, Indiana University

  BA, University of California, Los Angeles
  
  

  Mark H. Shpall

  JD, University of Southern California

  MA, Pepperdine University

  BA, University of California, Santa Barbara
  
  

  Tammy Shpall

  BA, University of California, Santa Barbara
  
  

  Lise Spiegel

  PhD, California School of Professional Psychology

  MS, California School of Professional Psychology

  MM, Yale University

  BM, Mannes College
  
  

  Mark Thorpe

  deTOP
  BA, California State University, Long Beach
  
  Thomas Wiebe
  BA, University of Oregon
  MA, University of Oregon

• Jewish Studies

  Jewish Studies Department Mission Statement:
  de Toledo seeks to prepare its students as the next generation of Jewish leaders.  To that end, the mission of the Jewish Studies and Jewish Life departments is to train our students to be literate Jews grounded in our textual and cultural traditions.  The curricular and co-curricular goals of these departments intend to shape the moral character of students through the constant exploration of Jewish values. Because it will enrich their lives, we aim that students claim Judaism’s wide history, wisdom and practice as their own. Further, our goal is to facilitate familiarity with texts and skills so they can actively participate in the Jewish community.  On the grandest scale, our mission is to launch students who employ Jewish values in shaping the direction and tenor of challenges facing them as global citizens.
  
  

  Becca Bodenstein

  MA, University of Judaism

  BA, University of Wisconsin, Madison

   

  Becca Bubis

  MA, Shoolman Graduate School of Jewish Education,
       Hebrew College

  Pardes Educator Program

  BA, Barnard College

  BA, List College - Jewish Theological Seminary
  
  Rabbi Jonathan Bubis

  BA, Indiana University; Rabbi Ziegler School

  
  Danielle Goldblatt

  MA, American Jewish University

  BA, American Jewish University

  
  Daniel Hirsch
  Speech and Debate

  BA, Pomona College

  Fullbright Scholar, Instituto de Education

        Secundaria Neil Armstrong, Madrid Spain

  
  Beverley Kamenir

  Higher Diploma, Education/Jewish Studies,
        University of Cape Town

  BA, University of Cape Town

  
  Gregory Keer

  Director, Speech & Debate Program

  MFA, University of California, Los Angeles

  BA, University of California, Los Angeles

  
  Bobby Lebeda
  Speech & Debate  

  MA, California State University, Northridge

  BA, California State University, Northridge

  
  Rabbi Tsafreer Haim Lev

  Rabbinic Ordination and MA, Jewish Theological Seminary

  MHL, University of Judaism

  BA, California State University, Northridge
  
  Rabbi Raif Melhado
  Rabbinic Ordination, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah
  MA, Yeshiva University
  

  BA, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  
  

  Alex Rubin
  12th grade Drishat Shalom Coordination
  Global Jewish Education Coordinator

  BS, Northwestern University 

   

  Gary Shapiro
  BA, University of Minnesota
  MA, University of Chicago

   

  Rabbi David Vorspan

  Doctor of Divinity, Jewish Theological Seminary

  Doctor of Divinity, Hebrew Union College

  Rabbinic Ordination and MAHL, Hebrew Union College –
       Jewish Institute of Religion
  BA, University of California, Los Angeles

• Mathematics

  Mathematics Department Mission Statement:
  The Mathematics Department supports and implements the philosophy of de Toledo High School as well as the curriculum standards established by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. The mathematics instruction at de Toledo is designed to develop strength in mathematics and to develop skills in both reasoning and problem solving, enabling students to approach questions in other academic areas as well as in life situations logically, rationally and analytically.  The Mathematics Department offers a comprehensive college preparatory curriculum designed to meet the diverse needs of the students and courses that appropriately challenge the student population. The ability to examine, analyze, simplify, prove, and write solutions in a clear, concise, and organized manner is a requirement for all students. Appropriate use of technology in the form of computer software and graphing calculators is an important feature of our teaching as we seek to encourage students to use other modalities to encourage critical thinking. Within our Jewish environment, the mathematics instruction supports an appreciation of the order of the universe and Jewish values.
  
  Alicia Kasif, Chair

  MA, California State University, Fullerton

  BS, Millersville University
  
  Joy Coe
  BA, California State University Fullerton
  
  

  Ellen Howard

  MA/MA, California State University, Northridge

  BA, California State University, Northridge

   

  Arsho Melikian

  BS, University of California, Los Angeles
  
  

  Hollie O’Brien

  BS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  
  

  Carmela Rotter

  MA, Hebrew Union College

  BA, University of Southern California
  
  

  Orit Shwartz

  BEd, Seminar Hakibbutzim, Israel

• Science

  Science Department Mission Statement:

  The mission of the science department is to provide scientific knowledge through observation, identification, description, and experimental investigation of natural phenomena.  Our goal is to foster the Jewish value of life-long learning, through questioning and appreciating the world around us, understanding that our actions affect all organisms. Students learn to differentiate between facts and opinion, and based on proven scientific data, be able to question the validity of the information provided to them. Students learn to combine scientific inquiry and critical thinking to help them pose good questions, design experiments to address them and interpret the data collected in order to extract meaningful results.  The science department thrives on emphasizing collaborative and project-based work, regular hands-on laboratory work, and rigorous analytical thinking to take students beyond traditional rote memorization of concepts. As a department, we encourage students to keep working even if a failure occurs. Failure is a result, not an end. We encourage students to gain confidence in how the world works and not be afraid of it.

  
  Yolanda Hovsepian, Chair
  Science Academy Director

  MS, California State University, Northridge

  BS, University of California, Los Angeles

   

  Scott Christopher

  MS, Bowie State University

  BS, University of Pennsylvania
  
  William Cornell
  BS, Mechanical Engineering
  
  

  Audrey Flynn-Surby
  Medical Science Academy Director

  MA, University of California, Santa Barbara

  BS, Harvey Mudd College
  
  David Harris
  BSc(H), Imperial College
  PGCE, Cambridge University

   

  Elizabeth Hoffman
  Health

  MSW, University of Southern California

  BA, San Diego State University 

  
  Megan Noel
  MS & BA, University of Texas
  
  Deborah Vane
  deTOP
  BA, University of Northern Colorado
  M.A.Ed., University of Phoenix

   

  Asdhig Yoghourtjian

  BA, Haigazian University

• Visual and Performing Arts

  Visual and Performing Arts Mission Statement:

  The de Toledo High School Visual and Performing Arts Department promotes the exploration of personal expression, creative skills, and Jewish cultural identity. We nurture an understanding of and appreciation for the diverse modes in which people think and communicate. With a wide variety of artistic disciplines, our department cultivates practices and passions that will last a lifetime. 

  
  Gregory Keer, Chair

  MFA, University of California, Los Angeles

  BA, University of California, Los Angeles
  
  

  Roger Blonder
  Media Arts

  MFA, University of California, Los Angeles

  BA, University of California, San Diego
  
  

  Silvie Deutsch
  2D & 3D Art

  MFA, University of California, Irvine

  BA, Wesleyan University

   

  Shannon Leith
  Photography, Video Production

  MFA, California State University, Long Beach

  BFA, Biola University
  
  Matt Lifson
  BFA School of Visual Arts, New York
  MFA Otis College of Art & Design
  
  

  Michael McClain

  Performing Arts Theatre and Choir

  BFA, Oklahoma City University

  
  Dina Nelson
  Arts Coordinator, Modern Dance

  BA, California State University, Northridge

  
  Elisha Schaefer
  Stage Craft, Theatre Technical Director

  BA, Vassar College

  
  Jared Stein
  Instrumental Music

  BA, University of California, Santa Barbara

   

  Joel Stein

  Performing Arts Instrumental Music

  Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles

  MA, University of California, Los Angeles

  BA, Rice University

• World Languages

  World Languages Department Mission Statement:
  The World Languages Program at de Toledo High School encourages linguistic and cultural literacy while nurturing a life-long appreciation and curiosity for languages (spoken or signed) and the cultures they portray. By offering a new language to our students, we believe we will allow them to open a robust world of new possibilities and increase their overall critical skill for the XXI century: communication. Furthermore, acquiring a new language will open students’ minds to new and different perspectives, help them be more empathic and caring citizens of the world, and ultimately understand more deeply who they are.
  
  Raquel Safdie, Chair

  MA, University of Judaism

  BS, University of Buenos Aires
  
  

  Solange Dichter
  American Sign Language

  Fashion Design Degree, Shanker College, Tel Aviv
  
  Norma Quintanilla
  Spanish Teacher
  BA, California State University, Northridge