Staff
Diya Moushahwar, Youth & Family Educator & Community Organizer
Diya (pronouns: they/them) has rich experience in Jewish education including four years of teaching at Kolot Chayeinu, a synagogue in Park Slope, Brooklyn, where they developed curricula on topics such as Jewish communities of color, gender and Judaism, and Jewish ritual objects. Diya has also served as a paraprofessional at Beit Rabban Day School and as an educator at the Society for the Advancement of Judaism. Diya is an alum of BMCC and currently studies at NYU, where they are a GUIDE Scholar and 2021 Gallatin Global Human Rights Fellow. Diya is a proud Arab-American from Detroit, and in addition to their work as an educator, they are a folk singer, language-learner, avid reader, illustrator, and community organizer.
Feel free to reach out to Diya by e-mail, diya@ftjc.org
Learn more about Rimonim: A Family Learning Community at FTJC.
Educators
Ana Inés Rubinstein, Nitzanim (PreK-2nd Gr) Tefillah Educator
Ana Inés Rubinstein (she/her) has been a member of the FTJC community since 2018. She has been an educator for over 20 years, specializing in the performing arts, second language acquisition, and physically integrated dance. She also teaches current and future educators in the Bilingual/TESOL Program of the School of Education at City College, and authored portions of the New York City Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Arts:Dance. As someone who did not grow up in a religious household, she came to Jewish practice later in life and is excited to explore the joy of Jewish learning with the young children of our community.
Noa Rubin, Shorashim (3rd-5th Gr) Tefillah Educator
Noa Rubin (she/her) is a rising second-year rabbinical student at JTS. Originally from Los Angeles, Noa moved to New York in 2016 to attend Barnard and List College, where she studied Sociology and Talmud. Noa has worked in camp, school, religious school, and tutoring settings. She loves her communities, learning Torah, and dogs, and is so excited to be hanging out with Shorashim on Shabbat mornings.
Maxine Berman, Anafim (Middle School) Educator
Maxine Berman (she/her) works with FTJC's Anafim group and teaches Limmudei Kodesh (Judaics) at the Abraham Joshua Heschel Middle School. She holds Master's degrees in Talmud and Jewish Education and studied for two years at the Pardes Institute in Jerusalem. Maxine is a member of the Ritual and Social Action/Social Justice committees and loves our FTJC community!
Pam Skop, Movement Educator
Pam Skop (she/her) is a licensed mental health counselor, yoga teacher, and postpartum doula. Pam is very passionate about early childhood education and prior to her career as a mental health counselor worked as a nanny, preschool teacher assistant, and camp counselor. After receiving her certification as a yoga teacher, Pam has partnered with numerous Jewish institutions to bring the practice of yoga to their youngest members, tying together themes of Judaism and mindfulness, and encouraging emotional and body awareness at a young age.
Dani Apple, Movement Educator & Hebrew Specialist
Dani Apple (she/her), originally from Cleveland, Ohio, has made a home in the Big Apple! In addition to the FTJC family, she has been a religious school teacher with Town & Village Synagogue, West End Synagogue, Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, and B'nai Jeshurun here in NYC. Dani holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee, so lots of music, comedy games, and movement activities are always a go in our classrooms!
