Stephen Figurasmith, Alef-Bet Shabbat Songleader (ages 0-5)
sfigurasmith@cbst.org
Stephen Figurasmith (they/them), is a preschool music educator, Jewish song leader, social change agent, and parent. They have a B.A. in Social Sciences from Hampshire College and are currently pursuing their graduate degree in early childhood education. Stephen has taught early childhood music and lead Jewish family programs at several JCCs, preschools, community centers, and summer camps throughout the New York Metropolitan area. Stephen believes that music has a unique power to shape young people’s approach to life, Judaism, and community. They are deeply honored to play a role in facilitating these formative encounters and turning them into genuinely magical experiences.
Amara Lillien-Sterling, Limmud Teacher (Grades K - 1)
abliliensterling@cbst.org
Amara Lillien-Sterling (they/them) was born and raised in a Jewish community in Brooklyn, NY. They began working in the classroom immediately after graduating high school, working as a teacher’s assistant while simultaneously attending college and seminary. They have been a lead teacher for the past 6 years, at first in a Yeshiva and now in the Department of Education. They currently teach PreK special education in Dumbo. Amara is passionate about early literacy and learning through play and crafts.
Frankie Wiener, Limmud Teacher (Grades 2 - 3)
fwiener@cbst.org
Frankie (they/them) is a nonbinary Jewish educator and multidisciplinary artist who has been creating art with, learning alongside and connecting with kids for more than 9 years. They like to approach life with abundant curiosity and open mindedness, seeking to find deeper meaning and connection through learning, art and play. Frankie is passionate about engaging in ancient Jewish ritual and tradition, social justice, interconnectedness, building sacred Jewish community, dance and photography. They aim to center core Jewish values of tikkun olam, tzedakah and chesed in all that they do.
Jennifer Kleinbaum, Lead Teacher (Grade 4)
jkleinbaum@cbst.org
Jennifer Kleinbaum (she/her) brings over two decades of work in education, a love of children, and non-profit management to CBST. She previously worked as the Executive Director of Tenafly Nature Center, with the Audubon Society of Florida, and Long Island Aquarium. She has degrees in Marine Biology (Cornell), Educational Technology (LIU), and Fundraising (NYU). Jennifer is committed to the CBST mission. Since attending her first service as a teenager, she has been drawn to our community's emanation of love for one another. At Bethune Street, Jennifer worked with the development team in membership, yortzeits, and coordinated the move of our memorial walls to our new home on 30th. She then became a Limmud Teacher and traveled with our families with children to Israel and our teens to study advocacy in DC. Jennifer brings her enthusiasm of teaching and experience building organizational capacity and developing education programs for emergent institutions to her role as Lead Teacher. On Shabbat mornings, Jennifer brings, from NJ, her 5th grader to Limmud, her spouse to services, and sometimes her pet snake to make Torah lessons super fun and memorable.
Aliza Shwartz, Cooperberg-Rittmaster Rabbinical Intern and Limmud Teacher (Grades 5 - 7)
aschwartz@cbst.org 212-929-9498 x828
Aliza Schwartz (she/her) is a rabbinical student at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, expecting to graduate in 2024. Aliza was in leadership for many years at Kavod, a multi-ethnic, multi-racial community led by young Jews that lives out its values through vibrant Jewish ritual, transformative social justice organizing, and collective responsibility. Aliza served on Kavod's board for four years and as Board President for two. Aliza worked for about 3.5 years at the New Israel Fund as Assistant Director for the New England Region, and she has been a strategy coach and trainer for IfNotNow. She is an alumna of AmeriCorps and JOIN for Justice’s Jewish Organizing Fellowship. Aliza is coming to CBST after spending a school year in Israel/Palestine, where she was both studying and doing solidarity work, especially with Palestinian communities in the South Hebron Hills of the West Bank. Aliza is absolutely thrilled to be joining the CBST community.
Debbie Broshi, Limmud Teacher (Grades 5-7)
dbroshi@cbst.org
Debbie Broshi (she/her) was raised in Ramat-Gan, a suburb of Tel Aviv. A lifelong painter, Debbie studied art and makeup design in London. While working in the film industry, she specialized in special effects and faux wounds - tending to the faces of actors such as Christopher Walken, Lauren Bacall, and Peter Ustinov. In addition to working as a makeup artist, Debbie was previously a comedy writer and performer. Her teaching experience encompasses both theater and Hebrew education. She previously designed and taught theater and comedy courses for middle school students. Since moving to the US in 2012 with her family, she has worked as a Hebrew teacher at the Beacon Hebrew Alliance in Beacon, NY.
Adam Graubart, Cooperberg-Rittmaster Rabbinical Intern and Teen Track Teacher (Grades 8-12)
agraubart@cbst.org (929) 564-4887
Adam Graubart (he/his) is a third-year rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. From an early age, he developed a passion for how the Jewish people cultivate morality, culture, and connection through study, prayer, acts of kindness, and collective organizing. He earned a B.A. from George Washington University in Human Services and Social Justice with minors in Judaic Studies and Hebrew. In his free time, Adam enjoys cooking, running, reading, attending theater, and exploring new museums and restaurants. As a Cooperberg-Rittmaster Rabbinical Intern, he aims to bolster CBST as a place of insight, a rejuvenating sanctuary, and an incubator for transformational change.
Miya Rotstein, Coordinator of Adult and Young Adult Education (Grades 8-12)
mrotstein@cbst.org 212-929-9498, x842
Miya Rotstein (she/her) was raised in Montreal, Quebec by Israeli parents. She is a graduate of McGill University with a degree in English and Cultural Studies. Prior to a life in Jewish education, Miya worked as a ceramicist, a glass blower and a cheese monger in New York City. She is a passionate educator; for over 20 years, she has developed Jewish curricula and taught conversational and Biblical Hebrew, Jewish studies, and Torah/ Haftorah trope and preparation. Miya first came to CBST in 2000 and began teaching Limmud at Bethune Street in 2013. In 2016, she became CBST's Bnai Mitzvah Coordinator as well as the Jewish Studies and Hebrew Language educator for CBST's Lehrhaus. Miya loves teaching and is passionate about imbuing Tikun Olam, Social Justice, Jewish community and continuity to her students through a more holistic understanding of Jewish history and tradition. She lives in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
