Administrative Staff
Executive Director, Yolanda Potasinski: ypotasinski@cbst.org x811
Director of Development, Ann Targownik: atargownik@cbst.org x814
Director of Finance & Operations, Assaf Astrinsky: aastrinsky@cbst.org x812
Religious Services Coordinator, Patrice Ruel: pruel@cbst.org x813
Assistant to Rabbi Kleinbaum, Tasha Calhoun: tcalhoun@cbst.org x875
Development Associate, Ruth Kleinman: rkleinman@cbst.org x815
Development Assistant, Candice Orr: assistant@cbst.org x818
Assistant to Executive Director, Chaz Macrina: cmacrina@cbst.org x810
Programming Coordinator, Jesse Katz: jkatz@cbst.org x876
Pianist, Dror Baitel
Limmud b'Shabbat Faculty
Principal, Jennifer Kleinbaum: jkleinbaum@cbst.org x816
B'nai Mitzvah Coordinator, Teacher, Miya Rotstein: mrotstein@cbst.org
T'filah Specialist and Songleader, Rachael Pass
Teachers: Nora Isacoff, Leah Singerman, Rachel Chang, Elias Samuel Rubin, Sharon Golub, Naomi Blakeman, and Ben Dyme, CRRI.
About the Staff
Yolanda Potasinski, Executive Director
Yolanda Potasinski joined the staff at CBST as its Executive Director, in January of 2013. She previously served as President of CBST for five years, during a critical period, while CBST substantially increased its staff and budget, and began to professionalize its board. From 2003 to 2012, Yolanda served as the Executive Director of Habonim - a Conservative synagogue on the Upper West Side. Yolanda is a native of Caracas, Venezuela, where her family found refuge after World War II. Bi-lingual and fluent in both Spanish and English, Yolanda has a passion for building community between people of all walks of life. During her 17-year career in banking administration, Yolanda was an active member and volunteer at CBST. She obtained a certificate at the NYU George Heyman, Jr. Center of Philanthropy and Fundraising. Yolanda has a background that includes both extensive training and hands-on experience in organizational development, fundraising and programming. Yolanda also served as President and VP of Metro-Ase, the NY professional organization for synagogue directors. She resides in NYC with her son and daughter.
Ann Targownik, Director of Development
Contact Ann to chat about your connection to and support for the CBST sacred community and mission. Ann joined the CBST staff in July 2013, bringing a depth of successful professional and lay leadership experience. She served for five years as Director of Development at Shaaray Tefila, NYC, three years as Executive Director of Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, NYC, five years as Executive Director of The Jewish Center of the Hamptons in East Hampton, NY and four years as president of Temple Israel Reform Congregation of Staten Island. She was a member of the Union for Reform Judaism, Greater NY Council's Leadership Development Committee and is a member of the National Association for Temple Administration, Reform Synagogue Development Professionals, was an officer of Metropolitan Association of Synagogue Executives, and is a member of ATID (Advancing Temple Institutional Development). She is author of, and has been quoted in, numerous articles on membership and fundraising and was a workshop presenter on annual giving at URJ National Biennial Conventions. Ann holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Pratt Institute's School of Architecture, Brooklyn, NY and has taught History and Architectural Design at the College of Staten Island. She founded and was principal of the award-winning architectural and interior design firm, Designers' Partnership. She and her husband reside in Manhattan.
Assaf Astrinsky, Director of Finance & Operations
Assaf Astrinsky, a longtime member of CBST, joined the staff in May 2013 shortly after returning from 9 years living in Israel. In Israel, Assaf served as the Director of the World Council of Jewish Communal Service (WCJCS) after completing his MBA in Not-for-Profit Management & Jewish Leadership at the Interdisciplinary Center, in Herzliya. Prior to moving to Israel, Assaf was the Director of Finance & Administration at the Center for Jewish History and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, in New York. He also served as Business Manager at the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra.
Patrice Ruel, Religious Services Coordinator
Born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, Patrice moved to New York in 2010 in pursuit of his Master’s Degree at Dowling College, Oakdale, NY. He soon began attending services at CBST, and fell in love with both the services and community. But before joining the staff, he would first work at Air France, and family owned business, Patriel C.A., dedicated to customs brokerage. Seeking sunnier skies, he made a move to South Florida, where he accepted a position as the Religious Services Director at a local congregation. His return to New York brought him back to CBST, but this time as a permanent member of its staff. His passion, as well as his sense of commitment and responsibility and his indelible warmth and unmistakable charm, solidify him as one of our most endeared.
Tasha Calhoun, Assistant to Rabbi Kleinbaum
Contact Tasha to schedule an appointment with Rabbi Kleinbaum for your general ritual questions, or to schedule a simcha. Born in Manhattan and raised in both Manhattan and the Bronx, she now lives in New Jersey. Tasha is the longtime Assistant to Rabbi Kleinbaum. She has been a CBST staff member, since November 1994, when she divided her time between CBST and a professional internship with a documentary film production company. Prior to joining the CBST staff, Tasha was an honor student at the University of Rochester and at Hunter College. She is the author and illustrator of the children’s book, "Avery’s Tooth and Treasure." When she is not at CBST, Tasha can be found raising her two beautiful children, Ethan and Avery, and working on her next children's book.
Ruth Kleinman, Development Associate
Ruth Kleinman has been working in the Jewish community for over a decade. She comes to CBST most recently after 6 years at Congregation Rodeph Sholom on the Upper West Side. During that time, she worked with major donors to the annual and capital campaigns, and was the first point of contact for any donors to the many funds at the temple. Prior to working at CRS, Ruth lived in Israel as a participant in the WUJS program (World Union Jewish Students) in the Peace and Social Justice Track – volunteering weekly at both a community garden and soup kitchen, interning with Jewish Eco-Seminars, and traveling to various parts of the country. Having worked at Hillel: the Foundation for Jewish Campus Life for 5 years on several campuses, she staffed many Taglit-Birthright Israel trips and wanted to deepen her relationship with Israel while learning Hebrew. As a Hillel staff member, Ruth also supervised student leaders, implemented timely and interesting programming, and connected with faculty and staff. Concurrently, Ruth was the Youth Group Director for 3 years at Scarsdale Synagogue Temples Tremont and Emanu-El in Westchester. She currently serves on the boards of the University at Buffalo Alumni Association and Hillels of Westchester, and co-chairs an annual fundraiser with Project Morry. Ruth is a vegetarian, a life-long NY Rangers fan, and a former camp counselor at Echo Lake. She and her husband Steven live in Manhattan with their son, Zeke.
Chaz Macrina, Assistant to the Executive Director
Chaz joins CBST as the Assistant to Yolanda Potasinski. He has an eclectic background have worked exclusively in many areas of the non-profit world, such areas as: the arts, education, and social & community services including six years as the Assistant to the Director of Mental Health & Social Services, at the LBGT Center in New York City. His other passions are art, theatre, film, photography, writing, and religious studies including Kabbalah. Chaz grew up in Philadelphia and lives in Manhattan.
Jesse Katz, Programming Coordinator
Jesse Katz joined CBST as the Project Manager for the Talk to Me About HIV program. A poet and musician, born and raised in New York City, Jesse has a history of organizing in the local music, literature and arts communities for the benefit of grassroots social justice causes, relief efforts and raising up emerging creative voices. He runs the New York School style, Frank O’Hara-inspired, literature and music series, “Having A Whiskey Coke With You” and publishes its supplemental zines and mixtapes.
Dror Baitel, Pianist
Dror Baitel has established himself as a leading talent through his virtuosity and versatility across diverse musical genres. Born and raised in Israel, Dror moved to the US to pursue his classical piano Bachelor’s degree at Mannes College in New York under Vladimir Feltsman and Jerome Rose. Since then he has played on many stages, including Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall and Merkin Hall. He also worked on Broadway in Mary Poppins, The King and I, Matilda, Hamilton and most recently in the Tony winning musical Dear Evan Hansen. In addition to his work in the theater, Dror has served as a music director and accompanist in synagogues, including Shaaray Tefila and Temple L’Dor V’Dor in Oyster Bay. As a dedicated educator, Dror has been a teaching fellow at The Juilliard School since 2016. In 2017 Dror received his Masters in Collaborative Piano at Juilliard studying with Jonathan Feldman, Dr. Andrew Harley and Margo Garrett. Dror was an award recipient of the American Israel Cultural Foundation and currently is pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts in the Collaborative Piano Department as a Starr fellow at Juilliard.
About the Limmud b'Shabbat Faculty
Jennifer Kleinbaum, Limmud Principal
After three years as a Limmud Teacher (while also wearing other CBST hats), Jennifer brings her love of teaching and experience building organizational capacity and developing education programs for emergent institutions. Jennifer has worked as the Executive Director of Tenafly Nature Center, 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 and since her first service as a teenager, has been drawn to our community emanating love for one another. E-mail Jennifer at jkleinbaum@cbst.org or call x816.
Miya Rotstein, B'nai Mitzvah Coordinator and Teacher (grades 7-8)
Miya grew up in Montreal in a tri-lingual home and graduated from McGill University with a degree in Cultural Studies. She has been developing creative arts based Jewish curricula, teaching Hebrew language, Jewish studies and Torah/ Haftorah preparation to both children and adults in NYC for over 15 years. Miya also works as an artist and personal chef and has been active at CBST since 1999. E-mail Miya at mrotstein@cbst.org
Rachael Pass, T'filah Specialist and Songleader
Rachael is a rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. She grew up in Louisville, Kentucky as an active member of the Reform Jewish youth movement. She studied Psychology and Near Eastern and Judaic Studies at Brandeis University, and remained in Boston working in Jewish youth engagement for three years, primarily at Temple Shir Tikva. Rachael is currently the rabbinic intern for the Central Conference of American Rabbi’s Task Force on the Experiences of Women in the Rabbinate. Her work at the CCAR perfectly dovetails her academic interest in feminist Jewish scholarship, ritual studies, and gender-informed thealogy/theology. Rachael is so excited to be joining the team at CBST to develop the t’fillah curriculum for children in Limmud b’Shabbat!
Nora Isacoff (grade 6) is thrilled to be returning for her 4th year of teaching in Limmud. She has a PhD in cognitive psychology and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in education, during which time she co-authored her first book. When she's not at CBST, Nora teaches psychology on the undergraduate and graduate levels, writes about psychology and education, and works individually with children and adolescents with special learning needs. At CBST, in addition to her role as teacher, Nora serves as co-chair of Aleinu (CBST's 20s/30s group) and co-coordinator of the CBST Community Chorus. She spends her free time singing and playing with her dog, Sophie, in Prospect Park. E-mail Nora at nisacoff@cbst.org
Rachel Chang is excited to be joining the Limmud community at CBST this year. She graduated from Skidmore College with a double major in music and psychology with an interest in pursuing music therapy in the future. Previously, Rachel has worked as music teacher and co- youth advisor at Temple Sinai in Saratoga Springs, NY, and she continues to song-lead and teach at Woodlands Community Temple in White Plains, NY. Outside of religious school, she also works as a children’s martial arts instructor.
Leah Singerman (grade 5) is thrilled to be a part of CBST's Limmud community. Leah has a passion for education and for using growth mindset to empower students to set and work toward their own personally enriching goals. Leah hails from Austin, Texas, and lived in Los Angeles and Boston before making her way to New York. She continues working with Limmud students exploring their own Jewish identities and how those identities can be shaped by tradition as well as current affairs and ways of living. Leah works in education research at NYU Langone Health and lives in Manhattan. E-mail Leah at lsingerman@cbst.org
Elias Rubin (grades 3-4) (they/she pronouns) is a Brooklyn based artist and educator. They are a graduate of NYU/Tisch, with a BFA in Drama. They have worked as one of the Theatre Arts Mentor at the URJ 6 Points Creative Arts Academy for the past two summers, and was a part of the Audacious Hospitality JewV'Nation LGBTQIA+ Cohort. Elias is teaching at multiple Synagogues in NYC during the 2019-2020 school year, intertwining theatre and Judaism. When not teaching, they can be found at any ramen shop with a vegetarian option, or writing Jewsicals (Jewish musicals) based off of the week's Torah portion.
Maria Lemire, Alef-Bet Shabbat Song Leader (ages 0-5)
This year, CBST is working with Tkiya: The Jewish Music Community Initiative, whose song leaders around NYC use participatory music experiences to reinvigorate diverse Jewish communities.
Maria (they/theirs), teaches Jewish music both with Tkiya and as a Head Teacher at the 14th Street Y Preschool in a 3’s classroom. They graduated from NYU Steinhardt’s Early Childhood Education/Special Education’s program in 2019, and they’re currently working towards their Master’s Degree in Literacy from CUNY Hunter College. While at NYU, they were the Shabbat Music Coordinator for Kesher: The Reform Jews @ NYU.
