Meet Our Staff

Mrs. Beyer is a reading specialist and has been a part of the Brandeis family for five years.  Students in the second through eighth grades who need reading enrichment meet with Mrs. Beyer.  Prior to joining Brandeis, Mrs. Beyer was a reading teacher in the Port Washington School District.

As the new literacy instructor for the 6th, 7th and 8th grades, Mrs. Bieber brings over 20 years of experience teaching English. In accordance with Common Core/Next Generation State Standards, Mrs. Bieber’s students read grade-appropriate informational and literary texts to further develop and improve English Language skills including: reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

Students learn to utilize text-based evidence to determine central ideas, specify the author’s use of literary techniques, and analyze the author’s craft.  A variety of writing assessments and activities are used to demonstrate these skills.

Students build upon their knowledge of the world and relationship within it through class discussion of texts, gathering information, evaluating nonfiction sources, and a variety of both teacher-directed and student-centered activities.  The small teacher/student ratio allows for special attention and differentiated instruction towards individual student needs.

Mrs. Bieber’s goal for her students is to become independent readers and writers, and to facilitate a lifelong passion for the written word.  By graduation, our students are well prepared for the demands of high school English and have experience with advanced texts as well.

Ms. Duchow has taught at Brandeis for the past five tears. She started teaching Pre-Kindergarten, followed by Kindergarten. She will now take on the position of Art Teacher. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Art Education K-12. Ms. Duchow has taught art at various schools and Art Studios, including her own Studio for several years.  The Art Curriculum is geared towards helping students become creative critical thinkers. It touches upon different artists and art styles throughout History. It works on experiencing with art tools and using them properly. Most of all, it encourages students to express themselves in a unique way.

Mrs. Genosar has been a core member of the Brandeis family for the past 17 years.  She teaches Hebrew language, Tanach and Dinim.  She began teaching fifth and sixth grade, and later moved to seventh grade.  Mrs. Genosar now teaches eighth grade and prepares students for the Hebrew Regents exam.

In the Middle School, students are grouped based on their proficiency in the Hebrew language.  This allows students to benefit from learning at their own pace and level.  Mrs.Genosar gains great pleasure in seeing students' enthusiasm and excitement when they are introduced to Hebrew literature.

In Tanach studies, the main goal is to make students identify with Eretz Israel and deepen their connection to the land of our ancestors.

Celebrating holidays and commemorating special days in the Hebrew calendar defines the Brandeis Hebrew Academy experience. Mrs. Genosar is proud to direct and lead the middle school students in the presentations of Yom Yerushalayim (5th grade), Pesach Model Seder (6th grade), Yom Hazikaron (7th grade) and Yom Hashoah (8th grade).

Mrs. Genosar teaches by "דרך ארץ קדמה לתורה" – Proper (ethical) behavior precedes the Torah – before one can learn and receive an education, he or she must pave the path with Derech Eretz, decent behavior and good character traits

Mrs. Kastin has had the pleasure of educating Middle School children in Brandeis for almost three decades.  Currently, Mrs. Kastin teaches 5th and 8th grade Social Studies.  Mrs. Kastin has always strived to ignite each student's love of history and the world around them.

The Middle School social studies curriculum is based on New York State standards.  In 5th grade, students use a variety of their learned skills to understand major ideas, themes and turning points in history, both in North and South America.  Eighth grade students delve deeper into the history of our country.  There is a greater understanding of different historical periods, particularly Reconstruction, Progressive Movement, WWI, The Great Depression-New Deal, WWII, Civil Right Era, Vietnam War, Kennedy-Johnson Years, and 1988 to the present.

The 2nd Grade curriculum is aligned with the New York State Common Core Standards.  In the area of reading, Mrs. Liebman uses Scott Foresman Reading Street Common Core.  This reading series consists of stories of many genres with a variety of skills that accompany them including a Writer’s Notebook.  Children are taught to write in different styles: narratives, expository essays, fiction and non-fiction, as well as in personal journals.  

The Common Core State Standards is followed for the Second Grade Math curriculum.  The Math program develops conceptual understanding, computational proficiency and mathematical literacy.  

Science and Social Studies consist of several topics.  Children enjoy going to the Science Lab and using a variety of hands-on materials.  Each spring, students participate in Brandeis' Science Fair.

The children enjoy utilizing the Computer Lab where they work on Math and Literacy skills.  Our 2nd Grade encompasses a full and exciting program.

Mrs. Liebman also teaches 3rd grade science which includes topics such as, Living Things, Ecosystems, Animals and Plants, Simple Machines and Matter.  The children are taught to identify the steps in the Scientific Method, and learn how scientists form and test a hypothesis.

Science is taught in our Science Lab where students are able to use a variety of hands-on materials.  They observe, ask questions and draw conclusions using various science tools.  Students also conduct experiments. In the Spring, students participate in our Science Fair.

Gila Lipshitz

This is Gila's second year at Brandeis, having worked in the Kindergarten and Nursery 2 classes in the past. Gila is also a Brandeis parent, with two children currently enrolled and one son who graduated from the institution.

Mr. Maron has been a part of the Brandeis family since February of 2018.  Prior to his role as Administrator at Brandeis Hebrew Academy, Mr. Maron served as Executive Director of HAFTR for 8 years.  With the support of administrators, lay leaders and faculty members, he increased enrollment from 1,000 students to 1,400 children and revitalized the school buildings and grounds.  Mr. Maron is excited to join the Brandeis Administration and continue the school's growth and success.

Mrs. Pennock is the Resource Room teacher at Brandeis.  Mrs. Pennock has taught for many years, including at other area Yeshivas.  Prior to raising her family, Mrs. Pennock was a Resource Room teacher in the Elmont School District.  Mrs. Pennock is delighted to now be a part of The Brandeis School community.

Three year nursery is taught by Morah Lisa and Morah Orly.  For the past five years, our Morahs have worked together to provide a nursery curriculum that is well-rounded.  Our three year-old students learn about our holidays, parsha, seasons, colors, shapes, numbers and the alphabet.  Special units include author studies, apples, fire safety, health, and music appreciation.  Our day includes free play, davening circle, story time, outdoor playground, center time, art projects and rest time.  We provide a friendly, warm, safe, nurturing environment where the children grow, learn and make lots of friends.

Mrs. Saez is currently in her 26th year of teaching, the last three at Brandeis.  Mrs. Saez is our 6th, 7th and 8th grade Spanish teacher.  Throughout her career, Mrs. Saez has taught in a variety of educational environments.  While at the past three years at Brandeis, Mrs. Saez has noted that Brandeis Hebrew Academy not only provides a productive learning environment for students but also provides an inviting family environment.

The Spanish curriculum is thorough, integrating the four major skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing.  In sixth grade, students begin with basic language skills.  By the eighth grade, our students are able to express thoughts in several language tenses.  This demonstrates the student's growth. 

The ultimate goal of our Spanish program is to prepare our students for higher level learning as well as the diverse society in which we reside.

Eden Schebovitz, as the assistant teacher for Kindergarten. Eden is currently in graduate school studying for her Master of Science in Education and Special Education (Birth-2nd). Eden is also a graduate of Brandeis. She is so excited to be a part of the Brandeis Mishpacha!  

Irit Shmuel

PreK and K Judaic Studies

[email protected] 

Ms. Singh graduated from Queens College with a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and she is currently pursuing her Masters in Health Education.  She has taught at Brandeis Hebrew Academy for over four years and teaches a wide range of classes from Nursery to the 8th grade. 

The physical education curriculum is designed to teach students the fundamentals necessary to execute a sport task while promoting movement.  We aim to develop each student’s knowledge of safety and movement.  In turn, this leads to their ability to perform a range of activities for an active and healthy lifestyle.  Our program also focuses on each student’s development of a strong sense of self-worth, a positive attitude and good character traits.

Ms. Smith teaches Math for fourth through eighth grades. She has taught at Brandeis for the past seven years. In the Fourth Grade, the curriculum focuses on place value, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, patterns and sequences, fractions, decimals, customary measurement, metric measurement, perimeter, area, and geometry.  Fifth Grade students learn place value, multiplication, division, decimals, expressions and patterns, fractions, measurement, and geometry.  Sixth grade math consists of ratios and rates, fractions, decimals, percents, decimals, integers, the coordinate plane, expressions, equations, functions, inequalities, area, volume, surface area, and statistics.  Our seventh graders learn ratios and proportional reasoning, percents, integers, rational numbers, expressions, equations, inequalities, geometric figures, measure figures, probability, and statistics.  In the eighth grade, students are taught Algebra 1 (Regents class) where the building blocks of algebra, linear expressions, equations, inequalities, functions, linear functions and arithmetic sequences, systems of linear equations and inequalities, exponents, polynomials, quadratics, roots and rational numbers, and statistics are taught.

Elaine Winograd is a secular teacher who has taught at Brandeis for over twenty years.  She has taught math, literacy, social studies, and science on the elementary level during her tenure.  Recently, Mrs. Winograd has added teaching math to seventh and eighth grade students.

Mrs. Winograd challenges herself to provide a classroom that promotes curiosity and exploration among her students.  Her students are willing to take risks and explore the unknown either independently or through peer interaction. Mrs. Winograd encourages her students to actively engage and participate in their learning.  Mrs. Winograd believes her role is to facilitate this process through cooperative learning, investigation, inquiry and hands-on activities.

Mrs. Zaltsman has been at Brandeis for the last six years, teaching Judaic Studies to Brandeis Hebrew Academy Middle School students.  The goals of her class are to further develop students' Hebrew language skills and to increase their connection to Eretz Israel.

Erica Zangre