Our Teachers

Rachel Amsterdam

Second Grade General Studies Teacher

Ms. Amsterdam first joined CCJDS as a long-term substitute during the 2024-25 school year. After many years as a teacher and administrator in public schools, Ms. Amsterdam found herself at home here and loves being part of our community. She is thrilled to be the 2nd Grade General Studies teacher this year. Prior to joining CCJDS, Ms Amsterdam had over a decade of experience as a lower school teacher in the Bay Area, most recently in the Oakland Unified School District. She has her BA (Religious Studies) from Cal State Fullerton and Multiple Subject Credential from National University. Joined CCJDS in 2025.

Hagit Ayalon

Hebrew and Jewish Studies Teacher / K-4th Grade Hebrew Curriculum Coordinator

Ms. Ayalon loves working with students of all ages at CCJDS. This year she is teaching first grade Hebrew and Jewish Studies and fifth grade Hebrew, as well as coordinating our kindergarten-fourth grade Hebrew program. As a teacher, she infuses her work with warmth and creative energy that motivates and delights her students. Prior to moving to the United States, Ms. Ayalon taught both middle school and high school in Israel. She graduated with honors from Hebrew University with a BA in English Linguistics and an MA in Education. Joined CCJDS in 2011.

Hana Bar-Klein

Hebrew and Jewish Studies Teacher / Second-Eighth Grade Tefillah Coordinator

Ms. Bar-Klein currently teaches second grade Hebrew and Jewish Studies, fifth grade Jewish Studies, and seventh grade Hebrew. She also supports Director of Jewish Life Mirit Grembek in leading our tefillah (prayer), Shabbat program, and the yearlong program of Jewish holiday celebrations. Hana also supports our Shinishinim program in its successful implementation and mentors our Shinshinit. (You can learn about our Shinshinit, Shaqed, by reading her bio on our Administration and Staff page) Prior to joining CCJDS, Ms. Bar-Klein taught Hebrew at Krieger Schechter Day School in Baltimore, Maryland, and General Studies and Science in Israel. She received her Bachelor of Education from the Kaye Academic College for Education in Beer-Sheva, Israel, and she holds a Master of Education with honors from Hebrew University in Israel. She joined CCJDS in 2020.

Lior Ben Hur

Music Director

Born and raised in Jerusalem, Lior Ben-Hur has worked in music education in the Bay Area since 2004. Prior to joining his current role, he spent 8 years as the Music Director at Yavneh Day School in Los Gatos. In 2013, Lior won the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award for Excellence in Jewish Education, recognizing his innovative approaches to building Jewish community through music. He founded and leads Music By Heart, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping schools and organizations build community through music and music education. Lior’s band, Sol Tevél, has released three studio albums – including World Light, a collection of songs that aims to shed a new light and contemporary interpretation on old Jewish texts, ideals and mysticism; and So I Wander, an eclectic Reggae album which debuted at #14 on Billboard charts for Top Reggae Album. In his second year at CCJDS, Lior is expanding our program – adding a weekly music class for 6th grade and mentoring Annie Simmons in her new role as our K-1 Music teacher. Lior will teach the 2-6th Music classes and continue to provide Song Leadership with ruach (spirit) at Shabbat and other special events. Joined CCJDS in 2024.

Racheli Ben Shushan

Fine Arts Specialist

Ms. Ben Shushan is a talented artist and dedicated teacher. Born in Israel, she worked in the Iriyah Matnas V’Votizor V’Naamat – a highly regarded children’s art program – until moving to the US. Since arriving in the Bay Area in 2005, Ms. Ben Shushan has taught art at Jewish Day Schools. At CCJDS she has taught art and Hebrew. Currently, she teaches our Fine Art Elective in Middle School, our K-5th grade art classes and a popular after-school art enrichment program. Trained at the Michlelet Oat Art School in Jerusalem. Joined CCJDS in 2006.

Julia Bruce

Drama Specialist / Lower School Teaching Support

Ms. Julia Bruce joins us this year as part of the Lower School team. She is teaching 4th and 5th grade Drama and serving as a teaching assistant primarily in the 4th grade. Ms. Bruce has been the K-8th Grade Theatre Director at Alameda Children’s Musical Theatre/Tomorrow Youth Repertory for over 12 years. She also has extensive experience as a substitute teacher both at CCJDS and, earlier in her career, in an Oakland charter school. Ms. Bruce has a Master’s of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Mills College and a BA in Modern English Literature, with a minor in Russian Literature, from University of California, Santa Cruz. Joined CCJDS in 2025.

Jason Dean

Aftercare Director / PE Teacher / Facilities Support

Originally from Alabama, Mr. Dean spent five years as a substitute teacher in Southern California. After moving to the East Bay in 2019, he worked first as an After School Specialist and then as a Teaching Associate for Bentley School. As the Director of our popular Aftercare Program, Mr. Dean particularly enjoys the opportunity to connect with students of all ages and help them explore their interests through creative play, sports, and enrichment. He also enjoys developing a PE program grounded in fundamentals, fitness and fun. This year he will be teaching PE in kindergarten through third grade. A gifted handyperson, Mr. Dean also provides facilities support. Mr. Dean graduated from the University of North Alabama with a BS in Education. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, golf, baking, and reading. Joined CCJDS in 2022.

Jason “Jase” Deane

Middle School History Teacher

Mr. Jase Deane worked at CCJDS in the 2024-25 school year as a long-term substitute teacher and is thrilled to be joining the staff team this year as the 6th grade Ancient World History teacher. He will have additional responsibilities as a teacher in our SHIR HaLev service learning program, providing teaching support in Humanities, and working with students of all ages in Aftercare. Prior to joining CCJDS, Mr. Jase taught Creative Writing and Academic Writing at California State University, Chico, and Butte College, and taught English as a Second Language to Middle and High School students in Thailand. He has also worked for Educational Testing Service, as an editor and project manager. Mr. Jase is a graduate of California State University, Chico, where he received an MA in English, graduate-level certification in Teaching College-Level Writing and TESOL, a BA in Asian Studies, and a BA with honors in Religious Studies. Joined CCJDS in 2025.

Gordon Chong Dohemann

Middle School Science Teacher

Mr. Gordon Chong Dohemann has a passion for science and an unwavering dedication to fostering a love for learning among our students. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Colorado State University, where he also took courses in Education. Mr. Dohemann brings a wealth of knowledge and a fresh perspective to the classroom. His dedication to science and his genuine enthusiasm for the subject are matched by the joy he finds in connecting with students with respect and humor. Joined CCJDS in 2023.

Michael Filice

Middle School Science and Math Teacher

Mr. Filice, a Bay Area native, brings to CCJDS a strong passion for the outdoors and for engaging students in active, joyful learning. He is thrilled to teach sixth and eighth grade Science and eighth grade Geometry this year, as well as continuing to develop our Makerspace activities and spearheading the implementation of our K-8th grade Robotics program. Mr. Filice seeks to apply his scientific background to inspire himself and others to better understand and appreciate the wonders of nature. Prior to working at CCJDS, Mr. Filice worked for several years as an outdoor educator with children of all ages, teaching environmental science curriculum and team building. Mr. Filice holds a BS in Earth and Planetary Sciences from UC Santa Cruz. Joined CCJDS in 2018.

Dovrat Forte

Hebrew Teacher

Ms. Dovrat Forte first joined CCJDS in the fall of 2020 as our 4th Grade Hebrew and Judaics teacher. After taking time off to focus on her growing family, she is thrilled to return to the CCJDS Hebrew teaching team. This year she is teaching Hebrew in 4th through 8th grades. Originally from Israel, Ms. Dovrat holds a B.Ed. and a teaching credential from Kibbutzim College of Education and an M.A. in Education from Tel Aviv University, majoring in learning disabilities and ADHD. Ms. Dovrat also has experience working at Pressman Academy, a Jewish day school in LA, and in the last 2 years, she has also been teaching at JQuest, Temple Isaiah’s educational program focused on Jewish learning and community building. She is excited to return to the CCJDS classroom and looks forward to a meaningful and enriching year with her students. Joined CCJDS in 2025.

Adeelee Fox

Jewish Studies Teacher / Third Grade Associate Teacher

Ms. Adeelee Fox has served in multiple lead teaching roles at CCJDS, including General Studies in 4th grade, our COVID-era K/1 class, and most recently in 1st grade. This fall Ms. Fox is excited to be stepping into a new lead teaching role as part of our Judaic Studies team, teaching 4th Grade and 6th Grade Judaics and 4th Grade SHIR HaLev service learning. She will also play a vital role as the General Studies Teaching Associate supporting Ms. Wirtschafter in 3rd grade. Prior to joining CCJDS, Ms. Fox taught at the Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School in Foster City. She has her BA in Language Studies from UC Santa Cruz and a Teaching Certificate from the Day School Teacher Leadership program, DeLeT, of Hebrew Union College. Joined CCJDS in 2020.

Laurie Gold

Middle School Humanities Teacher / Learning Support Director

A talented teacher who loves learning, Laurie Gold originally joined CCJDS as a middle school Math teacher and later transitioned to two other roles that she loves, as a middle school Humanities teacher and Learning Support Director. This year she is teaching 7th grade English, 8th grade English and 8th grade U.S. History. During her educational career, which spans over 20 years, Ms. Gold has developed a passion for working with students across disciplines – including teaching middle school Humanities at Tehiyah Day School – and supporting teachers as a coach and learning specialist. As our 6th-8th Grade Learning Support Director, Ms. Gold will work with teachers, students, and families to support differentiation in curriculum and teaching. She will offer professional development and coaching to faculty to strengthen our ability to understand our students’ diverse learning styles and differentiate teaching to help all students thrive. For students with diagnosed learning differences, she will facilitate a strong home-school partnership and work with teachers to develop and implement appropriate interventions and accommodations to support student success. Ms. Gold received her BA from Boston University School of Education and MA in Childhood Education from City College of New York. Joined CCJDS in 2022.

Rebecca Grintsaig

Lower School Teaching Support

Ms. Grintsaig joins us as a Teaching Assistant with her primary assignment in second grade General Studies. She discovered her passion for working with children early on, as a babysitter, a camp counselor and a full-time nanny providing remote learning support during COVID. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to return to her roots: Rebecca is a proud CCJDS alumna, Class of 2013! She attended CCJDS from K-8th Grade and went on to the Jewish Community High School of the Bay (JCHS). Starting in CCJDS musicals and Rock Band, Rebecca found deep connections to the creativity and community she could experience in the theatre. She graduated from the University of California, Irvine, with a B.A. in Technical Theater, Literature, and Performance and continues to perform locally in the Bay Area. Joined CCJDS in 2025.

Andrea Hess

Fourth Grade General Studies Teacher / Senior Administrator

Ms. Hess brings 28 years of teaching, curriculum, and administration experience to CCJDS. She has taught in classrooms ranging from pre-K through sixth grade in public and independent schools across the country. In the Bay Area, she taught lower elementary grades and chaired the professional development committee and social and emotional learning committee for 10 years at Prospect Sierra School in El Cerrito and Bentley School in Oakland. In 2017-18, Ms. Hess was the Assistant Head of School, then Interim Head of School at Tehiyah Day School in El Cerrito. Ms. Hess also served as a literacy consultant, instructional coach, student teacher supervisor, and mentor teacher for BATTI (Bay Area Teacher Training Institute). Ms. Hess founded Balanced Literacy Consulting in 2010 to help schools implement literacy curriculum effectively and thoughtfully. Ms. Hess holds a BA in Clinical Psychology from Tufts University, and a Masters in Curriculum and Teaching with a focus on literacy from Teachers College, Columbia University. Joined in CCJDS 2021.

Adelia Hunt

First Grade General Studies Teacher

Ms. Adelia Hunt, entering her fifth year at CCJDS, is thrilled to be taking on a new role as the First Grade General Studies Teacher. During the 2024-25 school year, while serving as the Associate Teacher in 3rd grade, Ms. Hunt completed the DeLeT Teacher Training Institute Program, a credentialing program of the School of Education at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. Ms. Hunt holds a BA with honors in Political Science from Barnard College and a JD with honors from American University Washington College of Law. Prior to entering the field of education, Ms. Hunt practiced law, worked in Congressional Affairs and as Assistant to the Ambassador at the Embassy of Israel in Washington D.C., conducted research at a political think tank in Israel, and taught courses in Constitutional Law to public high school students in Washington, D.C. Joined CCJDS in 2021.

Taylor Lyng

PE Teacher / Lower School Teaching Support

Mr. Taylor Lyng enjoys working with students in all grades at CCJDS! This year he is the 5th-8th grade PE Teacher and an Elective Teacher, while continuing to work as a Teaching Assistant in the Lower School. Outside of CCJDS, Mr. Taylor has trained martial arts since childhood and is currently a Jiu Jitsu brown belt. He has spent over a decade coaching kids of all ages. He loves teaching as much as learning and is always pursuing multiple hobbies. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Cal State University East Bay, Hayward. Joined CCJDS in 2024.

Aliza May

Hebrew and Jewish Studies Teacher 

Ms. May has taught Hebrew and Jewish Studies to CCJDS students of all ages. She is thrilled to work this year in kindergarten and third grade. A native of Israel, Ms. May loves bringing Israeli culture (and food!) into her Hebrew curriculum. She also excels at helping her students make connections between modern life and ancient texts, and put values into action through our SHIR HaLev service learning program. Prior to joining CCJDS, Ms. May taught Hebrew and Jewish Studies to students at Congregations B’nai Tikvah and B’nai Shalom. Professionally, Ms. May has also been a court reporter and court clerk in the trial courts in the Southern District of Israel. She received specialized training in teaching Hebrew at the Tal Am Language Institute in Jerusalem. Joined CCJDS in 2016.

Renée Penegor

Middle School Humanities Teacher / Drama Specialist

Ms. Penegor brings a rich tapestry of experiences to her role as a teacher of English Language Arts, History, and Drama. Ms. Penegor graduated with an MFA from American Conservatory Theater and has over 20 years of experience acting and teaching in both private and classroom settings. From 2016-2025, Ms. Penegor successfully directed the annual school musical and orchestrated a variety of other K-8 performances. Ms. Penegor brings her passion for integrating the arts with core academic subjects to CCJDS, aiming to engage students and inspire a lifelong love for learning. Her academic foundation in English Literature, Theatre, and Women’s Studies, with honors from the University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse, underscores her interdisciplinary approach to education. Joined CCJDS in 2016.

Mahsa Saadati

Lower School Teaching Support

Mahsa Saadati joins us as a Teaching Assistant with her primary assignment in first grade General Studies. Ms. Saadati’s professional background has spanned the worlds of education and business. She is a piano teacher and, earlier in her career, spent several years as a professional tutor working with students in Math, Science, and English. She stepped away from education to pursue a career as a Data Analyst in the Tech and Financial sectors, but found that it could not bring her the joy and meaning that she found in working with children. She’s thrilled to be returning to the classroom. Ms. Saadati has an MS in Applied Data Science from Syracuse University; a BS in Physiology from San Francisco State University; and an AA in Music from The Bahá’í Institute for Higher Education. Joined CCJDS in 2025.

Haya Sansani

Annie Simmons

Kindergarten General Studies Teacher / Drama and Music Specialist

Ms. Annie Simmons, our Kindergarten co-lead teacher, is expanding her role in our drama and music programs this year. She is teaching K-3rd grade Drama classes and K-1 Music classes. Ms. Simmons is passionate about integrating arts in education and bringing song, movement, crafts, and games to learning environments. She performs throughout the Bay Area and beyond as a member of the Americana band The Live Oaks. Prior to CCJDS, Ms. Simmons taught collaborative playwriting and improv at the San Francisco Mime Troupe and was a nanny and Drama Specialist at Camp Tawonga. Ms. Simmons graduated with honors from Saint Mary’s College of California with a BA in Justice, Community, and Leadership. Joined CCJDS in 2021.

Catie Warburton

Fifth Grade General Studies Teacher

Ms. Warburton infuses her fifth grade classroom with kindness, intellectual curiosity, and creativity. Before coming to CCJDS, she taught science in the Lafayette School District for five years and spent two years as a second grade instructional aide at Lafayette Elementary School. Ms. Warburton has a BA in Biological Sciences and German Language and Literature from UC Santa Barbara and her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from Notre Dame De Namur University. When not at CCJDS, she enjoys knitting, cooking, and spending time with her family. Joined the CCJDS in 2018.

Marci Winer

Middle School Math Teacher

Ms. Winer is excited to work with our first-year Middle School students in her roles as sixth grade math teacher and a sixth grade advisor. In past years at CCJDS, Ms. Winer has been the school-wide PE coordinator, taught fifth and sixth grade math and science, and fourth grade general studies. Prior to CCJDS, she worked for eight years in the Lafayette School District, leading the Physical Education Program at Springhill Elementary and supporting classroom teachers in general studies. Ms. Winer has a BA in Political Science and Business from the University of Arizona. Joined CCJDS in 2018.

Diane Schon Wirtschafter

Third Grade General Studies Teacher

Ms. Wirtschafter is thrilled to begin her third year teaching General Studies at CCJDS! She has taught for over two decades in Jewish day schools in Minneapolis and El Cerrito. Before joining CCJDS, she taught fourth grade at Black Pine Circle School in Berkeley for 13 years. A native of New York, Ms. Wirtschafter studied psychology at Barnard College in New York City and studied for her MA in education at Bank Street College of Education and at the University of Minnesota. She has twice won the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics Education at the state level. Ms. Wirtschafter is passionate about life-long professional development, and she’s been particularly excited in recent years to bring to her classroom best practices she’s learned from Context for Learning Math, Reading and Writing Workshop, and Responsive Classroom workshops. Music is at the heart of her life, and, accompanied by her husband on violin and mandolin, she has sung with klezmer bands, washboard bands, and students and colleagues. Twice during the pandemic, her family’s musical parody videos of “Fiddler on the Roof” songs went viral. While playing ukulele, she enjoys helping to lead singing during CCJDS tefilah (prayer) and at our school’s Kabbalat (welcoming) Shabbat gatherings. Joined CCJDS in 2023.