For a long time, Rabbi Dovid Kestenbaum has had a vision of providing students across the world the tools to be the best learners they can be. Throughout over 30 years of being a rebbe and a principal, this approach has driven him in his teaching methodology and his interactions with his thousands of students along the way. Rabbi Kestenbaum founded Lomdei with the intention of providing this style of learning to as many students as possible. He has taken his vision and created a platform that has reached thousands of students across the United States, Canada and Europe. He leads Lomdei as its Educational Director towards its ultimate goal - להגדיל תורה ולהאדירה

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Full bio comming soon

Rabbi Hartstein serves as Lomdei’s Director of Teacher Development. Joining the Lomdei team over a year ago, he has been building and cultivating relationships with teachers all over the world who are using Lomdei to enrich their classrooms each day. He manages teacher training and development and meets with teachers and administrators regularly throughout the school year. He also heads Lomdei's Teacher Community, facilitating best practices teacher building workshops, connecting Lomdei teachers around the world. His other responsibilities include tech-support and working with our development team to constantly improve the Lomdei experience.

Rabbi Peretz Hochbaum is a master educator, inspiring visionary leader and an effective team builder. He is experienced on all levels, K-12, and has served in leadership roles at prominent institutions including Rambam Mesivta, HANC, Mesivta Tiferes Yisroel and Camp Kaylie. He is also the Founder and Director of BPE Educational Services, an Educational Consulting firm. For more than 30 years, Rabbi Hochbaum has supervised and led all aspects of school including both Religious and General Studies programs, curriculum development and student services. He has implemented staff In-Service Training & evaluation, and has presented extensively on a wide range of educational topics including methodology & didactics, class management, differentiation, cooperative learning and curriculum pacing/mapping. In coming on board at Lomdei Rabbi Hochbaum summed up his feelings as follows: “I am so fortunate to have a successful career in chinuch, and I am humbled to, with Hashem’s help, have made an impact on my students, faculty, and community through my efforts. I am truly excited to be joining Lomdei’s wonderful team of educational thinkers and leaders who are working diligently to challenge the status quo and change the future landscape of Jewish education.”

Chani Richmond is a Judaic Studies Education Leader and Curriculum Developer, with over 20 years of education and special education experience. Chani has left her mark of excellence in Jewish education and leadership on schools in both New York and Florida amongst them HAFTR Middle School, Scheck Hillel Day School, RASG Hebrew Academy of Miami Beach, and Katz Hillel Day School of Boca Raton. She currently holds the position of Hybrid Learning Coordinator at Yeshiva Toras Chaim Toras Emes, Klurman Elementary School in North Miami Beach, Florida. She is a past member of the JTS Tanakh Standards and Benchmarks Project, and the "JBlend Miami" Blended & Personalized Learning Initiative. She brings years of experience in curriculum development and the know-how of personalization in the creation of a blended learning environment in the Judaic Studies classroom. Her additional roles as a former "Sefaria" Partner Educator, "Torah Live" Ambassador, and Prizmah/JEIC Edtech Facilitator & Coach, and her current participation in the Touro College Educational Technology Coach Certificate Program allows her to apply cutting-edge 21st Century Educational Technology skills to her Judaic Studies classes while coaching other teachers to do the same. As the owner and founder of CR Education Advisors, LLC, an educational consulting company, Chani is looking forward to partnering with Lomdei in their PD division as the Director of Curriculum Development and Teacher Training & Mentoring. Chani enjoys living in South Florida with her husband and four children.

Lauren Adler served as the Coordinator and Coach of Instructional Technology at the Moriah School in Englewood, NJ. She worked closely with educators and administrators to further the school's mission of personalizing learning for each student. Lauren met regularly with teachers to assist them in examining their student achievement data which informed their curricular decisions. Lauren also assumed the role of technology integration coach where she modeled and supported the integration of technology and personalized learning tools in classrooms throughout the school. Prior to this role she was a 4th grade classroom teacher for 15 years. Lauren has been a Lomdei coach for 2 years and has supported many teachers to adapt a blended/personalized learning approach in their classroom.

Rabbi Peretz Goldenberg is one of the premier Jewish educators in South Florida. For over 15 years, he has been teaching exceptional Jewish children and young adults the essentials they need to be successful. From 2010 to 2019, Rabbi Goldenberg directed special education schools, first at Achim Academy Education Center, and then at Metzuyan Academy, to address the need for comprehensive Special Education. Rabbi Goldenberg received his Semicha from Rabbi Moshe Heinemenn of the Star-K, as well as from Yeshivas Pirchei Shoshanim. He received his Masters Degree from Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration and is now a doctoral student at National University. He is a Florida State Certified Teacher, as well as having his Teacher of Talmud License, Rabbinical Literature and Jewish Studies Degree from RSA, and First Talmudic Degree from Kollel Ner Yehoshua, in Far Rockaway, NY

Shulamit has taught in elementary schools for over 15 years. She started by teaching in Wolfson Hillel Primary School in London, UK for ten years, with leadership responsibility for Years 5 and 6 in the last 3 years. On making aliya, she taught in a few dati leumi schools in Jerusalem, including in an experimental English immersion project. She currently resides in Toronto.

Rabbi Nossi Lieberman has been a rebbe at the Hebrew Academy of Long Beach in Woodmere, New York, Since 2005, and has taught many subjects and grades. Currently, he is a second grade rebbe, focusing on Haschalas Chumash and was instrumental in building the introduction to Chumash section on the Lomdai Learning Platform, which includes all the skills needed for the children to be successful in learning Chumash. He has had success implementing a Blended and Personalized Learning program in his class.

Dr. Chani Negin has taught in both elementary and high school classrooms for over twenty years. She holds a BS in Psychology, a masters in Education and Administration, a masters in Mental Health Counseling, and doctorate in Curriculum Development and Instructional Leadership. She has held several school leadership and educational consulting positions, including as a principal at Beis Chana High School in Miami. With over twenty years of rich and varied experience, Dr. Negin has been utilizing her expertise to facilitate dynamic and thought provoking workshops both in person and online.

Tzippy Richmond has been an educator for over 20 years. She started her career as a Morah in YCQ and special educator in HALB and YESS. She was the principal at Hebrew Academy of Palm Beach, as well as Masoret Yehudit. She currently teaches students with autism in Palm Beach County Public schools, and works for COJDS as their Florida liason. In addition, she is the director of Yahalom Florida, a resource center for special needs children and their families. Tzippy has a masters degree from Touro college in both regular and special education, and a masters in school leadership from St. John's University. Her academic profile includes being a licensed early childhood director, reading specialist, and endorsed in both autism and giftedness. Her vast experience and training across the educational landscape provides her with the knowledge and ability to draw on many different resources when coaching.

Before making aliya, Rabbi Simcha Schaum taught limudei Kodesh for 15 years, mainly at Yavneh Academy in Paramus, NJ. He taught a range of Torah subjects to grades 4, 6, 7, and 8, and utilized Project-Based Learning and Blended and Personalized Learning in order to facilitate his students' success.
Rabbi Schaum lives in Beit Shemesh with his family.

Elana is a creative educator who thinks outside the box, constantly evaluating what would be the most dynamic way for her students to interact with the material and relate it to their lives. Elana has had many varied experiences in formal and informal Jewish education. She has supported and mentored teachers as a Special Education Coordinator, as well as taught Classroom Management and Organization in Talpiyot College for Women. She currently teaches Middle School Judaic Studies at Netivot Hatorah Day School in Toronto.

Rabbi Shmuli Soroka is a passionate educator, who began his education career at NCSY, where he had to first recruit his students into the classroom, and then make the learning vibrant enough to entice the students to stay! He has since taught Middle School Judaic Studies at Netivot HaTorah Day School where he currently is the Director of Jewish Life and Learning. In this role, he strives to enhance and create curricular and co-curricular programs and mentor teachers towards enhancing the ruchniyut and Jewish experience of the students. Rabbi Soroka has also taught Tefillah, Parsha and tutored students at Kayla's Children's Centre- a school, therapy clinic, & recreational centre for children with disabilities. He has a Masters in Education from Azreili, and received Smicha from Rabbi Eliezer Breitowitz shlita, as well as from Rabbi Reuven Silver zt"l.

In the role of Educator Coach at Lomdei BPL and Curriculum Developer for the Lomdei Learning Platform, Mrs. Weitzner brings a wealth of experience and expertise. With nearly a decade of teaching Limudei Kodesh and Chol across various grade levels, ranging from 5th to 9th, Mrs. Weitzner possesses a profound understanding of students' unique learning requirements. Over the past fifteen years, her skills in curriculum development have been instrumental in crafting dynamic and comprehensive educational pathways for all areas. Moreover, she has dedicated five years to providing mentorship and coaching to teachers, empowering them to excel in their roles. With a flair for Graphic Design, Mrs. Weitzner has also contributed her creativity to school administration and classroom design, fostering an engaging and inspiring learning environment. As the Educator Coach, Mrs. Weitzner's commitment lies in cultivating a culture of excellence, supporting students and educators alike on their growth journey, and fostering a vibrant and thriving educational community at Lomdei BPL.