Faculty

Marian Kleinman, teacher, writer, and cantorial soloist, is delighted to lead our Beth Am Temple Religious School Faculty Team. This is her third year as the BAT principal. Kleinman was a religious school principal, choir and music director at Temple of Israel (Wilmington, North Carolina); she was a part-time free-lance journalist; her poetry book, "The Roses that Grow by the Side of the Road," was awarded the 1989 Louis Ginsberg Memorial Fellowship; and she has taught at several online colleges and public schools. She’s currently the cantorial soloist at Congregation Agudas Achim in Livingston Manor, NY. With her husband Mark and their daughter Rosa, she lives in Greenwood Lake, NY. They have a 5-year old mixed breed dog.

Brian Weil attended Beth Am Temple's Religious School and Hebrew High and he was confirmed right here at Beth Am in 1998. Brian graduated from Nanuet High School in 2000 and from Binghamton University in 2004, with a BS in Industrial and Systems Engineering. This past spring, Brian earned an MBA from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. During the week, Brian is a Manager at Stryker Spine, leading the field support and supply chain planning team. Brian has been tutoring Hebrew since 1997 when he was working towards earning his Hebrew High “Mitzvah Hours.” Brian will be teaching Kindergarten & 2nd grade this year.

Deborah Klock lives in Nanuet, NY with her son, Andrew, and daughter, Sarah (now away at college). She’s been very involved in working with and teaching children at Reuben Gittelman Hebrew Day School, at Ramah Day Camp, Nyack, and through Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. She is excited to return this year at BAT and is teaching Judaica for the 5th and 7th grades.

Karen Herskowitz lives in West Nyack, NY with her two children, Jacob and Sara, and her husband Michael. She's taught Sunday school at Beth Am Temple for 13 years, and in the Clarkstown School District for 21 years. She's looking forward to another wonderfully rewarding school year! She will be teaching 3rd grade & Ezrat HaAm.

Michael Herskowitz is a West Nyack, NY resident, husband of Karen Herskowitz, and father of Jacob and Sara. In addition to teaching Hebrew High School at Beth Am Temple, Michael is a Pearl River Middle School teacher and has volunteered as a coach in many youth athletic leagues.

Paula Kaplan lives in River Vale, New Jersey with her family. She is a member of The Orangetown Jewish Center. She is involved with the OJC Religious School, where she occasionally teaches and leads their Junior Congregation service. Paula loves being Jewish and she looks forward to sharing her passion for Judaism with her students at Beth Am. This year Paula is teaching fourth and seventh grade Hebrew.

Ruth Pernick has taught every grade, except for 2nd, at Beth Am Temple over the past 20 years. She looks forward to teaching grades 5 and 6 this coming year. Ruth is married to Rabbi Daniel Pernick and is the mother of 4 wonderful kids: Sarah, 23, Ben, 22, Joshua, 21, and David, 18.

 Sam Mallin lives in Hillsdale, NJ and is an attorney in Teaneck, NJ, where his practice includes matrimonial, family law, residential and commercial closings, immigration. He has two daughters, Erica and Mariel and is looking forward to marriage of Mariel in August 2010. His interests include sports, especially baseball, theater, and Judaica Studies. Sam plays softball in town recreational leagues. He is a returning teacher, will be teaching our KESHET classes and he’s looking forward to the coming school year.




Rina Heaton (“Morah Rina”) recently moved to Montebello, NY from her hometown of 27 years, Las Vegas, Nevada.  Rina is excited to start a new journey, especially having the opportunity to teach 5th grade Judaica at Beth Am.  Rina has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and has dedicated the last two years of her life to working with youth at risk at an emotional and behavioral treatment facility.  Rina, in hopes to move to Israel one day, plans to do her graduate work at Tel Aviv University focusing on Child Psychology.  Rina's passion is working with youth of all ages, especially in a Judaic setting which is her ultimate joy.  Rina enjoys volunteer work, as she assists at Congregation Shaarey Israel two days a week.  Rina is excited the moment she wakes up to do the things she loves and is so thankful for her opportunities.

Anita Kopf (“Morah Anita”) lives in Pearl River, NY with her husband Sheldon. She has three children, and her five grandchildren enjoyed attending Beth Am Temple Religious School. Anita has taught every grade from second grade through tenth grade at Beth Am Temple. This year, Anita is teaching sixth and seventh grade Hebrew. Her goal and passion is to bring meaning and happiness to the children through Jewish studies, to help them enjoy their Jewish lives. With her public school background of many years, Anita tutors bar mitzvah students at Beth Am Temple and also teaches and tutors at Temple Beth Sholom in Park Ridge, NJ.