Staff
The Temple Beth Torah School of Early Learning at Old York Road Temple – Beth Am staff promotes a warm, friendly and family feeling atmosphere. All staff members are professionally trained and experienced early childhood educators. They all hold current Red Cross certification in first aid and many complete CPR training every other year. Their love of teaching children fills the air at the school.

Click on a staff member to read more.

I was born in Israel and came to the United States 25 years ago. In Israel during high school I attended the Rubin Academy of Music. After high school, I went into the Israeli army for 3 years. Following this time, I worked for the Israeli government as a secretary. I currently live in Philadelphia; Pennsylvania and I have been married for 45 years. I have 5 children and 10 grandchildren and 2 of them come to school at Beth Am. I have been an assistant teacher for 18 years and I have been teaching Hebrew enrichment classes for the last 12 of those years. In closing, let me just say that I love my job!

Hi! I am known as “Bieber” to the many children I have taught over the past 43 years. I am originally from Trenton, New Jersey where I attended Rider College. When my daughter was 3 and attending nursery school, I was asked if I would like to “help out” with her class. I fell in love with all of the children and I have been working as a toddler teacher ever since. I am a widow with a wonderful daughter, Nicole, who is also a teacher. I definitely feel that teaching your children is the most rewarding career that I could have chosen. I look forward to creating many more happy memories as a member of the teaching staff of the Temple Beth Torah School of Early Learning at Old York Road Temple- Beth Am.

As the mother of two girls who have graduated from the School of Early Learning, I have seen firsthand what an incredible school it is. My years as an assistant teacher at SOEL have brought me so much joy and I can’t wait to see what this year brings. When I’m not teaching I love spending time with my family and friends and spending my summers at Camp America Day Camp. I look forward to watching your little ones grow and flourish!

I’m Michelle Cheifetz and I’ve been part of the Beth Am community my whole life. You may have seen me over several summers helping out with a lot of classes. I’ve recently graduated from Goucher College in 2020 with a Bachelors in psychology and am currently going to be watching your little ones grow in our infant center! I have always loved working with kids, watching them learn, develop, and I hope to continue to foster a wonderful environment as I continue being part of the Beth Am family.

I am an assistant teacher in Temple Beth Am’s pre-k class. I started, however, when we were located at Temple Beth Torah on Welsh Road and now have been with Sherrie for 24 years. I have enjoyed working with the children and watching them grow and develop. I have an AS degree in child care from Temple University and I am married with 3 children who also attended TBT nursery and Hebrew school. I am now a “mom-mom” to 3 beautiful granddaughters and I grandson. Let me finish by saying how much I enjoy my time working with your children.

Hello. I am excited to be a part of the SOEL family and a part of your family. I have been married for 25 years and I have 2 adult children, Amanda and Michael. In the past, I worked in child care for several years and I am ecstatic to be working in the Infant Center with children again.

Mr. Rob began his teaching endeavors in LA as a Culinary Teacher for Lift Enrichment for kids K-5th Grade. Cooking up paellas, Swedish Meatballs, Veggie/Chicken Stir Fry and much more. In 2019 Mr. Rob moved back to Philadelphia and began working at the Free Library of Philadelphia in the Nourishing Literacy Dept. which offered both educational and buffet style cooking seminars. He and his team would also visit schools all across Philadelphia (with his guitar) to bring more entertainment while also educating. In the summer of 2022 Mr. Rob joined the Beth Am family.

I have been working for 30 years between Temple Beth Torah and Old York Road Temple-Beth Am, but I have been working with young children for the last 37 years. Even as a little girl myself of just 10 years old, I was running a day camp at my house for the neighborhood children. I suppose it was always in me to take care of children and to this very day, I still absolutely love it!

Monique GraBois is my official name, however most people call me Mrs. Mo or just Mo. I have been teaching in the School of Early Learning since 2015 as a pre-school assistant. Both my husband (Perry) and I have been members of Old York Road Temple-Beth Am since moving to the area back in 2004. My children both graduated from the School of Early Learning. Jarred Sam is currently a senior and Aaron Chase a freshman at Lower Moreland High School. My passion and desire have always been working with children, teaching them new things and watching them grow and develop. This is so rewarding to me! I am looking forward to an amazing year with your children. A little secret about me…I am a huge fan of Disney.

My name is Pearl Jahr and I was a financial adviser for over 40 years until I retired in 2018. I live in Philadelphia with my husband Steve and daughter, Jess. I love working with the children in the TBT School of Early Learning because it is enjoyable, fun and rewarding. I love going down the shore in the summer and spending time with my family and friends. I enjoy going to the movies, theater and restaurants. I also love to walk and cook. I can often be found at Old York Road Temple-Beth Am (even when I am not working) as I do lots of volunteer work for the synagogue.

Hi, My name is Sue and I have been a certified educator with my BS in Early Childhood for over 25 years. I love being with children while they play and learn. I have always taught young children ranging from conducting Mommy and Me classes thru Pre- K as always Lead Teacher.
I am so excited to be at Temple Beth Am School of Early Learning. It is full of creativity, fun, and learning every day!
Personally, I am married with two grown children and one very big St. Berdoodle, Josie. In my spare time, I enjoy walking for exercise 3-5 miles a day. I love getting more exercise with the children!

Shalom, my name is Rebecca Kendall. I have been working in early childhood education for 3 years and have 7 years experience as a Sunday school teacher. I was raised in a synagogue. My dad was a congregational Rabbi for over 40 years. So, I feel right at home at Old York Rd Temple Beth Am. I have a 7 year old boy, Asher who will be starting first grade and is the light of my life.
I have a bachelors degree in women’s studies with a minor in ethnic studies from Humboldt State University and a Masters in Jewish communal service from Gratz college.
I look forward to sharing the miracles of growth, development, discovery and promise with your children.

I am the lead teacher in our school’s 3 year old class. I have been working in the field of early childhood education for more than 30 years now and all I can say is that this is one of the most rewarding careers I could have chosen for myself. Each year and every single day with your children brings joy, laughter and pure fun into my life. Outside of school, some of my hobbies include baking, gardening and finding new little towns to explore with my wonderful husband. I look forward to many more years of joy with the children who attend our preschool.

I am the First Steppers assistant teacher. I graduated from Temple University with a bachelor’s degree in English, but I have always found myself working with children and youth in some way or another. I love the genuine curiosity and excitement that children show towards just about everything and it is very rewarding to watch a child grow and develop through the interactions they have with their teachers and their friends. I can’t wait to greet you and your child every morning as they begin a fun-filled day with us here at SOEL!

I am currently the pre-k teacher in the School of Early Learning and the kindergarten teacher in the Beth Am religious school. I have been teaching for 17 years now, ever since I graduated from the University of Delaware with my bachelor’s degree in education. I first came to Temple Beth Torah as a teaching assistant with the 4-year-old class and the very next year I began teaching pre-k/K in my own classroom. I absolutely love teaching because the children can always put a great big smile on my face. On a personal note, I am lucky enough to be the mommy to a fabulous 9-year-old who just started 4th grade in the Upper Moreland school district and a 6-year-old who is currently in 1st grade.

Born and raised in Jenkintown, I have called Glenside my home for the last 9 years. I completed my B.S. in psychology with a double minor in sociology and theatre arts from the University of Pittsburgh in 2007. In 2013, I completed a M.A. in counseling psychology with a certificate in child and family therapy from Arcadia University. When I’m not teaching I love spending time with my family and friends, working in my gardens, baking, birdwatching and participating in community theatre productions.

My name is Dena Rosenblatt. I am a graduate of Penn State University and I am certified in early childhood and elementary education. I have been teaching for 30 years; 21 of those years have been spent with Sherrie either at Temple Beth Torah or here at Temple Beth Am. During the past 20 summers, I have been a senior counselor to 5 & 6 year old boys and girls at Camp America Day Camp. I have been married for 29 years and have 2 amazing children: Melissa and Brett. I am also involved with the Special Olympics and with a special program at the Synagogue that I belong called “Celebration’s”. Celebrations, is a special Shabbat program that allows families with children with disabilities to attend a Shabbat service/hands on program once a month. These two volunteer activities that I am involved with, makes me very happy. I am also an animal lover. I have 3 cats that were all rescued from shelters. Teaching has made a huge impact on my life and I hope that I have done the same for my students. I feel blessed to do what I love most and that is to be able to work with children and make a difference in their young lives.

Hi, my name is Ashley Rothstein and I’m a proud new mom to baby girl Emersyn. I have worked at Beth Am since 2016 with infants to two year olds! I truly love being around the children and nourishing their ever growing minds; additionally, they always make my day a little brighter! I am in the process of completing my CDA and am so excited to bring all my newly learned skills into the classroom. I consider myself lucky to work at Beth Am, be a part of such a loving community, and to witness everything the SOEL has to offer!

I am the assistant teacher in the 3 year old class. I started at Beth Am as an intern in high school through a special program my school participated in. I would come back in between college breaks and after completing my bachelors degree from Temple University in 2017 I was hired full time. Last year I had my pandemic baby Rhys and took the year off, but I am thrilled to be back. This is the first year I get to play both the parent role and the teacher role and I am excited to get a new perspective. Working with children has always been a passion of mine and it is extremely rewarding to be able to watch the children learn and grow each and every day.

It is a great privilege for me to be joining the staff here at Beth Am. I have been working in synagogue pre-schools for over ten years. I earned a Bachelors degree from Temple University with certifications in Elementary, Early Childhood, and Special Education and a specialization area in History. In the classroom, I put great emphasis on making it feel like a home away from home where all children can feel welcomed, cared for and free to learn and explore.
My husband and I have two wonderful daughters Hannah and Hailey, who keep me busy, amaze me and constantly give me a new perspective on education. My youngest will be here at SOEL in the toddler class and my oldest will join Mensch Lab this Fall.
We look forward to getting to know this wonderful community!

My name is Delaney Shields. I have been working at Beth Am as a volunteer since I was 13 and as an employee, since I was 15! I am currently an assistant teacher in the Lucky Charms class but love kids of all ages! I am so glad to be a part of the Beth Am family and can’t wait to see what exciting things this year has in store. It’s been a gift to watch the kids learn, play and grow over the years. In my free time, I enjoy shopping spending time outside, spending time with friends, family, and reading.

Hi, my name is Olivia St John and I am excited to work as an assistant teacher at Temple Beth Am’s School of Early Learning! I started working with kids in high school when I volunteered as a daycare helper; ever since then, I knew I wanted to work with children. In my free time, I love to read, spend time outside, and play with my dogs – a Great Dane and an Irish Wolfhound. I have loved watching your children learn and grow over the summer, and I can’t wait to start the school year!

In the School of Early Learning I have several roles, but the one I am most proud of is Assistant Director to Sherrie Turetsky. I have been in the field of Early Childhood education for 25 years serving in many capacities ranging from teaching to preparing lunch. I have a bachelor’s degree from Temple University in history and I returned to school later to earn my teaching credits from Gwynnedd Mercy University. On a personal note, my husband and I are lucky enough to have a daughter (Jennifer), a son-in-law, (Daniel) and three amazing grandsons, Asher, Isaac and Sammy. Working with all of you and your children is a joy and I look forward to many more years of greeting all of you out at carpool line.

I have been involved in the field of Early Childhood Education for the past 32 years. First, I was the director of Temple Beth Torah preschool for 18 years, the same school I attended as a child. In 2004, Temple Beth Torah merged with Old York Road Temple-Beth Am and this became our new home. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education as well as a Master’s Degree in Education from Beaver College, now Arcadia University. Additionally, I served as co-director and programming coordinator for the Lower Moreland Parenting Center for 8 years. In this capacity, I facilitated many group discussions, workshops and parenting classes. I describe myself as a hands-on director, meaning I will do anything to escape my office and interact with the children. As a mother of 3 young men, I know that a child is your most precious gift and as director I strive to provide a safe, loving environment for them to thrive. I would be happy to answer any and all questions you may have related to either the synagogue or our school since our tagline is “home away from home”.