ABOUT US
The Jewish Community Religious School is a special place where all Jewish children in Central Oregon are welcome. It is a place where teachers can connect with students and not only share knowledge and create lifelong learners, but help to foster relationships among young families in Bend and the surrounding areas. We are a small community and depend on parent volunteers to help our teachers on Sundays, as well as organize special events.
From Religious School education to Hebrew lessons, to Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation to continuing education courses, our curriculum strives to serve everyone, from our youngest early learners to our teenagers eager to continue their Jewish education.
Our religious school serves all - we are not affiliated with any one congregation, and membership to a particular synagogue, while encouraged, is not required.
MEET OUR school COMMUNITY
TEACHER:
K/1 JUDAICA &
HEBREW YEAR 1
MIMI FELDMAN
Mimi moved to Bend with her family in 2007 to establish the Chabad Jewish Center in Central Oregon. She is passionate about sharing her love of Jewish traditions and the warmth and joy of Judaism with all in our community. She has been teaching in our community Religious School and Hebrew School since 2012 and loves watching the students grow over the years.
TEACHER:
GRADES 2/3
SARA JO SLATE
Sara Jo has worked with the school for the past ten years, and both of her children have been through the religious school and Hebrew School program. She is a former classroom teacher and currently works as a homeschool coach.
TEACHER:
GRADES 4/5
MARI PLISKOW
Mari grew up in the suburbs of New York and moved to Bend in 2021. She is excited to join the Jewish community in Bend, as she has always played an active role, including working as an assistant bar/bat mitzvah tutor. Mari loves seeing live music and skiing, and is passionate about helping others and working with children. Her goal is to help foster a sense of community and share meaningful values and traditions with her students.
TEACHER:
GRADES 6/7
HILLEL MANNIS
Hillel grew up in New York City and also studied in Israel. He has worked as a classroom teacher in Hebrew and Judaic studies as well as secular studies and is now a private tutor. He loves books, movies, history, and collecting records. He is very excited to explore community, spirituality, faith, and more ideas and topics with his students through engaging discussions and activities.
TEACHER:
HEBREW YEAR 2
PERLA TAYLOR
I was born in Bogotá, Colombia. My parents were Europeans and came to South America before World War 2. My mother tongue is Spanish, and I also speak Hebrew and French.
I emigrated to Israel when I was 17 years old. There I met my husband, an American from New York, and had my two children. We lived in the northern part of Israel.
After the war of Lebanon, my husband decided to return to the United States in 1983. We came to live in Tucson, Arizona and then came to Oregon. Oregon has been my home for 26 years. I moved to Bend a year ago, and I must say I adore it - the scenery, the ambiance, and the people I am meeting.
I was excited to learn about the Jewish School and the opportunity to teach Hebrew. I hope I can make a great impact in the lives of the children that are learning this beautiful language.
TEACHER:
HEBREW YEAR 3
ALEX CHARNEY COHEN
Alex is originally from Lexington, KY but has lived all around the US,
with a 3 year work assignment in Israel for HP. He originally learned Hebrew fluently during a gap year between high school and college. He has taught Hebrew School and Sunday School off and on for the past 25 years, the last 13 in Bend. He loves spending time with his family, as well as playing board games and watching movies.
TEACHER:
HEBREW YEAR 4
SARA CHARNEY COHEN
Sara grew up in lower New York state, where she was able to study Hebrew as her foreign language in public high school. She has lived in 6 US states, spent 4 years in Israel, and has been teaching Hebrew school off and on in various locations for the past 25+ years, including 13 years here in Bend. Sara enjoys movies, knitting,
road trips, visiting her kids, going
to Disneyland, and hanging
out at home with her dogs.
JEWISH COMMUNITY SCHOOL DIRECTOR
NOAH CHEMTOV
Noah grew up in south Florida, and went to school in Israel. He loves hiking, camping, rock climbing and really anything outside! His goal is to explore our Jewish homeland, history and experience together.
RELIGIOUS SCHOOL GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE:
AMY CIOCAN, Teacher Liason
NATALIE HORWITZ, Parent Liason
MIMI FELDMAN
ALICE SHAPIRO
KATHY SCHINDEL
MISSIE WIKLER