Co-Owner/Director: Joseph Stansky

Joseph Stansky founded and directed Sportstar Academy, a professional sports camp, for 10 years before purchasing Camp Mesorah.

He received his Bachelors and Master's degrees at the University of Rochester and Smicha from Rabbi Rudinsky of Monsey in 2003. Joseph was a Rebbe, Athletic Director and Basketball Coach at the Adolph Schreiber Hebrew Academy of Rockland (ASHAR) for three years. He started playing tennis when he was six years old and competed in local, national, collegiate and international tournaments and has been teaching tennis for over 25 years.

Joseph grew up in Belle Harbor, NY and now lives in Monsey with his wife Chaya, daughters Rachel and Sarah and sons Moshe, Yaakov, and Dovid.

Co-Owner/Director: Rabbi Ari Katz

Rabbi Katz is the former Assistant Principal at the Yeshiva of Central Queens.  To ensure that Mesorah continues its path of excellence, Rabbi Katz has decided to devote his entire focus and all of his energy to Camp Mesorah where he is working full time. For six summers, he was the Head counselor at HALB’S Avnet Country Day School. Rabbi Katz has a degree in Accounting from Sy Syms School of Business and is continuing in a Masters in Education and Administration program.

Ari and his wife, Deena, spend the entire summer at Camp Mesorah with their four children Yonatan, Talia, Ayala, and Aliza.

Boys Head Counselor (Main Campus): Rabbi Ami Neuman

Rabbi Neuman joins the Mesorah family after years of camping experience, most recently as Boys' Head Counselor at Camp Lavi.
Ami earned his B.S. in Information Systems from the Sy Syms School of Business at Yeshiva University and earned a Masters in Jewish Education and Administration from Azrieli while studying for semicha in RIETS.

He is currently the Director of Student Activities and Varsity Hockey Coach at RTMA in Elizabeth while doing course work towards a doctorate in Jewish Education and Administration.

Rabbi Neuman is married to Ariella and they have three children: Avigayli 6, Devorah 4, and Elisheva 7 months.

Girls Head Counselor (Main Campus): Tzipporah Boim Tzipporah Boim is joining the administrative team as Girls' Head Counselor. Tzipporah has been the Drama Director at Camp Mesorah since 2005 where she has produced fabulous Girls' and Boys' Campus plays. The Campers enjoy her spirited personality and the ease in which she approaches each child with a smile. Her dedication and passion shine through in everything she does. An avid camper for many years, Tzipporah attended Camp Raleigh from Bunk 1 through the Teen Program, and was a Division Head there in the early 1990s. During the academic year, Tzipporah is a veteran faculty member of the Ramaz Lower School. She has taught third grade since 1993. Tzipporah lives in Jamaica Estates with her husband, Moshe, and their four amazing children, Mimi, David, Jacob, and Becca.

Girls Head Counselor (Teen Campus): Michelle Elmaleh

Michelle Elmaleh joins the Mesorah administrative staff as head counselor of teen girls after serving as the Director of the Girls' Beit Midrash Program at Camp Lavi for the past three summers and prior to that as head counselor of Camp Simcha. She is currently the Assistant Director/Dean of Students at Shaalvim for Women in Jerusalem.

Michelle received her BA and MSW from Yeshiva University and has extensive teaching experience in both formal and informal settings, including at Central and Maayanot high schools.

Boys Head Counselor (Teen Campus): Chesky Gewirtz

Chesky feels completely at home at Camp Mesorah where he was a camper, teen counselor, and part of the kollel over an eight year span. He most recently held the position of Assistant Head Counselor of the NCSY Kollel in Israel, a popular summer program for North American teens.

Chesky holds a Masters degree in Jewish Education from the Azrieli Graduate School and rabbinic ordination from RIETS. During his time at YU, he has worked as an administrator for the CJF's Torah Leadership Network, a mentor for YU's Mechina program, and a Chumash rebbi at M.T.A Yeshiva High School for Boys.

Chesky currently teaches Gemara to sixth graders at The Moriah School of Englewood, New Jersey and is studying for his doctorate in School- Clinical Child Psychology. Chesky and his wife Aliza reside in Washington Heights.

Rosh Kollel: Rabbi Meir Goldwicht

Rabbi Goldwicht, a prominent Israeli scholar, educator, and a Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva University's Mazer School of Talmudic Studies, is the head of the Stone Beit Medrash Program.

Rabbi Goldwicht joined YU as a Rosh Yeshiva at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) and the Mazer Yeshiva Program. He received semicha from the renowned rabbinic authorities Rabbi Zalman Nehemia Goldberg in 1980, and HaRav HaGaon Betzallel Zolti Zt"l chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, and Rabbi Ovidyah Yosef, HaRav Rashi of Israel. Rabbi Goldwicht has been a Ram at Yeshiva Kerem B'Yavneh, and has given shiurim extensively at Stern College, all over the metropolitan area, and in Israel.

As Mesorah's Rosh Kollel, Rabbi Goldwicht oversees a Torah learning program for post high school boys which sits in the middle of the Camp Mesorah campus and has extensive contact with Mesorah staff and campers.

Camp Mother (Boys): Debra Plotsker

Camp Mother (Girls): Sheri Hammer

Sheri assists all girls who have special dietary requirements, including those with gluten, peanut and other allergies. She oversees all girls’ laundry needs, and helps them keep their clothing organized and their bunks neat. She also helps girls cope with other issues that may arise during the summer, including homesickness. Sheri liaises with parents of campers who have special needs.

This summer will be Sheri’s 10th year in Mesorah. When she is not playing the role of Mom during the summer, she plays it to her four children at her Woodmere home. Sheri has a Masters Degree in Special Education from Hunter College. During the year, she runs HeadHunters, a lice-checking and removal service.

Health Director: Dr. Sheryl Cohen

Dr. Sheryl Cohen MD has a private practice in pediatrics in Fresh Meadows, NY for the past 12 years. She also works at PM Pediatrics, a pediatric urgent care center treating a large spectrum of children with illness and injury located in Syosset, NY.

Aside from her professional life, Dr. Cohen is the co-President of the sisterhood and co-chair of the Youth Committee for the Young Israel of Plainview, a responsibility which includes running youth programs for toddlers through teens, and supervising the shul's youth director.

Director of Chinuch: Rabbi Gil Elmaleh

Rabbi Dr. Gil Elmaleh will be joining our administrative staff as co-director of Chinuch. Rabbi Elmaleh directed the Chinuch program at Camp Lavi for the past nine summers and is currently the Dean of Students at Yeshivat Torat Shraga in Jerusalem. He received his Ph.D. in social work from Yeshiva University and MA in clinical psychology from Long Island University.

Rav Elmaleh maintains a clinical practice in Israel for children and adolescents and has been an Instructor in The Mendheim Student Teaching Project at the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration.

Camp Rabbi: Rabbi Donald Bixon

Rabbi Bixon is a graduate from Yeshiva College. He received his rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Tehological Seminary.  He has been the spiritual leader of the Miami Beach community for 14 years. Currently he is the Rabbi of Beth Israel Congregation in Miami Beach, Florida.  He has taught high school at the Rabbi Alexander S. Gross Hebrew Academy.  Rabbi Bixon is a member of the Adminstrative Beit Din of the Orthodox Rabbinical Council of South Florida.  He is a former Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik Institute Fellow under the leadership of Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter.  Rabbi Bixon was part of the Camp Mesorah family in 1994 and 1995 and returned as a member of  our chinuch staff in 2009.  We are excited to have Rabbi Bixon as our official Camp Rabbi. 

Director of Programming: Avi Frier

Some say it takes a magician to put together an action-packed program like the one our campers look forward to all year long.

Avi Frier, Camp Mesorah's new Program Director, is that and much more.

As a magician, Avi has performed for celebrities, corporations, and worldwide audiences of all sizes since 1985. He also works with companies as a specialist in team building and staff motivation.

As a Program Director, Avi has coordinated youth programs for NCSY, Bnei Akiva, National Council of Young Israel, and multiple camps, shuls, and Jewish schools since 1989.

Avi was also the Student Activities Director at the Hebrew Academy of Greater Miami and is currently the Youth Director of Young Israel of Hollywood-Ft. Lauderdale.

Assistant Director of Programming: Shira Englander

Shira has been in Camp Mesorah for nine years, starting as a CIT and working on the sports staff and then as Head of the Girls' Sports. This is her first year as Assistant Director of Programming

During the year, Shira is Director of Student Activities at the Weinbaum Yeshiva High School in Boca Raton, Florida. She is the mother of 4 wonderful children who enjoy camp as much as she does and the wife of Rabbi Adam Englander, Principal of Hillel Day School of Boca Raton, former Boys' Head Counselor at Camp Mesorah, and now a member of the Chinuch Staff.

Program Coordinator: Jordana Bienenfeld

We are happy to welcome Jordana "Jorge" back to Camp Mesorah as Program Coordinator along with Avi Frier and his team!  Jorge has been a long time camper in Mesorah for 7 summers.  She then went on to be a teen counselor and teen division head in 2010.  Last summer she was a madricha on NCSY's Michlelet summer program where she gained experience planning activities as well as producing weekly videos.  She was also a madrichat at the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls in Hewlett, NY where she enjoyed interacting with teens.  Jorge brings a lot of enthusiasm that she can't wait to share with the Mesorah family.

Director of Boys Sports: Ushie Selevan

Ushie has significant experience in coaching and camping. He was the Head of Sports in Camp IBA from the years 2001 – 2006 and is currently the JV and basketball coach as well as the assistant Coach for the Varsity Basketball Team at TABC. He is also the baseball coach of TABC and one of the coaches of the Teaneck Baseball Organization.

Ushie is CPR – AED & Standard certified, is a certified lifeguard and keeps up with current practices in the field. He recently attended the Rutgers Safety Clinic – Sports Awareness For Educating Today’s Youth.

Director of Girls Sports: Nicole Poupko

Nicole is a Speech Pathologist and has worked for the NYC Department of Education for the past thirteen years. She attends various sports clinics and plays competitively all year long. This will be Nicole’s third summer working as Head of Girls’ Sports at Camp Mesorah. She is joined by her husband, Yehuda, and their three wonderful children at camp.

Head of Girls Outback: Renana Harari

Renana Hadari joins camp Mesorah from Israel as head of girls outback.  She finished college with a degree in psychology and interned in organization psychology.  She has experience with teaching groups, team building techniques and various outdoor activities including rock climbing.  In addition, Renana was a nature guide for two years in Israel.  She took part of a unique journey called "Queen of the Dessert" in Turkey, where she had to survive in the wilderness for 10 days along with 3 team members.  In her free time, she travels as much as she can and enjoys getting to know new places.  We are so happy to have her with us this summer! 

Head of Boys Outback (and much more): Dr. Laz

Lazerson has been an Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teacher and special needs music director in the School Board of Broward County, FL since 2002, providing hands-on, music, and other experiential therapeutic techniques for profoundly mentally handicapped, medically-fragile and Trainable Mentally Handicapped (TMH) students at The Quest Center. He is also known for the development of a very unique "sing and sign" music group and choir at The Center whose program services more than 150 students. Among his many publications and presentations, he has been previously awarded with the Best Buy National Teacher Award 2005; a Governor's Citation for Outstanding Service, State of New York; and the Mayor's Superstars Award, featured on the SONY screen in Times Square in 1992.

Lazerson's latest book, Sharing Turf was used by Showtime to write the story and screenplay for the movie Crown Heights, which features Howie Mandel as Dr. Laz. The movie also featured three of Lazerson's original songs. His musical group, Dr. Laz & the CURE, plays throughout the world, bringing the important message of mutual respect, tolerance and peace. Visit www.drlaz.com for further information on his educational programs and studies, pictures and video clips of his diverse activities.

Waterfront director - Girls: Stacey Edelstein

Waterfront Director - Boys: Eric Maslin

Girls Fitness Director - Tamar Siclick

Tamar received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Stern College. She holds Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor certifications from numerous U.S. and International Associations and Councils and served as fitness director in HALB's Avnet Country Day School in past summers.

Tamar currently directs the preschool physical education programs for the JCC of the Greater Five Towns and Hebrew Academy of Long Beach (HALB). Tamar is planning a fun-filled and exciting summer full of step aerobics, kickboxing, weight training, water aerobics, ball classes and more.

Girls Music Director - Saritte Silvera

Saritte is the music teacher at the Hebrew Academy of Long Beach. In addition to her popular weekly music classes at HALB, Saritte directs the music for all major school productions. For the past eight summers, she has taught music at HALB'S Avnet Country Day School, exposing the campers to the latest Jewish music and organizing and directing a Zimriah performance showcasing the summer's repertiore.

Saritte looks forward to bringing her years of music experience in camp, including starring
in productions of Broadways musicals to Camp Mesorah's music program.

Art Director: Sarah Tarzik

Sarah's mastery of art and love for working with children will take the Camp Mesorah art program to new levels.

Director of Girls Campus Beit Midrash Program: Lynn Kraft

We are proud to announce that Mrs. Lynn Kraft will be our new Director of the Girls BMP this summer!  Lynn has been teaching Tanach at Ma'ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls in Teaneck, NJ since 2008.  She has a great deal of experience in post-high school education as well, having taught in Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim and Sha'alvim for women where she also served as Rakezet. In addition, she delivered a popular weekly Lunch 'N Learn for women at the Columbia/Barnard Hillel.  Lynn helped pioneer and then studied at Yeshiva University’s RIETS Israel Kollel Midrashiya, a new advanced learning program for women in Yerushalayim.  She has delivered both weekly and monthly shiurim to women at Congregation Ahavath Torah in Englewood in her capacity as Community Jewish Education Project .  She has also taught at Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls in Hewlett, NY.  She earned her Bachelor’s Degrees in Judaic Studies and Psychology at Stern College for Women, and her Master’s Degree in Bible at Bernard Revel Graduate School.  Lynn and her husband Aaron reside in Bergenfield, NJ with their 3 children, Adira, Tani and Eli.  She brings with her to Camp Mesorah, years of experience and a creative excitement that will truly bring out GBMP to a new level!

Director of Boys Campus Beit Midrash Program/Waiter Program: Rabbi Yehuda Chanales

Rabbi Yehuda Chanales has been teaching at Torah Academy of Bergen County (TABC) for the past four years. He founded Camp Morasha's Beit Medrash Program in 2003 and worked in the program for its first four years. Rabbi Chanales founded and directs NCSY's new Shoresh program for yeshiva middle school and high school students. He holds Semicha from RIETS and a Masters in Education from the Azrieli graduate school where he currently is enrolled in the doctoral program.

His camp Beit Medrash Program experience together with his expertise in education will enable Rabbi Chanales to inspire and enrich the summers of those enrolled in this program, while simultaneously enhancing the informal educational experience of all campers.

Assistant Director of Boys Campus Beit Midrash Program: Rabbi Aryeh Leibowitz

Rabbi Aryeh Leibowitz currently serves as the assistant director of the American program at Yeshivat Shaalvim, where he gives a number of shiurim in gemara and machshava. He is completing a doctorate on the Baalei HaTosfot and is the author of "Hashgacha Pratis: An exploration of Divine Providence and Free Will." (Targum Press)

Rabbi Leibowitz has years of camping experience, most recently serving as athletic director of Camp Lavi and, before that, Kollel coordinator and shoel umeishiv for the Lavi Kollel. Prior to his aliyah, Rabbi Leibowitz served as hockey coach at the Frisch school for five years.

The blend of Torah scholarship and camping experience makes Rabbbi Leibowitz the perfect person to help lead the Boys Campus Beit Medrash and insure its success.

Tennis Director: Dr. Brian Kalb

Brian has been teaching tennis for over twenty years. He has brought an excitement to our Tennis program year after year. He is a certified USTA Drill Instructor and has coached and played at the competitive level. Brian was the Captain of Yeshiva University’s Tennis team, and received an All-Conference award for his undefeated record. He was the Tennis Pro at Camp Lavi for five years, where he brought his campers to the Wayne County championships in Pennsylvania, year after year. Brian was the Coach of HAFTR high School’s tennis team as well.

Through off-court conditioning, drills, match play, as well as exciting division tournaments for the boys and girls campuses, Brian has made Tennis a real buzz around our Campus. He has not only taught many of our beginners to play, he has taken other more advanced players to a competitive level.

Many parents look forward to grabbing a few volleys, and going home with his Great Giveaways, on Visiting day every summer. Brian is available for private lessons outside of the regular activity schedule. Please feel free to contact him with any questions or interest at briankalb@verizon.net 

Director of Operations: Michael Pelikow

Michael Pelikow joins the Mesorah family as Director of Operations.  He has years of experience working with other camps in this department.  Michael will be joining us from Israel, following his recent aliyah from North Woodmere, NY with his wife Alisa, and son Ashi.  Michael received his BA from Brroklyn college.  He is certified in NYS and ia  medic with over ten year's experience,  He is also state certified as a firefighter, with a specialty in Wilderness and Tactical Rescue.  

Office Manager: Adeeva Pomeranz 

Administrator: Rabbi Dov Lipman

Rabbi Dov Lipman has semicha from Rav Yaakov Weinberg, zt"l, of Ner Israel in Baltimore and a Masters in Education from Johns Hopkins University. He teaches at Machon Maayan in Bet Shemesh and serves as the National Field Director for Am Shalem, the new political movement led by MK Rabi Haim Amsalem.  Rabbi Lipman has authored three popular books: Discover: Answers for Teenagers (and Adults) to Questions about the Jewish Faith (Feldheim), Time-Out: Sports Stories as a Game Plan for Spiritual Success (Devora), and Seder Savvy: Essays for Meaningful Family Discussion (Targum).

Rabbi Lipman served as Head Counselor of Sportstar Academy for nine years and joined the administration of Camp Mesorah two years ago.

Director of Public Relations: P'nina Seplowitz

P'nina brings 11 years of marketing experience with her to Camp Mesorah.  She graduated from Sy Syms School of Business with a degree in Marketing and is currently the Senior Vice President for MagazinesUSA.com.  P'nina edits and publishes the videos released on a daily basis during camp and also sends out regular updates and newsletters, keeping parents informed about all the activities in camp.  We are thrilled to have someone of P'nina's professional caliber on staff and welcome her and her three beautiful children Ezra, A.J. and Suri to camp for the summer.