About our teachers
If you are interested in becoming a substitute teacher, please view this form for details.
Ava Pedersen – Gan Katan (Kindergarten)
Lara Groch – Kitah Alef (1st grade) and Torah Tots
Lara has worked in the educational field for over twenty years, with students ranging from preschool age to teens. She took a transformative trip to Israel with Birthright and loves to visit family there. Lara brings energy, creativity and musical ability to our Beit Midrash. She has three children.
Kathleen Rubinfeld – Kitah Bet (2nd grade)
Kathleen is in her 13th year teaching at the Beit Midrash. Her two (now adult children) became B’nei Mitzvahs at Beth Chaim. She loves spending time with her two grandsons! Kathleen enjoys working and playing with the younger members of the Beit Midrash– their openness, enthusiasm and energy spur her on to learn more about Judaism herself year after year.
Leo Pedersen – Kitah Gimmel (3rd grade)
Alice Tankel – Kitah Daled (4th grade) and Kitah Hey (5th Grade) & Hebrew Tutor
Alice was born in Romania and moved to Israel as a young girl. She taught middle school science and earned an MBA before moving to the United States 12 years ago. Alice has two children. She is beginning her 5th year at Beth Chaim and enjoys teaching about Hebrew and Israeli culture.
Grace Munoz – Kitah Vav (6th grade)
Grace has been a teacher and her family have been members at Beth Chaim for 15 years. Her children attended the Beit Midrash from Kindergarten through their B’nei Mitzvahs, and remain involved in their Jewish community. Grace studied at Tel Aviv University during college. Prior to teaching at Beth Chaim, she practiced special education and disability civil rights law.
Ellen Severson – Jew Crew (7th grade), Hebrew Tutor and B’nei Mitzvah trope mentor
This will be her 5th year teaching 7th grade. She believes that hands-on learning is the best teaching model for understanding what Jewish values are all about. Ellen earned an MBA years ago and then worked in the financial world in San Francisco. She loves to hike and has been to Israel twice.
Samantha Hanlon – Hebrew Power Hour and B’nei Mitzvah trope mentor
Sam has been a member of Beth Chaim for her whole life, going through Sunday school and Hebrew school from kindergarten to 7th grade, Bat Mitzvah and becoming a Madricha. Sam has been teaching at Beth Chaim for 9 years and also works from home as a college counselor for a nursing school in Utah. Her passion is teaching students their Torah portions and being a trope mentor. Sam has a daughter and infant son.
Tal Sendrovitz – Hebrew Tutor
Tal Sendrovitz is looking forward to her 3rd year of teaching Hebrew at Beth Chaim Congregation. Tal is passionate about sharing her native language with young students. She lives in Danville with her three children. Tal was born and raised in Israel, where she obtained an engineering degree and worked as an engineer until she decided 8 years ago to follow her passion and make a career change. Tal opened a bakery, Tal’s Patisserie, here in Danville.
Lori Troyanovsky – Hebrew Tutor
This will be Lori’s fourth year teaching 5th grade Hebrew at Beth Chaim. Her Hebrew study began when she volunteered in the Israeli Army, and continued when she spent her senior year studying at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She loves working with youth and spent many years working as a social worker with at-risk teens and their families. Lori has three children.