Ilana is the Temple Emanuel Director of Education. After teaching in every Jewish denomination, she is dedicated to Jewish pluralism and helping students find their personal connections to Judaism and Israel. Through her personal and professional Jewish education journey, Ilana developed a passion for providing supplemental school students a Jewish day-school caliber experience and education.
Previously, Ilana served as the Executive Director of Kesher Newton, as Associate Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League in New England and as Director of Academic Affairs at the Consulate General of Israel to New England, all while teaching Religious School on the side, including 5th grade at Temple Emanuel! Ilana holds a B.A. and M.A. in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University with a Massachusetts State Certification in Elementary Education and minors in both Hebrew language and History. She also studied abroad at the University of Haifa in Israel.
Ilana lives in Newton with her husband Avner, and almost 5-year-old son, Izzy.
Diane Grossman
Religious School Administrator
Jacquelyn Agliata
Religious School Program Coordinator
Jackie was born and raised in Doylestown, PA, just outside of Philadelphia. Jackie graduated from the University of Delaware in 2016 with her BS in Elementary and Middle School Education, and spent the following year living, exploring, and volunteering as an English teacher in Netanya, Israel with Masa Israel Teaching Fellows. After returning to the U.S., she worked as a 7th grade English teacher in Denver, CO. She is thrilled to be back on the east (best!) coast and is pursuing her MA in Theatre Education at Emerson College. Jackie loves working with children of all ages, and believes opportunities for connection, exploration, and fun are vital parts of the educational experience. She is so excited to be working as the Religious School Program Coordinator for Temple Emanuel, and is eager to create and facilitate fun, exciting events for our students and community!
In her personal time, Jackie loves reading, hiking, and exploring nature with her fiancé. She also has a passion for theatre and performance, and all things Broadway!
Debbie Gardner
Gan (K)/Inclusion Specialist
Stella Kamenetsky
Gan (K)
Stella Kamenetsky is a teacher in Gan Class. She grew up in Israel. Sharon has been Stella’s home for the past 18 years where she lives with her husband Alex and two sons Benjamin and Nathaniel. Stella enjoys spending time reading, going to the gym, and enjoying time with her family and friends. Stella has over 24 years of teaching experience in a preschool environment and 11 years in the religious school. She loves teaching Gan children to see the growth, and the language acquisition of children always amazes her. Stella is committed to providing your children with a loving and a developmentally sound foundation for a lifetime of learning Hebrew and Jewish study. She believes every child should be valued and treated with respect.
Judi Rapoport
Alef (1st)
Lizzie Ravech
Alef (1st)
Arielle Waite
Bet (2nd)
Nancy Werner
Bet (2nd)
Anat Engel
Gimel (3rd) /6th and 7th grade Hebrew
Sue Green
Gimel (3rd) /7th and 8th grade Jewish Life Cycle
Judith Olshansky Gragg
Dalet (4th)
Judith Olshansky Gragg is pleased to join the Temple Emanuel community. She was recently a kindergarten and second grade teacher at the Rashi school in Dedham, Massachusetts. Before that, she was a teacher at the Ma’Or Hebrew School program, located at the JCC, as well as a long time teacher at Temple Aliyah in Needham.
Judith grew up in Boston, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and then back to Boston. She is a graduate of Brandeis University and is the mother of three adult children. In her free time, she likes to read, crochet and procrastinate exercising.
Margie Matross
Hay (5th)
Dalia Mendel
Hay (5th)
Eugenia Gerstein
Music Teacher/Choir Leader (Shira)
Eugenia Gerstein has been at Temple Emanuel for 25 years as the Choral director and music educator. She conducts various children and youth choirs, Kol Emanuel, the adult choir and Zamira, the TE women group; and teaches music at our Religious school.
Seven years ago, Eugenia’s creativity lead to a new program – iGenesis studio. The recording studio is equipped with the latest technology for audio and video production. The iGenesis video program has become a major component in for Temple Emanuel during the Pandemic, producing numerous music videos for Holidays, bringing Temple Emanuel community together in the virtual time.
Eugenia graduated from Ural Conservatory magna cum laude with a Master’s Degree in choral conducting and received her Bachelor degree in music education and in Teaching music theory from Moscow Music teachers’ College. She also holds a diploma in Piano playing from Moscow Music school.
Native of Moscow, Eugenia came to the USA in 1994 with her son Kirill Gerstein, a music prodigy, who became the youngest student at Berklee College of Music at age 14. Kirill Gerstein became a world- renown pianist, performing with leading orchestras. In 1997 her husband, Leonid was allowed to leave Russia, and was reunited with Eugenia and Kirill.
Deb Abner
Library (Sifriya)
Jon Tatelman
CHAI 6th-8th Tikun Olam/Hebrew
Jon Tatelman grew up in Newton MA around the corner from Temple Emanuel. His grandfather was the Cantor and his grandmother was the Principal at their Synagogue in Newton where Jon participated in services, read Torah, and was a high school youth leader.
Living in New York for fifteen years, Jon earned his MSW from Fordham University and worked for the Dorot, Yachad, and R.B.I. organizations.
Jon began working at Temple Emanuel in 2003 as a high holiday kids service leader, and shortly afterward began running the Ruach Shabbat kids services and became a teacher in Temple Emanuel’s Religious school. With each year Jon took on more roles at Emanuel becoming a B’nai Mitzvah tutor and working with teens with the Shevet Achim program and The Rosh Hashanah Family service.
Jon feels honored to be associated with the clergy, staff, and members of Temple Emanuel for all the wonderful work everyone does and for they’re contributing so much to the shul, and for enhancing the lives of people in our community, and beyond.
