Teachers

Religious School (Sunday): Kindergarten

Special Program (Sunday): Rosh Chodesh

Hebrew School (Wednesday): 7th Grade

Bonnie Blank

Religious School (Sunday): 1st Grade

Bonnie has been teaching first grade Sunday school at Temple Sinai since 2003.  She truly enjoys working with children, especially first-graders, since they are so eager to learn and they bring such an honesty to the classroom.  When she is not teaching first-graders, Bonnie works for Stamford Hospital, Tully Health Center.  She is a Stamford native and has been married for twenty-five years to her wonderful husband, David.  They have five beautiful children, ranging in age from twenty-four to fifteen; all have attended Temple Sinai religious school, becoming B'nai Mitzvot.

Judy Stern

Religious School (Sunday): 2nd Grade

Debbie Morganthaler

Religious School (Sunday): 3rd Grade

Fran Schechter

Religious School (Sunday): 4th Grade

Hebrew School (Monday & Wednesday): 4th Grade

Rafael Carruthers

Religious School (Sunday): 5th Grade

Hebrew School (Monday & Wednesday): 5th Grade

At its best, playing music gives me the opportunity to tap into a wellspring of creativity, the source of which I've never been able to fathom: Is that source the music-rich environment in which I grew up?  Is it my Muse? ..my God?

I guess I'd prefer simply to refer to it as HaMakor (Hebrew for "The Source"). I don't understand it, yet I love it, because it moves me, challenges me, excites me...

Studying Torah--and teaching Judaic studies--affects me in much the same way: I feel  moved, challenged, excited..but I am also transformed as an individual--which is beyond the purview of music.

For me, such is the power of Judaism...How could I NOT want to share it with others?

Bob Schechter

Religious School (Sunday): 6th Grade

Bob Schechter has taught the sixth grade at Temple Sinai since 1994 as part of forty years experience teaching, coaching and working with youth in both paid and volunteer roles. He earned a BS degree in Psychology from Hobart College, has completed graduate level educational courses at several colleges and earned a Masters degree from the University of Connecticut. Bob's work in Jewish education has been recognized; he has twice received a Feinstein Fellowship for summer study at Temple University. He was also selected to study with Dr. Ken Stein of Emory University.

Bob served twelve years as Board President of a childcare agency, with over 500 staff and volunteers serving hundreds of youngsters. He has received several regional and national recognitions during nearly twenty years as a Boy Scouts of America leader.

The sixth grade focus on current events in the Middle East is enhanced through Bob's personal experiences and contacts. Over fifteen years he has become close to several people involved in Middle East peace discussions; and has met government leaders including in Cairo the head of the Arab League and the Egyptian Secretary of State. In 1999 he met with Saeb Ereket, Yasser Arafat, King Abdullah II and Queen Noor of Jordan, several senior Israeli ministers and Shimon Peres.

Bob runs a marketing and corporate communications business and with Francine has raised three great children (Ethan, Leah and Sarah) all active in the Jewish community.

Scott Newman

Hebrew School (Monday & Wednesday): 6th Grade

Scott Newman joined us as a Hebrew School teacher and song leader in 2008. Bringing with him 14 years of combined experience as a formal and informal Jewish teacher/educator, Scott is now our B'nai Mitzvah tutor in addition to his other responsibilities.

Scott has a deep love of building Jewish community, and recently founded his own company called, "Journeys for Jews," dedicated to creating transformative experiences for Jewish groups in varied settings.

Scott has also been at the forefront of professionalizing the field of Informal Jewish Education in recent years. Nationally recognized as a founder of a growing network of Reform Jewish Youth Workers, Scott feels strongly that there is an urgent need in synagogues for more youth professionals and adult Jewish role models.

At thirty-five years old, Scott maintains that the "kid" in him will never totally fade. This is easily confirmed by talking with Andrea and Gabriel his wife and son, who can be seen attending Shabbat services while Scott accompanies the RUJU childrens' choir on guitar.

Scott and family feel privileged and thrilled to be involved with the Temple Sinai family. 

Nurit Avigdor

Religious School (Sunday): 7th Grade

Nurit Avigdor was born inAlgiers and went toIsrael at the age of two.  She lived in a kibbutz for five years and moved again, this time toBrooklyn.  A few years later, Nurit returned toIsrael, attended school and served in the Israeli army as an Ulpan teacher.  There, she met her husband who was director of a youth center.  

She attendedTelAvivUniversityand moved toStamford, back toIsraeland back toStamfordagain.  Nurit studied atHebrewCollegeand has worked for 30+ years teaching piano and guitar in a private studio.  She is a certified Music Together Teacher, served asCantorand Hebrew School Teacher of the Stamford Fellowship for Jewish Learning for 32 years.  She has worked for 22 Years at Temple Beth El inStamfordas a Music and Early Childhood specialist, and for 20 years as a teacher and a music teacher atSarahWalkerJCCNursery School.

For the last 30 years, Nurit has taught music and Hebrew in many local synagogues includingTempleSinai,TempleShalominNorwalk,TempleShalominGreenwich, Agudath Shalom, Temple Beth El inNorwalk, Chabad Stamford/Greenwich, The Conservative Synagogue of Westport, among others. She also owns and directs a private music school.

Nurit is the mother of Andy and Adam and grandmother of Michael and Lia.