About Makom Community

Beverly is a driven builder of communal Jewish learning spaces. They believe that people can make endless meaning from exploring Jewish wisdom and bringing it into our lives in creative ways. Makom Community invites kids and grownups into learning experiences that do just that. Beverly received a B.A. in Jewish Studies from the University of Maryland then received an M.S.Ed. from the University of Pennsylvania in Jewish Education. Beverly was a fellow at Yeshivat Hadar, received the Covenant Foundation Pomegranate Prize, was a Shalom Hartman Created Equal Fellow, and is a graduate of the Mandel Foundation Education Leadership Program. After running congregational schools in Maryland and New Jersey, working at Barrack Hebrew Academy, and leading Makom Community, they have developed over 100 curricula for learners of all ages. Beverly is excited to introduce Makom’s pedagogy, Jewish Placemaking, to communities around the country and see how that supports each community in growing to live up to their values.

Terri is a passionate and strategic relationship builder who works in the intersection of Jewish education and development. Terri has spent her career strengthening the Jewish community in Philadelphia at Temple Beth Zion – Beth Israel, the Hillel at Temple University, and at the Jewish Theological Seminary in the Mid-Atlantic region. Her background is in Jewish Education and she completed her Masters in Jewish Education from the Davidson School of Jewish Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary, with a concentration in Israel Education. Terri had been serving on the board of Makom Community for three years prior to joining the professional leadership team. Terri  is inspired by Makom’s thoughtful pedagogy, quality of educators, and impact Makom has on its students their families, and fellow educational leaders across the nation. When Terri is not working, you can find her on the frisbee field with her husband Jake, enjoying all the food and activities Philadelphia has to offer, and enjoying time with the trees in the Poconos.

Gaby is a musical and energetic Jewish educator who grew up in Central New Jersey. She studied psychology and linguistics at NYU and spent many happy summers at Habonim Dror summer camps. Gaby completed her M.Ed. from Widener in Education. She loves dancing, baking intricate desserts, and making the world a more colorful place. She’s excited to learn, sing, create, and giggle with our amazing students every day of the week! She’s also energized to help bring Makom Community’s pedagogy to the wider community of Jewish educators through our Makom Making programming. Gaby was a Matan Institute Fellow in Cohort 10 where she learned deeply about how to engage all our learners at Makom Community.

Ash (they/them/theirs) is a spirited play arts educator born and raised just outside Philadelphia, where they earned a B.A. in Theater from Temple University (2016). They have taught at BTBJ Religious School, Germantown Jewish Center, with The Bible Players, with Moishe House, and as Jewish Learning Venture’s PJ Our Way Associate 2021-22 to bring multi-modal arts education to a large variety of Jewish spaces. For over a decade, Ash worked at Ramah Day Camp, wearing many professional hats including Arts Specialist, Head of Drama and Israeli Dance, and Program Director. At Makom, Ash has also worn many hats! From Nitzanim (3rd-4th grade) Educator to Camp Coordinator to Makom Making Coach, their passion for Makom’s unique pedagogy comes out in a variety of ways. This year, Ash is looking forward to working with Anafim (5th-7th grade) and beyond to support engaging, compelling programming. When not in educational spaces, Ash makes functional ceramics with their roommate, with whom they also raise two perfect mini golden doodles, Freya and Lucky.

Makom’s “gentile giant” is an unwavering advocate, ally, and awestruck fan of kids. Across four decades, he’s taught, coached, mentored, counseled, and supported kids in Philly, Washington State, China, Korea, and even (gasp!) New Jersey. Despite a brief career detour to do disaster response work (and a ski resort season in Colorado), Dylan’s mission has always been the same: to see, hear, support, and guide kids because we sometimes forget that being a kid can actually be REALLY hard. When he’s not laser-focused on answering a kid’s riddle or helping a kid workshop their epic three-act Pokemon, Kirby, Smash Brothers crossover adventure, you might find him volunteering at Grey’s Ferry PAWS, playing Catan with friends, or watching friends play ultimate frisbee, volleyball, or soccer.

Liora (they/she) is thrilled to continue their work at Makom Community in the Anafim (5th-7th grade) kvutzah. Hailing from the Midwest, they graduated magna cum laude with a degree in English Writing from the University of Pittsburgh in 2021 and have bounced around Philly since graduation. They’ve taught in a variety of Jewish Education settings including virtual classes and Sunday school and received their TEFL Certificate from Maximo Nivel in Costa Rica. In the classroom, she is passionate about exploring the potential of student-centered pedagogy. She also values tikkun olam (repairing the world) and using it as a framework to inspire global citizenship in her learners. And as communications manager, Liora aims to be accessible, engaging, and informative. She loves creating in all it’s forms and prioritizes making space for creativity in the classroom. In her free time, Liora can be found working on their novel, collaging, or practicing divination.

Ari (they/she) is passionate about Jewish education and relational organizing rooted in Jewish wisdom. They’re driven by a deep care about the people and communities around them, and a curiosity to learn from the perspectives of others. She feels grateful to have been surrounded by and actively engaged with Jewish community her whole life. Ari has a BA in Women and Gender Studies from Smith College, and a Master’s in Public Health from UMass Amherst. Outside of Makom, you can find them walking in the city and in nature, nurturing the individual and communal connections in their life, researching any number of topics of interest, hanging out with their dog, Ezri, and dancing (whether in the studio, in the kitchen, or socially). They’re enthusiastic about ensuring every student is included in learning, and innovating ways to connect Jewish values to everyday life. Ari is excited to meet all the students and families at Makom and to learn from everyone in the community!

Sara (“Sah-ra”) wears many hats. She is Makom’s bookkeeper, coordinates Beverly’s calendar and supports development and operations, helping keep the Makom ship in shape as we grow. Our former Makom @ Home educator, Sara continues to work with Makom kiddos to offer 1:1 support over Zoom. Sara mostly grew up in Philadelphia, studied Linguistics at Brown University, and now lives in Washington, DC. When she’s not sitting in front of her computer, Sara can often be found singing, tending her balcony garden, or taking walks in her neighborhood (wearing a hat, of course).

Zoe is a passionate and energetic Jewish educator and community builder. Originally from Orlando, Florida, she is a recent graduate of Swarthmore College, where she studied education, psychology, and environmental studies. She also completed her student teaching practicum in December working with first and second grade students at the Miquon School in Philadelphia, and is awaiting PA state certification in PreK-6th grades. 

Though trained as a traditional educator, Zoe’s passion lies at the intersection of informal education and Jewish community building, fostered by four joyful summers working at Eden Village West, a quirky Jewish farm camp based in California. Both in the classroom and outside of it, she is committed to a practice of teaching and learning that makes room for exploration and wonder, centers relationships, and is rooted in a deep care for the people and places surrounding us. She deeply believes that joy, connection, silliness, and adventure (sprinkled with mud and glitter) are integral parts of work that can change the world, and is excited to delve further into that work at Makom this spring and beyond. 

Outside of work, Zoe enjoys making bread, singing joyfully (and usually off-key), playing bananagrams, nature poetry, and swimming long distances for fun.

Leah (they/she) is an educator and song leader originally from Denver, Colorado. They hold a BFA in musical theater from University of the Arts. Leah fell in love with Jewish education while working as the music instructor at a Jewish summer camp, and believes that fun has a profound power to help people connect with their Jewish identity. She is passionate about kids, cats, and all things music and theater. Leah is thrilled to be working with Makom to teach the next generation about Jewish joy! They are excited to joining our team as educator for Garinim (K-1st grade)!

Abby (she/her) is overjoyed to be re-joining the Makom teaching team. She is passionate about helping to cultivate an inclusive and compassionate learning community at Makom. Originally from the suburbs of Chicago, she is now in her final year as a psychology major at Drexel University. She has spent the previous year working at U.S. Dream Academy, a nonprofit initiative that connects students affected by familial incarceration with online mentors. Abby has been involved as a Jewish educator since she was a teenager helping at her synagogue’s religious school, and is now involved with Jewish life on campus. Her desire for a just and liberated world and her love of working with children serve as her guiding principles. When she’s not at Makom, you can find Abby at the gym, making sourdough or hanging out with her cat, Kiki.

Gavi Weitzman is an artist, educator and community organizer living in Center City, Philadelphia. She works mainly with printmaking, painting, collage, and object making to explore themes of embodiment, ritual, identity, and tradition. Gavi graduated with honors from the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis with a BFA in Studio Art and Art History and Archaeology in 2021. Since then, she has continued to build on a history of work exploring the relationship between hair, femininity, and tradition. Gavi is currently a resident of the Philadelphia Moishe House where she plans fun and creative events for the Jewish community with her roommates. She is so excited to be joining the community at Makom and assisting in its commitment to impactful Jewish learning.