Yitzhak Sokoloff
Keshet was founded by Yitzhak Sokoloff
Dr. Peter Abelow
Dr. Peter Abelow is the associate director of Keshet. Peter, a graduate of Brooklyn Law School, served as General Studies Principal of Ohr Torah High School in NY, Educational Director of Student Activities at the Ramaz School in NY and Principal of the Beth Tefiloh Community H.S in Baltimore, MD before making aliya in 1990. A licensed tour guide, Peter has a unique style of making Israel come alive in a meaningful and enjoyable way for family groups and people of all ages. He is a contributor to the Hadassah Magazine Jewish Parenting Book, has lectured to fellow educators at numerous CAJE (Coalition for Advancement of Jewish Education) Conferences and writes the Israel Tourism Column for the Orthodox Union Jewish Action magazine. Peter is a young grandfather (a few times over), the first sabah on the Keshet staff.
Kayla Ship
Kayla Ship is Keshet's Director of Programming since 2000. A native of Boston, she attended Camp Yavneh as a camper and counselor. She received a BA in Anthropology and Religion from Dartmouth College and a holds a Masters in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School, where she concentrated on Scripture & Interpretation. In addition, she participated in the Visiting Graduate Student Program at Hebrew University, where she concentrated on Second Temple Period History. She has taught Jewish studies at Prozdor and at other religious schools in the Boston area. Kayla made aliyah in 1997 and is a licensed tour guide. She is a proud member of the Masorti Kehillah, Moreshet Yisrael where she serves on the Executive Board and as the synagogue's rep to the Masorti Movement in Israel.
Daniel Ehrlich
Daniel Ehrlich is Keshet’s Educational Director. He was the founding director of the Tehilla Aliyah movement in N. America, Director of Yeshiva University’s Communal Services and of the Bnei Akiva Zionist Youth Movement. Danny was the editor of the Amiel Publications Project, worked for the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, the Coalition for Missing Israeli Soldiers and is the Cantor of the Ashkenazi community of Curacao (Netherlands Antilles). He has Masters Degrees in Community Social Work and in Jewish History and as a licensed Tour Guide has served as “Israel Educator” for a wide variety of Jewish and Christian groups. He is the Efrat coordinator for Christian Friends of Israeli Communities and has been a scholar in residence at churches and synagogues all over the world.
Ezra Korman
A native of Ithaca New York, Ezra Korman is the Associate Director of Keshet and has lived in Israel since 1984. He grew up in the Young Judea youth movement and is a graduate of Cornell University and the Government of Israel Tour Guide school.He has been involved in informal education for over 25 years and has taught at numerous institutions in Israel and abroad, including two years as a Shaliach in Sydney Australia. Focusing on Jewish Educational Travel since 1992, Ezra worked at the Melitz Centers for Jewish Zionist Education, directed an Israel study program in Jewish Education for North American JCC staffs and served as the Educational director and Vice President of Daat Educational Expeditions. He has guided and numerous groups throughout Israel and to sites of Jewish interest in Eastern Europe and Morocco. Ezra's wife Andy is a high school English teacher and they have three children and two grandchildren.
Yossi Yeinan
Yossi Yeinan grew up in Ohio and came to Israel for the first time after high school to study at Yeshivot Kerem B’Yavne and Har Etzion. After completing a BA degree in philosophy at Yeshiva University and a graduate degree in social work he worked in Jewish community agencies and federations in New York, Cleveland, and Jerusalem. Yossi, proud parent of seven children, came on aliya in 1990. Yossi, a licensed guide, sees exploring and guiding in Eretz Yisrael as a great educational opportunity and he believes completely that the most successful educational experiences also have to be enjoyable and relevant. He is Keshet's Director of Group Programs.
Caila Bitran
Caila joined Keshet in 2012 as Director of Strategic Development following a checkered 17-year career with the Jewish Federations of North America (formerly UJC and UJA). As Managing Director of Missions and Overseas Programs, Caila and her teams in New York and Jerusalem served the Jewish Federations, motivating leaders and donors and supporting local programs with a variety of missions to Israel and Jewish communities worldwide. Caila brings a wealth of experiences and insights having visited and worked with numerous communities in need – in Israel, Europe, the former Soviet Union, as well as North Africa, East and Southern Africa, Cuba and South America. With degrees in sociology and special education, she started her career as a licensed tour guide and ran her own travel business in Israel.
Steve Zerobnick
Steve Zerobnick is the founder and director of ISI and Shovalim Tours and Travel which merged with Keshet in September, 2008. As a Jewish historian, educator, and tour guide licensed by the Israel Tourism Ministry, Steve's unique approach to touring Israel has made the country, its history, culture and people come alive for thousands of visitors for the past 23 years. He has crafted specialized tours which became memorable and ransformational experiences for clients of all ages, denominations and backgrounds. Steve is a runner and avid biker, which encouraged him to develop and mplement the concept of fund-raising bike rides with tours of Israel. A native of Denver, Colorado, Steve made aliyah in 1980. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife, Rebeca and their four children.
Gadi Kalfa
Gadi Kalfa, a native of Masuot Yitzhak, learned the fine art of logistical support from the master himself, Moishe Lebowitz, formerly of Keshet. When Gadi is not preparing BBQ's in the Negev or stringing disco lights in the middle of the Jerusalem Forest, he studies Urban Planning for his Masters Degree at the Hebrew University. Gadi's undergraduate studies were in Urban Planning and he has received his degree in Industrial Design from the Hadassah College of Technology.
Aliza Avshalom
Aliza Avshalom is one of our leading tour educators. Aliza both guides and oversees the Israel education for the JFS of London program in Israel. She is a graduate of the Department of Eretz Yisrael Studies of Bar Ilan University and its tour guide program, as well as being a certified teacher. She completed her masters degree at Haifa University in Rabbinical Literature. Aliza has worked with a wide range of groups from synagogue families and youth groups, and has also taught in high school and Bet Midrash learning groups. Aliza made aliya in 1985, lives in the Galilee and is the mother of four children.
Chai Sokoloff
Chai Sokoloff is our Visual Marketing Director. He is a master of technology and media and is constantly enhancing Keshet's marketing efforts. He also serves as the director of Keshet Media, a division of Keshet that creates and manages online marketing projects for organizations, institutes and private companies. Chai was a commander in the IDF Spokesperson's Unit and served in the Second Lebanon war, Operation Cast Lead and many other operations and campaigns.
Bill Berk
Rabbi Bill Berk served for twenty-three years as the Senior Rabbi of Temple Chai in Phoenix, Arizona. During his time there Temple Chai grew from a congregation of 80 families to 1,120 families. Rabbi Berk did pioneering work in the area of recovering prayer and Kabbalat Shabbat, adult learning, assisting Jews with special needs, developing the caring/healing congregation, and using retreats to strengthen community. In 2003 he won the Covenant Award which is given to three top Jewish educators in North America. From 2004 to 2010 Rabbi Berk was the Director of the Center for Rabbinic Enrichment for the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. Rabbi Berk joined Keshet in September 2010. He serves as an educational consultant, outreach coordinator, and directs Keshet's Bar/Bat Mitzvah Trip programs.
Esther Ochana
Esther Ochana joined the Keshet team as Group Management Director in 2004, overseeing all the logistical and operational details for Keshet's many programs. Esti made aliyah in 1985 from England with her family. She is a graduate of the Israeli Tourism School and has worked in the field of tourism and informal education for 13 years. Esti is married with 3 beautiful children.
Dani Abelow
Dani Abelow made aliyah with his family in 1990. Dani studied at Yeshivat Har Etzion and served in the IDF as a Paratrooper in conjunction with his "hesder" studies. He has a BA in Psychology and Logistics from Bar Ilan University and completed the Derech Eretz Tour Guide Course. Before joining Keshet as the Director of Operations, he traveled to South Africa and Australia to work in high schools and communities teaching about Eretz Yisrael. He also represented Israel on college campuses in the United States in order to improve Israel's "hasbara".
Orit Roset
Orit Roset is Keshet's Logistical Group Coordinator. She began working with Keshet as a youth counselor in 2000, guiding youth groups and family tours. Originally from Ashqelon, Orit finished her BA in Law from Bar Ilan in 2004. As a child, Orit spent five years in Canada when her parents served as shlichim in both Toronto and Ottawa. Orit joined the Keshet team in April 2005.Orit Roset is Keshet's Logistical Group Coordinator. She began working with Keshet as a youth counselor in 2000, guiding youth groups and family tours. Originally from Ashqelon, Orit finished her BA in Law from Bar Ilan in 2004. As a child, Orit spent five years in Canada when her parents served as shlichim in both Toronto and Ottawa. Orit joined the Keshet team in April 2005.
Aimee Reed
Aimee Reed is Keshet's Logistical Group Coordinator Aimee was born in England, and made aliyah to Israel with her family when she was one year old. She has a certificate in Informal Education in Art and is currently studying nutrition. Aimee has extensive experience as a volunteer with Magen David Adom and helping victims of terror and their families. Her friendly nature and desire to help others has made her a perfect addition to the Keshet staff.
Moshe Gabay
Moshe grew up in Schaffhausen, Switzerland where he worked for four years at an Insurance Company. He made aliyah in 2002 and joined the IDF. After working at the Hilton Queen of Sheba Hotel in Eilat and the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, he developed a deep commitment to studying the land and history of Israel. After taking the Ministry of Tourism's Tour Guiding Course, he joined the Keshet staff in 2007 and spends much of his time marketing Keshet's tours to Christians in Switzerland and Germany.
Geoff Winston
Geoff started working with Keshet as a tour guide and group leader for the Na'ale Youth Program, which he has run every summer since 2006. Geoff grew up in New Jersey and graduated from SUNY Albany with a BA in Judaic Studies. Geoff made aliya in 1992 while volunteering on Project Otzma. He has worked as a program coordinator with Project Otzma and has been a guide and educator for Ramah Seminars in Israel and the Alexander Muss High School in Israel. In 2002, he was a founding staff member and worked for six years at the Keshet Democratic School for religious and secular children in his home town of Zichron Ya'akov. Geoff is married with four adorable children.
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Joshua Halickman
Born and raised in Montreal, Josh continued his education at the Sy Syms School of Business at Yeshiva University in New York where he earned a degree in accounting. Following a 3 year stint working in public accounting he became the Chief Financial Officer of the Isaacs Center on the Upper East Side of Manhattan for 7 years until making Aliyah in 2004. Most recently Josh has been the CFO of a non profit organization in Jerusalem before joining Keshet. Josh lives in the Arnona neighborhood of Jerusalem with his wife of 15 years Sharona and his 3 children Dov (10), Moshe (6) and Yehuda Maccabi (3).
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Jacqueline Hantgan
Jacqueline is our Director of Marketing and Outreach. She has previously served in leadership and outreach roles at Americans for Cures Foundation, The California Research and Cures Coalition, The Jewish Community Center in Palo Alto, CA. and was an elementary school teacher in California and New York City. Her volunteer experience includes serving on the Board of the Women's Alliance for Jewish Federation and the Kavod charity. Jacqueline holds a masters degree in anthropology and education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She and her husband Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback have three children and have made Aliyah from Los Altos, California during the summer of 2009.
Tsippy Goldstein
Tsippy is Keshet's Bookkeeper, has been part of the Keshet team since July 2008. Tsippy was born in Chicago and made Ailyah with her family when she was 1. She worked in a Gan in Peteuch Tikvah during her Sheruit Leumi Service with special need children. Tsippy studied bookkeeping in Jerusalem and lives in Afrat with her husband and two sons.
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Einav Avraham
Einav is Keshet's Logistics Coordinator. Einav grew up in the Katamon neighborhood of Jerusalem and currently lives in Gilo. Einav completed her army service in 2004. She served as a medic and a clinic manager. After her army enlistment she studied Biotechnology at Hadassah College and received her BS in 2009. She loves her dog and during her free time loves going to the beach and hiking in the north of Israel.
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Efrat Oppenhimer
Grew up on a moshav near Hadera. During the army she was a basic training Commander for incoming women soldiers. She trained as a security guard and worked for a several years with schools ensuring the safety of students on school trips. Efrat completed her BA at Bar Ilan University in 2002 in Archeology and the Study of the Land of Israel and Sephardi Studies. In 2005 she received a Teaching Certificate in the Study of Israel and in 2007 she completed the Human Resources Management Course at Bar Ilan University. From 2006-2008 she was the Director of Logistics at the Department of Archeology and TheStudy of Israel also at Bar Ilan University.Before joining Keshet is 2011, she worked in the field of tourism creating programs for Israeli adults traveling through the country. Efrat likes to read and travel.
Steve Gray
Steve joined Keshet in order to develop Keshet’s InnovatioNation Tours after almost 15 years with Intel Capital, where he was making and managing investments in Israeli start-up companies. Prior to his time with Intel, Steve’s varied career included serving as CFO for an Israeli security hardware manufacturer, financial manager in a solar energy developer and controller of the plastics factory at Kibbutz Gesher Haziv. Prior to making aliyah he was a partner in a CPA firm in the Boston area.
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