B'nai Israel Religious School (BIRS) Faculty
We are a warm and welcoming place for joyful Jewish learning. Nurturing teachers, bright classrooms, experiential learning, and a creative curriculum are designed to encourage our youth to explore and be proud of their Jewish identity, culture, and history, and to help develop informed and engaged Jewish adults.
Jacqui Schulefand, Director of Education
Jacqui first joined our staff in 2022 as a Hebrew teacher and B’nai Mitzvah Tutor. Previously, Morah Jacqui was the Director of Programs and Engagement at UConn Hillel; a teacher at Ezra Academy in Woobridge, leading 2nd and 3rd Grade Judaics; and a teacher and B'nai Mitzvah tutor at the Hebrew Schools of B’nai Jacob of Woodbridge and Temple Beth Sholom of Hamden, her home congregation. A strong Zionist with great Hebrew knowledge, she was educated at The Jewish Theological Seminary, Baltimore Hebrew University, Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and SUNY Brockport. Her training and skills highlight the essential elements for nurturing proud Jewish identity.
Janessa Jameson, Music Director
In her role, Janessa participates in lifecycle events, and teaching our B’nai Israel Religious School students Jewish music. Music has always been an important part of her life and she has been a musician since the second grade. She plays multiple instruments, as well as singing with Makhela (the B'nai Israel choir). Janessa is a firm believer in fostering creativity and learning through music.
Sheila May
Sheila has been in the early childhood field for 33 years teaching in
Synagogue preschools, including 20 as a preschool director, 13 years as a teacher at Congregation B’nai Jacob and 8 years as a director at
Congregation Rodeph Sholom. She retired as the Director of Congregation Beth El’s K’tanim Preschool in Fairfield (now Or Hadash) in 2018. She started the preschool at Beth El in 2006 along with six moms who wanted to have a preschool at their Synagogue.
Sheila began teaching at B’nai Israel in September 2019 as a teacher for a preschool program called Torah Tots for preschoolers. She now teaches art for all the classes. The curriculum includes art projects centering around the Jewish holidays as well as other Judaic topics. This year Sheila will be working with the 6 th and 7 th graders on their Mitzvah projects for their B'nai Mitzvah. Sheila has a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood and Elementary Education and a Master’s in Special Education. She lives in Sandy Hook with her husband Bill and has two married daughters and five grandchildren.
.
Shari Lynn Kochman
Shari Lynn has been with BIRS for 19 years, teaching Hebrew to all grades. She also teaches Aleph Bet Yoga, other movement and leadership opportunities as well as singing, games, prayers, and kinesthetic activities like shaking the lulav, and blowing the shofar. Shari Lynn tutors B'nai Mitzvah students and teaches Hebrew and tutors children from other synagogues and privately online. She is also a substitute teacher for the Brookfield and New Milford Public Schools, a Professional Storyteller, Singer/Songwriter, Fiber-Artist, Jewelry, Kippot and Quilt-maker, a Justice of the Peace, and a Level I QiGong Instructor. When she's not crocheting kippot, little stuffed animals, making bracelets or other jewelry, quilting, or singing, or doing QiGong, she enjoys walking outside in nature, Acro-Yoga and being an Auntie and a Bubbie
Dana Packer
Dana teaches K-8 students, specializing in Jewish history and culture. She is a Connecticut certified English teacher where her favorite ages to teach are high school and adult education and is also a Rotary Club member. Dana works at EdAdvance, a Regional Education Service Center in Litchfield, serving districts in the northwest region of our state as a grant writer and special programs coordinator.
BIRS Faculty. (Left to right)
Morah Sheila, Morah Shari Lynn, Morah Dana, Director Jacqui,
Class Volunteer Amanda
