JRS Teachers

Gan/Kindergarten

Shalom! I am so excited to be teaching at JRS again after an incredible year with the Gan class in 24-25! I have over 5 years of teaching experience in both Jewish and non-Jewish educational programs and currently work at a non-profit that specializes in early childhood education research. I am fluent in Hebrew and part of a wonderful Israeli family, and love to play volleyball! I can’t wait to return to the classroom and foster a learning community of creativity, kindness, and fun!

Kitah Aleph/First Grade

I’m thrilled to be teaching the First Grade at Jackson Religious School for the 2025-2026 school year. Before teaching at JRS, I lived in Baltimore and taught elementary school at Krieger Schechter Day School. In fact, I had Seth as a student! I love spending time with my family and traveling.

Kitah Bet/Second Grade

Bio coming soon!

Kitah Gimmel/Third Grade

Hi there! I'm Natalie! I am so excited for my fifth year at the JRS! I recently graduated from Hunter College with a BA in Psychology and Jewish Studies. More importantly I work at Ramah in the Rockies and am very passionate about bringing camp-like Jewish Joy to the JRS community.

Kitah Dalet/Fourth Grade

Esther Kruman is excited to join the Sutton Place Synagogue community! She is a graduate of Muhlenberg College, where she earned a BA in theatre (acting) & English with a minor equivalent in creative writing. Esther has performed with the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, sings in the Yiddish Philharmonic Chorus, and recently completed the YIVO-Bard Uriel Weinreich Summer Program in Yiddish Literature, Language, and Culture. In her free time, she reads ~100 books a year from diverse genres and cultures.

Kitah Hay/Fifth Grade

Max Kohn is an educator based in NYC. He recently graduated from the City College of New York where he earned a BFA in Film. He has previously taught at Ansche Chesed and has been a counselor at Ramah Berkshires and Eden Village. He is super excited to join the JRS team for the 25-26 year!

Kitah Vav/Sixth Grade

Ariel is a recent graduate from Queens College, and is working as Administrative and Engagement Associate at SPS. She loves to sing in Tizmoret a cappella, hang out with her Ramah friends, and next year Ariel will be starting Rabbinical School at The Jewish Theological Seminary! She is excited for her first full year teaching at JRS, and is looking forward to an amazing year.

Rabbi - Kitah Zayin/Seventh Grade

Rabbi Rachel Ain became the Rabbi of Sutton Place Synagogue, a Conservative Synagogue in Midtown Manhattan, in the Summer of 2012. She has written and taught in a variety of venues including The New York Jewish Week, JTA, E-JewishPhilanthropy, Good Faith Media, The Jerusalem Post, and has appeared on GMA3 and The Today Show for various segments on faith and the holidays and faith during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Cantor - Tefillah

Ḥazzan Rabbi Luis Cattan’s passion for Jewish music, Jewish culture, Jewish spirituality, and Israel transpires in every moment of his career. Ḥazzan Rabbi Cattan is currently serving at Sutton Place Synagogue in New York City. In 2020 he received his Rabbinical ordination and Master of Arts in Jewish Studies from the Academy for Jewish Religion. He is the Immediate Past President of the Cantors Assembly.

5th/6th Hebrew Teacher

Hi! My name is Tamara Lowenstein, and I am in my second year at NYU, double majoring in Dance at the Tisch School of the Arts and in Environmental Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences. As an Israeli-American and fluent Hebrew speaker from San Rafael, CA, I am thrilled to be joining the SPS community to immerse myself in a new Jewish community in NYC and pass on my love of Judaism and Hebrew to young, eager kids.

Hebrew Specialist

Bio coming soon!

Hebrew Specialist

Bio coming soon!