Rachel Wolff is a Jewish educator, facilitator, and curriculum designer who helps teens and educators engage thoughtfully with questions of Israel, Jewish identity, and belonging. She holds a Master’s degree in Jewish Educational Leadership from the Jewish Theological Seminary and studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
As the founder of Experiential Minds, Rachel partners with schools, camps, synagogues, and Jewish organizations to create meaningful educational experiences that build resilience, foster curiosity, and help learners navigate complexity with confidence. Her work draws on years of experience facilitating conversations about Israel, antisemitism, and Jewish peoplehood with learners of all ages.
Rachel is deeply passionate about community building and creating spaces where people feel connected, supported, and empowered to engage in meaningful dialogue. She lives in Atlanta with her husband, Jared, their daughter, Brooklyn, and their Bernedoodle, Simon.

Phyllis Sussman has dedicated more than twenty years to inspiring students and community members to find connection, joy, and pride in Jewish life.

She currently serves as Head of the Judaic Studies Department at the Senesh School in Brooklyn, New York. Phyllis earned dual bachelor's degrees from Barnard College and the Jewish Theological Seminary. She also holds a master's degree in Bible from the Bernard Revel Graduate School and participated in Drisha's Hasha'ar program for Jewish educators.

Throughout her career, she has focused on helping students engage thoughtfully with Jewish identity, history, and tradition. She developed a middle school curriculum that encourages students to connect with Israel through open, honest, and critical inquiry into its past and present.

At Senesh, she values being part of a community that celebrates diverse expressions of Jewish thought, practice, and belief.

Ben has spent the past 13 years teaching at the high school level with the Toronto District School Board, following a 14 year corporate training career with some of Canada’s leading financial services companies.

Between the two worlds, he is experienced and comfortable facilitating with both teens and adults.

Ben also has a passion for Holocaust studies and education. He was a scholarship participant in the Yad Vashem Holocaust Education Program in Jerusalem in 2022, and returned as a member of the Canadian
delegation at Yad Vashem’s 11th International Conference in 2024. He was the lone Canadian participant
in the 2025 Auschwitz Volunteer Academy, working onsite in the Auschwitz archives. He has also participated in Holocaust curriculum writing teams for both the Ontario College of Teachers, and the Ontario Ministry of Education.

Amanda G. Tesciuba holds a B.A. in Biology and French from Wellesley College and a Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Chicago.

Since relocating to Toronto in 2018, she has dedicated much of her career to education, serving as a science presenter with Scientists in School and later as The Lab Coordinator at Havergal College.

Throughout her work, Amanda has been passionate about mentoring students, fostering academic growth, and supporting student leadership, including through Havergal’s Jewish Student Alliance.

Deeply committed to Jewish communal life, Amanda is an active member of The Village Shul and volunteers with organizations including Shalva and Canadian Friends of Hebrew University.

A lifelong supporter of Israel, she has traveled there regularly for three decades, including volunteer missions following October 7th. Most recently, she served as a chaperone for 130 high school students on the March of the Living, reflecting her ongoing commitment to educating and inspiring the next generation of Jewish leaders.

Amanda is the proud mother of three children who share her commitment to Jewish values and to Israel.

Dr. Amy Weinreb is the Director of Campus Initiatives at Makom. She holds a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology and specializes in curriculum development, design, and educational training, emphasizing inclusive, learner-centered, and active learning.

Formerly the Chief Executive of Education and Leadership at Masa Israel Journey and with over 15 years of teaching experience, including the University of Texas, NYU Tel Aviv, and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, she works with students from around the globe.

Her publications explore themes of citizen-state relationships, emotions in cultural context, and the differences between public perception and lived experience. Her most recent book, Teaching Israel Studies, was published in 2022. Amy lives in Jerusalem with her family.

Joe assumed the role of Director of Makom in 2021. Since then, he has developed innovative educational tools for conveying complexity simply, including Makom's signature "Worlds of Meaning" approach. He has taught groups from across the Jewish world and lectured widely.

Prior to joining Makom, Joe launched his own venture, IDRA, which sought to strengthen ties between Israelis and world Jewry by leveraging the vital Jewish culture both in Israel and abroad. He served as Rabbi of the Conservative Synagogue of Fifth Avenue, has written curricula and taught for diverse audiences. Before becoming a rabbi, Joe practiced law in New York City.

Joe holds degrees from Columbia University and the NYU School of Law, and received his rabbinic ordination from the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies. In August 2020, Joe made aliya with his family. He is married to Avigail and kvelling father to Zev, Paz and Shai. They live in Tel Aviv.

Liel Zahavi-Asa was raised in Israel and spent eight years living on both the West Coast and the East Coast, working as a Jewish and Israel educator in various frameworks, including Hillel on Campus. Liel holds a Masters Degree in Jewish Education and a second Masters in Jewish Peoplehood.

She is a licensed tour guide in Israel and works with various educational groups and organizations which include; Birthright Israel, Onward Israel, Masa, The Jewish Agency, Maccabee Taskforce, Hasbara Fellowships, and more. Liel lives in the Galilee with her husband Dor, also a tour guide and educator, and their baby daughter Noga.

Matthew Lipman has been working in Israel education for 20 years. In addition to his teaching work at several gap year programs in Israel he designs Israel and Judaic programming for summer camps. Matthew created and manages Masa's popular Israel news update group.

Matthew has a B.A. in Politics and History from the University of Liverpool and holds a master’s degree in Jewish Education from the Hebrew University. He takes great pride in having worked with hundreds of students to develop their own ideas on Israel, Zionism and life. He lives with his family and Shih Tzu, Shaki in Modi’in.

Rabbi Michael Unterberg brings over 30 years of experience in Jewish and Israel education. Having taught in both North America and Israel, he has worked with high school, college, and adult learners through respected organizations including Masa Israel Journey, JerusalemU, and Makom. He was also the host of a widely downloaded podcast on contemporary Israeli issues.

His work welcoming visiting university groups and facilitating dialogue on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has earned him a reputation as a thoughtful and balanced educator. Mike lives in Efrat with his wife Dara. They have five married children and eight grandchildren.

A former analyst in Foreign Ministry, Calev Ben-Dor has worked in the Israeli policy and national security world for 20 years.

Born and raised in the UK, Calev studied History and International Relations at both Leeds and the London School of Economics and made Aliyah in 2005. He is currently Editor of the ‘Fathom Journal – for a deeper understanding of Israel and the region’ and has many years of experience in lecturing and teaching about Jewish texts, Israel, and the Middle East to different groups.

Alex Stein is a tour guide, educator, writer, translator, and editor. He is a founding editor of the Tel Aviv Review of Books, and author of the bestselling Substack 'Love of the Land'. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife Merav and their three children.

Arnon Degani is a Historian of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, currently researching at Tel Hai College. He is completing his manuscript, Our Arabs, concerning the Palestinian Arab Citizens in Israel, for Brill.

He has taught university courses on the Middle East, Israel, and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in Israel and the United States. He has published in academic and public intellectual venues on the topics of Zionism and Settler Colonialism. He is also a research fellow at MOLAD: The Center for the Renewal of Israeli Democracy and the writer and host of the widely downloaded Hebrew podcast: Hesket Oslo.