Meet Our School Faculty

7th Grade-Lita Weinstein

Lita Weinstein’s family has been members of Or Hadash since 2001 and she has been teaching 2nd grade for eight years and 7th grade for three.  Having served on the Board, she is also committed to her work on synagogues committees. In addition to working at Or Hadash, Lita teaches at a local private school, coordinates fundraising events for non-profit organizations, and coordinates an art program at a summer camp.  She is also involved with the Upper Dublin School District.  

3rd Grade Hebrew-Vivian Lichtman

Vivian Lichtman was born in New York, where she taught Sunday school before moving   to Pennsylvania.   She received an M.Ed. degree in education and school counseling.   She earned 24 years of experience teaching and counseling children from Kindergarten through 8th grade before she retired in June, 2008.   She wrote grants and received money for some valuable projects and facilitated community service learning activities at her schools.   Vivian has taught Sunday school and 3rd grade Hebrew school at Or Hadash.

2nd-5th grade-Carrie Tomlinson

Carrie Tomlinson grew up in the Springhouse, PA area in a Jewish home, attending Beth Or as a child.  Her father is a Rabbi at a Reform congregation in Tallahassee, Florida.  Carrie began her undergraduate degree at Northeastern University in Boston and then returned to the area after she transferred colleges.  She now resides in Ambler with her husband and their two year old daughter.  She holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from Chestnut Hill College and has worked as a behavior therapist in a private practice in Ambler, in the Upper Dublin School District with their Autistic Support Program, and as a 2nd grade Sunday school teacher at a neighboring congregation.  Carrie now is a stay at home mom and a graduate student working on a Master's Degree in Social work.  Carrie and her husband are working to get their family dog certified as a therapy dog.  Her family looks forward to becoming an integral part of the Or Hadash community.

2nd-5th grade-Jared Mitchell  

Jared currently works in the Chester Upland school district as a fifth grade teacher. In the summers Jared also works at Camp America Day Camp. Jared graduated from West Chester University with a bachelors degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Mathematics. He hopes to eventually earn his masters and doctorate degrees. 

4th Hebrew and 6th Grade-Elisabeth Horry

Elisabeth Horry has taught 4th, 6th, and 8th grades for many years at Or Hadash. She and her husband are members of Or Hadash and have three children who attend the synagogue school. She holds a teaching degree in physical education and is earning graduate level certification in elementary education and reading. Elizabeth also works part time as a third grade teaching assistant at Germantown Friends School.  

6th grade Hebrew-Carolyn Savitzky

Carolyn Savitzky began teaching religious school in 1988 while earning her teaching certification from the South Jersey Bureau of Jewish Education. Over the years, she has taught at a number of synagogue schools in the region. In 1995, Carolyn and her family joined Or Hadash and she began teaching in the religious school the following year. Carolyn has taught students of all ages, from pre-school through adult. In addition to her work in the classroom, Carolyn tutors B'nai Mitzvah students and occasionally serves as a service lay-leader for classes from Pre-K thru 1. An active Or Hadash congregant, she has served on numerous committees and the Board of Directors, including chairing the In-reach Committee. She also enjoys participating in Hadassah and a local book club. 

5th grade Hebrew-Colin Moser

Colin Moser holds a BA cum laude in Philosophy and Japanese from North Central College and an MA in Humanities from the University of Chicago.  He has been actively involved in Congregation B'nai Emunah, where he has served as the librarian, taught in the Hebrew school, organized a study group for prospective converts and taught a basic level Mussar adult education course.  Colin also enjoys leading services and giving divrei Torah.  He has professional experience in web development, graphic design and customer service.  Colin lived in Komaki, Japan for a year, where he served as an English instructor.  Colin studied at the Conservative Yeshiva in the summer of 2010 and has continued his study of Talmud online and in a regular study group in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  In his free time, he enjoys writing, blogging, drawing, painting, board games and tabletop role playing games.

7th/8th-9th grade-Sandra Lawson

Sandra Lawson is a Rabbincal student and a Sociologist focusing on the cross-sections between the issues of race, religion, gender and ethnicity.  Prior to moving to Philadelphia she has worked as a personal trainer, an Adjunct Professor, and served as the Investigative Researcher for the Anti-Defamation League's Southeast Region, becoming the go to person when Law Enforcement in the South needed information on Hate Groups.  Sandra holds a Masters degree in Sociology from Clark Atlanta University.

8th-9th grade TEL program-Brahm Schultz

Brahm Schultz is a 21 year old liberal arts student at Community College of Philadelphia.  Hailing from a Reconstructionist Congregation in Philadelphia, Brahm currently lives in Mount Airy.  Brahm enjoys reading and the arts.  He has worked as a counselor at Camp JRF for the past four years and looks forward to working with a TEL group for the second year in a row!

Pre-K/Kindergarten and First Grade-Lauren Freedman

Lauren Freedman attended Or Hadash Religious School. She went to Jewish Community High School at Gratz College to earn her Reform Teaching Certificate. Lauren has worked as a teacher’s aid and substituted at Or Hadash. Lauren holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from Millersville University and is currently teaching 1-2 year olds at McNeil Child Development Center. In addition, she tutors students in elementary school. 

Jules and Ruth Mermelstein have been members of Or Hadash since 1984, and teachers since 1994. Their children, Hannah and Ben, were educated, became Bat and Bar Mitzvah, and were confirmed at Or Hadash. Ruth is a computer programmer and Jules is a social studies teacher at Upper Dublin High School. Ruth chants Torah, Haftarah, Megillat Esther, and Eichah.  She also lay leads services and shiva minyans. Both Jules and Ruth have served on the Or Hadash Board and ad hoc committees.  Jules has a master's degree in education and has been an Upper Dublin Commissioner since 1992.

Resource Room-Bonnie Ritterman

Bonnie Ritterman has been teaching at Or Hadash since 1999. In the Resource Room, she helps children with learning differences. Bonnie teaches all levels of public elementary school. She is part of the Or Hadash community and lives in Dresher with her husband.