Renee Joffe-Hrlevich – YEP! Administrator

Renee with Bat Mitzvah Jacqueline Schatzberg

Renee joined the staff of Congregation Kehillah in February 2015 as the synagogue Administrator. In 2016 she took on the role of YEP! Administrator. She enjoys spending Sunday mornings with the YEP! students and even steps in as a sub when needed. It gives her great joy to watch the students learn in a fun environment and eventually join Rabbi on the Bimah as they become a B’nai Mitzvah.
To read Renee’s full bio please click on “About” and scroll down to “Our Administrator”.

Erica Erman – Middle School Judaics Teacher, Music and More!

I am so excited to be able to teach and work with our Middle Schoolers! Together with Moreh Jared, I teach 6-8th grade Judaics. You’ll also see me for Tefillah (prayers) and Music sessions. I’ve been teaching at YEP! since 2016 and you’ve probably heard me singing at Congregation Kehillah on the bima as one of our cantorial soloists. Please reach out to me with any questions you have at any time! My goal is to help make Jewish learning sweet, meaningful, and fun and to help give you some of the tools you’ll want and need as you navigate middle school, high school coming up soon, and life in general.

In 2020, Moreh Jared and I welcomed our first child, Debbie.  In 2023 we welcomed our daughter Shaina.

Jared Erman – Middle School Teacher and B’nai Mitzvah Tutor

Jared may have an in with the Rabbi since he’s married to her daughter Erica, but his resume in Jewish education has much deeper roots. Jared attended Heschel Day School in Los Angeles, where he studied Hebrew and Judaica from K-8th grade. While studying business at the University of Arizona in Tucson, he taught 6th grade at Congregation Or Chadash, focusing on Jewish immigration to the United States and preparation for Bnei Mitzvah. He also had the opportunity to live in Israel and work for a food tour company before moving to Phoenix in 2017! Outside of the synagogue, Jared is a manager at Charles Schwab and has a passion for teaching and training in martial arts.

Mara Gossack – K-3rd Grade Co-Teacher

I am honored and thrilled to be teaching for my 4th year as the YEP! K-3rd grade teacher!  Our family joined Congregation Kehillah in 2021 when it was time to enroll our son in Hebrew school, and we could not be happier with our choice.  I am originally from New York City and I have a master’s degree from Boston University in theatrical lighting design.  After working as an LD in NYC and the Boston area, I realized that neither the theater nor the East Coast was where I wanted to be.  So, in 1999, I became a certified Montessori teacher and moved to Arizona.  I then built and ran my own Montessori school until my focus once again changed; this time to motherhood, which has been my favorite thing to do by far.
As well as being a stay-at-home mom, I am a stained glass artist.  I practice yoga and I maintain the administrative side of my husband’s pedicab business.  I am so excited to bring my experience and creativity back into the classroom this year.  I am looking forward to getting to know your kids and you, and continuing to be more involved in the Kehillah Community!

Debbie Sobel – 4th & 5th Grade Judaica Studies Teacher

Once again, I am excited to be teaching Judaica to the YEP! 4th & 5th grade students.  Our family have been members of Congregation Kehillah since 2008 and my daughter Whitney became a Bat Mitzvah with Rabbi Sharfman.  I am a former Elementary School Teacher with a Master’s Degree in Education and have been teaching Religious School since I was in college.  I grew up in Omaha, NE and attended the U of A.  After college, I moved to Washington, D.C. where I worked on Capital Hill, but I always wanted to move back to sunny Arizona.  Whitney followed in my footsteps, and she graduated in May 2022 in Elementary Education from ASU and in May 2024 she graduated Summa Cum Laude from ASU with a M.A. in Learning Sciences.  I am delighted that Whitney will continue to teach YEP! with me.  I enjoy baking, gardening, creative projects, traveling and spoiling my dog.

Whitney Sobel – K-3rd Grade Co-Teacher

I graduated from Arizona State University in May 2022 with a degree in Education, and in May 2024, I earned my Master’s in Learning Sciences, graduating Summa Cum Laude. While in graduate school, I worked as a tutor at Sylvan Learning Center, eventually becoming their Director of Education.

I’ve been part of Congregation Kehillah’s YEP! program for 11 years, teaching alongside my mom, Morah Debbie, in 4th–5th grade Judaic Studies. This year, I’m thrilled to explore something new by co-teaching our K–3rd grade class with Morah jMara. I’m looking forward to creating a fun, engaging, and meaningful learning experience for our students.

When I’m not in the classroom, I love fitness, traveling, and spending time with my adorable dog, Koogle.

Vicki Bertch – 4th & 5th Grade Hebrew Teacher and B’nai Mitzvah Tutor

It is with excitement and joy that I am joining the YEP! team once again for a new season of Hebrew learning at Kehillah! Although I may be a new face to some, I am not new to Congregation Kehillah, as I was the very first YEP! teacher many years ago.

My other great love is mentoring and preparing our Kehillah kids to become a Bar or BatMitzvah. The relationships built are amazing.  Nine years as a templek preschool director is part of my 45 plus years in Jewish education. Rabbi Sharfman and I have worked together for almost 35 years.

My students will be identifying Hebrew letters and vowels in our class and learning the sounds that they make. Connecting all those sounds leads to reading words and sentences. We will also be building vocabulary of the words that are so much a part of our prayers and holidays. Fun times and discussions ahead discovering the language of our people!

I look forward to continuing in this important, interesting and fun journey with Rabbi Sharfman, Renee Joffe, Ilene Malka and the rest of the YEP! team!

Ilene Malka – the Education Chair on Congregation Kehillah’s Board of Directors

I am the connection from our school programs to the Board. Along with Rabbi Sharfman and our wonderful teaching staff, I am always looking for ways to improve our delivery of all things Jewish!

Most of my life has been spent supporting and encouraging Jewish education for young children, to give them a sense of who they are, where they come from, and to be proud of their very rich Jewish history. I am also a believer in adult education, because there is so much to learn and understand about our people, our history and our Torah. Developing a strong Jewish identity will help us all keep our values alive for  years to come