OUR TEAM
MakomNY has a vibrant team of experienced professionals, educators, clergy, musicians and volunteers who bring a fresh and dynamic energy to our community.
SHERRY GUTES
Director of Programs and Director of Moadon As Makom begins our 10th year, Sherry is our dynamic Director of Programs and Education. Sherry continues to teach in the classroom, and she focuses on all of our many programs offered to our Makom community for all stages and ages. Sherry is the coordinator of our growing B'nai Mitzvah program, and she is thrilled and honored to continue to partner with Rabbi Bravo to create outstanding, meaningful and impactful programming opportunities for the MakomNY Community. She comes with many years of experience as a Jewish communal professional and takes great joy in her work as a Jewish educator, reaching and teaching children, adults and families. She believes that her work with MakomNY brings together the sum total of all of her experiences in different and unique ways, and she is excited to transition to this new role. 
BARRIE DRATCH
Assistant Director of Moadon Director of Teen Programs Barrie begins her third year working as part of the Makom team. This year, she assumes the position of Assistant Director of our Moadon, which includes communicating with parents, overseeing the Madrichim program and administering our Moadon Hebrew School program. Barrie begins her tenure as our Teen Program Coordinator, working to engage and connect our teens to one another and to our greater Makom community. She is a retired elementary school teacher and spends summers as the Head Counselor for the girls’ side at Camp Starlight. Barrie is a former member and former vice president of the school board at the Glen Cove School District. She enjoys playing tennis and canasta (but not at the same time) and is a devoted sun worshipper. She is the proud mom of two adult daughters. 
DAVID BRAVO
Musical Director David makes high level music an accessible part of our worship and learning, serving as music director, accompanist, producer and arranger. He arranges concerts and musical programs of all kinds for MakomNY. David works in partnership with Rabbi Bravo, and a variety of cantors, soloists and musical guests to bring an exceptional level of music and song to prayer and activities within the community. David's career as a professional musician includes playing with such luminaries as Harry Belafonte, Bo Diddley, Jack Bruce and Dave Matthews. In addition, David was the Musical Director for Debbie Friedman, z'l, contemporary Jewish music icon. 
JESSICA STEINMAN
High Holy Day Cantorial Soloist We are thrilled to welcome Jessica Steinman BACK to our MakomNY family again for the 2024 High Holy Day season. She will be with us as our Cantorial Soloist for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Jessica Steinman has been a Cantorial Soloist since the age of 17 when she started singing at her home congregation in St. Paul, MN. She has a Bachelor of Music for Vocal Performance from NYU and a Masters Degree as a Marriage and Family Therapist. Jessica has led services for multiple congregations across the country. When not singing in synagogues, she works full time as a psychotherapist and a Clinical Director for a treatment center in Los Angeles. Her free time is filled with laughing and loving her biggest music loving fan, Ruby, her almost 3-year-old daughter. 
JACKIE KLIGERMAN
Special Educator Dr. Jacqueline Kligerman is a teacher at Moadon who has a great deal of experience, education and passion for both Judaism and children with special needs. She works with small groups of students who need additional support in learning Hebrew. Jackie is a retired special educator who served as a teacher, clinician, administrator and school principal in a variety of public and private educational settings throughout her career. She holds a doctoral degree from Teachers College, Columbia University where she taught courses in psychology and education. 
SCOTT ECKERS,
B'nai Mitzvah Cantorial Soloist, Teacher Dr. Scott Eckers is an educator, historian, cantorial soloist and entertainer. For most of his 25-year teaching and administrative career, Scott taught social studies in Syosset; he is now with Great Neck Public Schools. From 2005 to 2022, Scott taught Hebrew, Yiddish, Jewish culture and music at the Workmen's Circle's I.L. Peretz Jewish School of Nassau. He is thrilled to be on the faculty at Makom, where he has helped lead services for several years. Scott is a past trustee and past president of the East Meadow Board of Education, a member of the New York State Theatre Education Association board of directors, and a member of Actors' Equity Association. He is proud to be Jenny's husband and dad to Jacob and Simon. 
RACHEL BIELER, Moadon Teacher
Rachel serves as a teacher for grades 3 -7. She has been teaching in both public school, Jewish day school and congregational school settings for many years. She has been with MakomNY since our inception and she cannot think of a more welcoming and meaningful place to embrace Judaism. She is thrilled to be teaching at Moadon. 
SIMA MATTHES, Moadon Teacher
Sima is joining us for her fifth year at Moadon, where she teaches beginning Alef students and our 6th and 7th graders. She deeply believes in personally connecting students with prayer and ritual, and enjoys working with students with different learning styles. Sima previously worked in congregations in Old Westbury and Lynbrook, and was the Jewish Culture Specialist at the Friedberg JCC's summer camp. 
ORI PAGOVICH, Moadon Teacher
Ori is beginning his sixth year as a teacher in our Moadon, bringing tremendous energy and spirit to his students. Ori has a great passion for Judaism, Jewish learning and Israel, and he enjoys dialoguing, questioning and pondering with our students of all ages. A financial planner by day, Ori loves to spend his afternoons with our Moadon students. |
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