Executive Director
audrey@chaimitzvah.org
Audrey is the founding Executive Director of Chai Mitzvah, which was launched in 2009. She has been a professional Jewish educator for more than 30 years. Audrey is also the founding principal of Yachad, the award-winning community High School of Greater Hartford. As a lay leader, Audrey has been the recipient of many community awards and has been very involved locally and nationally in the Day School movement.
Managing Director
nina@chaimitzvah.org
Nina is the Managing Director of Chai Mitzvah, and has worked in Jewish education for decades, creating student materials and programs for all ages, pre-K – adult. Her work has been published by Behrman House, Ktav, Kar Ben Publishing, Addison Wesley and Grolier. She created one of the first online Jewish education resource centers, Yourpage.org, which became part of Jewish National Fund’s website in 2003.
Administrative
michalee@chaimitzvah.org
Michalee has been involved with the Jewish community for many years. Michalee is currently on the board of the Mandell JCC, The Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford and the religious school board for The Emanuel Synagogue. When not working or volunteering you can find Michalee attending one of her three kids soccer, basketball or baseball games. Michalee handles administrative work for Chai Mitzvah.
Outreach and Virtual Community Coordinator
rebdeb@chaimitzvah.org
Rabbi Debra Smith (Reb Deb) received smicha through the ALEPH Ordination Program in 2016 and is the founding rabbi of Congregation Or Ha Lev in New Jersey. Reb Deb is a very enthusiastic student and practitioner of Mussar; she has taught Mussar in various venues. She is a clinical social worker and family therapist. Reb Deb received her Master’s in Jewish Studies from Gratz College in Philadelphia. She serves as Rabbi in Residence at Drew University Methodist Theological School in New Jersey and co-chairs a chapter of the Sisterhood of Salaam-Shalom. She is a faculty member of ALEPH Tikshoret Connections, which is one of the places she teaches Mussar to a virtual community of learners from all over the United States. Reb Deb is the Outreach and Virtual Community Coordinator at Chai Mitzvah.
Outreach Coordinator
jill@chaimitzvah.org
Jill Maidhof has provided Jewish education for families and individuals of all ages since the 1980s. For 33 years she worked with youth, teens, adults and seniors at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City, earning several local and national awards. At the same time, she taught students and families at her Reform synagogue and was awarded a Creative Teaching award and a Grinspoon-Steinhardt Fellowship for the body of her work.
Upon retiring in 2020, Jill joined the national staff of Chai Mitzvah. In her role as Outreach Coordinator, she is excited to invite new audiences to enjoy the benefits of “The Original Small Group Program.”
Jill and her husband Jim are the proud parents of Callie and Bridey, their two kind, fun and way over-achieving daughters.
West Hartford, CT
860.206.8363
info@chaimitzvah.org
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