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About Teach NJ

Member Schools
Our Partners
Teach NJ
  • Ben Porat Yosef
  • Foxman Torah Institute
  • Heichal Hatorah
  • Hillel Yeshiva
  • Ilan High School
  • The Jewish Educational Center (JEC)
  • Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy / Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School
  • Kellman Brown Academy
  • Maayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls
  • Mesivta Zichron Boruch / Mesivta of Clifton
  • Naaleh High School for Girls
  • Ohr Yisrael
  • Politz Day School of Cherry Hill
  • Rabbi Pesach Raymon Yeshiva
  • Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey
  • Solomon Schechter Day School of Bergen County
  • Tenafly Chabad Academy
  • The Hebrew Academy
  • The Moriah School
  • Torah Academy of Bergen County
  • Yavneh Academy
  • YBH of Passaic
  • Yeshivat Frisch
  • Yeshivat He'atid
  • Yeshiva Keren Hatorah of Passaic-Clifton
  • Yeshivat Netivot Montessori
  • Yeshivat Noam
Leadership Circle
Leadership Circle

Interested in joining Leadership Circle? Reach out to Adam Katz / Katie Katz

    • Anonymous
    • Michelle and Edward Abramovitz
    • Helen and Manny Adler
    • Annie and Yale Baron
    • Julia and David Baruch
    • Alyssa and Daniel Barzideh
    • Blimi and Benjy Berger
    • Beth and Sam Bernstein
    • Carol and Howard Bienenfeld
    • Sandra and Howard Blank
    • Daniele and Steven Bleier
    • Roni and Yehuda Blinder
    • Rebecca and Noam Block
    • Tamar and Ben Blumenthal
    • Cheryl and Evan Borenstein
    • Amy and Josh Buchsbayew
    • Joann and Hillel Caplan
    • Ilana and Adam Chill
    • Aimee and Daniel Ciment
    • Alison and Craig Cohen
    • Danielle and Joe Cohen
    • Tzippy and Dan Cohen
    • Elana and Yossi Cohn
    • Paula and David Eiselt
    • Linda and Jeffrey Esses
    • Dana and Joseph Feldman
    • Nancy and Eric Fremed
    • Roberta and Adam Fried
    • Karen and Dror Futter
    • Erika and Shneur Gershuni
    • Tova and Shai Gerson
    • Esther and Josh Goldstein
    • Esther Goldstein
    • Jenna and Sam Goldstein
    • Rena and Mark Goldstein
    • Anne and Jerry Gontownik
    • Bellene and Yoni Gontownik
    • Shira and Ari Gontownik
    • Alana and Philip Green
    • Orit and Seth Gribetz
    • Ari Gross
    • Rivka and Eli Hamburger
    • Freida and Michael Harris
    • Abigail and Scott Herschmann
    • Margaret and Barry Herzog
    • Miriam and Daniel Hill
    • Alissa and Shimmie Horn
    • Emily and Eli Isak
    • Daniel Jacob
    • Serena and Mechi Jenkelowitz
    • Natalie and Davidi Jonas
    • Miriam and Tzvi Juskowicz
    • Michal and David Kahan
    • Chana and Daniel Kalai
    • Becky and Avi Katz
    • Katie and Ezra Katz
    • Robin and Brad Klatt
    • Mindy and Jonathan Kolatch
    • Dana and Jeff Korbman
    • Shani and David Kramer
    • Eliana and Brian Ladenheim
    • Dania and Adam Lauer
    • Eta and Mark Levenson
    • Miriam and Aaron Levine
    • Shari and Nathan Lindenbaum
    • Rachel and Aaron Loterstein
    • Rebekah and Avi Mally
    • Rachel and Azi Mandel
    • Gabi and Sam Mark
    • Meryl and Joey Mark
    • Linda and Isaac Massry
    • Elana and Daniel Miller
    • Tamar and Uri Moche
    • Debbie and Sam Moed
    • Susan and Brett Nadritch
    • Sarah and Michael Neustein
    • Mindy and Henry Orlinsky
    • Leslie and Josh Ostrin
    • Batya and Nachman Paul
    • Emily and Michael Rehaut
    • Tamar and Ross Rothenberg
    • Alyse and Joshua Rozenberg
    • Margie and Sammy Saka
    • Tammi and Bennett Schachter
    • Maren and Robert Scharf
    • Lisa and Jonathan Schechter
    • Ronnie and Marc Schlussel
    • Lauren and Naftali Schuss
    • Lauren and Michael Schwartz
    • Nomi and Mark Schwartz
    • Rachel and Daniel Schwartz
    • Joy and Barry Sklar
    • Sandy and Alex Solomon
    • Daniella and David Spier
    • Keshet and Steven Starr
    • Gilla and Yitz Stern
    • Chaya and Jake Stone
    • Joyce and Daniel Straus
    • Zahava and Moshael Straus
    • Jolene and Jack Sutton
    • Rebecca and Abe Sutton
    • Michael Swieca
    • Lani and Shimmy Tennenbaum
    • Chantal and David Ulmer
    • Rebecca and Joe Westreich
    • Aliza and Shloime Zeffren
    • Michelle and Maurice Zekaria
Board Members
Board Members
  • Sam Moed, Chairman
  • Sandra Blank
  • Joshua Buchsbayew
  • Ben Chouake
  • Eric Fremed
  • Daniel Jacob
  • Steven Kassin
  • Mark Levenson
  • Leslie Ostrin

All children deserve access to a secure and quality general education funded by the state. This state funding will help alleviate the out-of-pocket costs of parents facing the burden of paying tuition and taxes. By voting, mobilizing a network of hundreds of schools, engaging with elected officials, and mobilizing students, parents and community members to speak up in Trenton, Teach NJ is able to fight for fair government funding for our yeshivas and Jewish day schools.

This model has led to expanded funding for special services, school nurses, classroom technology, kosher meals, transportation, and more vital services. In addition to these vital programs, Teach NJ has successfully championed groundbreaking new initiatives, including the adoption of the first program in the country to bring general studies STEM public school teachers into nonpublic schools, completely paid for by the state.

In 2023, over $152 million in state government funding was invested in nonpublic school students, a 63% increase in annual funding since Teach NJ was established in 2015.

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Accomplishments

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$154M in annual funding to our schools
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First-in-nation STEM program
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$30.5M in Security Funding

Our Team

Dan Mitzner

Director of Government Affairs, Teach Coalition

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Katie Katz

Chief Engagement Officer

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Katie Katz

Chief Engagement Officer

As Teach NJ’s executive director, Katie Katz oversees Teach NJ’s annual campaign, community engagement and mobilization efforts across the state. She joined Teach NJ from the Englewood Health Foundation where, as a major gifts officer, she managed a portfolio of major donors and cultivated philanthropic partnerships between donors, physicians, and Englewood Health. Prior to her time at Englewood Health, Katie worked at The New Jewish Home in Manhattan as associate director of capital campaigns. A third-generation New Jersey resident and Jewish day school alumna, Katie holds an MBA from Brandeis University in nonprofit management as well as a master’s degree in Jewish professional leadership. She lives in Teaneck with her husband, Ezra, and their three children.
Yosef Kanofsky

Director of Government Maximization, Teach Coalition

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Yosef Kanofsky

Director of Government Maximization, Teach Coalition

As the Director of Government Programs for Teach Coalition, Yosef oversees all government program work that Teach does on behalf of its member school network and beyond. Yosef’s team is responsible for ensuring that yeshivas and day schools access tens of millions of government dollars and services yearly. Yosef has worked in nonpublic school education and policy since 2009 and joined Teach in 2014. Previously, he founded and ran a cutting-edge youth program and center for chassidic teens in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.  

Yosef was born and raised in the Washington, D.C. area, received his BA from Columbia University and an M.A. in Educational Leadership from Brooklyn College. He lives in Crown Heights with his wife and their six children.  

Dean Andrews

Chief Operating Officer

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Maya Joyandeh

Director, Teach NJ

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Maya Joyandeh

Director, Teach NJ

Maya Joyandeh serves as Regional Field Director, having joined Teach Coalition in July 2021. For the last 10 years, Maya has worked as a Medical Social Worker, providing counseling and services to those suffering from life-limiting illnesses in NY and NJ. Maya has a passion for serving her community, specifically recruiting and assisting new families in the Welcoming Committee, chairing the annual dinner, and serving as the Events and Programming Committee Director at her shul. Maya also kickstarted and moderates the "Neighborhood" groups on Facebook, which assists residents of Bergen County (and nearby communities) in locating household items, food and clothing for free from other families that no longer need it.

Maya received her undergraduate degree from Stern College for Women in 2006, and a Masters in Social Work at NYU. Maya lives in Teaneck with her husband and three children. In her free time, Maya enjoys experimenting in the kitchen and hiking with her family.

Adam Katz

Associate Director of Government Programs, Teach Coalition

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Adam Katz

Associate Director of Government Programs, Teach Coalition

Adam Katz serves as the Associate Director of Government Programs for Teach Coalition. Working with schools throughout the country, he helps them navigate government programs and ensure they take maximum advantage of all available funding sources. Adam brings a wide range of skills and experience to the organization. He has worked at the Kitty and Michael Dukakis Center Think Tank for Urban and Regional Policy as well as the US Navy, started his own real estate advisory firm, served on the board of directors of a nonprofit, and is an author. Adam earned a master's degree in Public Policy from Northeastern University and a bachelors degree in Economics from University of Massachusetts Amherst. Adam lives in Passaic with his wife and three children.
Rifkie Bleier

Mandated Services Project Manager, Teach Coalition

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Rifkie Bleier

Mandated Services Project Manager, Teach Coalition

Prior to joining Teach Coalition, Rifkie Bleier worked with government agencies on licensing medical supply distribution facilities across the United States. She feels privileged to be making a difference to Jewish schools every day. Rifkie lives in Monsey, New York with her husband and six amazing children.
Ronit Mershon

STEM Associate, Teach Coalition

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Ronit Mershon

STEM Associate, Teach Coalition

Originally born in Chicago, Ronit grew up in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley and attended YULA. After graduating from Brandeis University, she went on to become a television producer at the CourtTV Network in New York City. These days, in addition to her role at Teach Coalition, she’s also a Staff Writer for The Jewish Link of New Jersey. as well as a substitute teacher at Yavneh Academy. She lives with her husband (Stuart) and three children in Teaneck.
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