Dear VTT Community,

 

I am very pleased to announce that effective August 1, 2015, Vancouver Talmud Torah will welcome Ilana Shapira to our Senior Leadership Team. Ilana will assume the role of Principal of Judaic Studies and will be responsible for Judaic curriculum and Hebrew language instruction.

 

 

Ilana has worked in the field of Jewish education as a teacher, mentor and administrator for the past 20 years and brings a wealth of experience. Her most recent position was at Tannenbaum CHAT in Toronto where she served on the senior leadership team and was responsible for Judaic curriculum and Hebrew language instruction. At VTT, her primary role will be to support our Judaics faculty in curriculum delivery and Hebrew language instruction across all grades. In addition, Ilana will have some teaching responsibilities in Judaic studies in the senior grades.

 

Ilana has a Master's degree in Applied Linguistics from Georgia State University and a degree in Modern Middle East History and Modern and Ancient Hebrew Literature from Tel Aviv University. Ilana is considered an expert in the field of Hebrew instruction as a second language. She has been a mentor and coach for Hebrew at the Centre located in Boston, and has worked with teachers throughout Canada and the US regarding best approaches for teaching Hebrew language.

 

Ilana looks forward to moving to Vancouver this summer with her husband Andy and their two daughters, Adi and Maya, who will attend VTT and KDHS respectively.  

 

On a final note, our formal search is ongoing for a School Rabbi/Head of Judaic Studies. I will apprise our community as the search progresses.

 

Sincerely,

 

Cathy Lowenstein

Head of School