• Doctor of Music, D.M.A., University of Maryland

• Faculty, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD

• B.A., Oberlin College

• M.M., Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University

• Member, Casals Festival Orchestra; Kennedy Center Opera Orchestra; Aura Nova Ensemble

• M.A.in Art Ed, University of Oregon

• B.F.A, University of Michigan

• M. Arch., University of Oregon

• 30 years teaching experience art at the elementary, high school and college levels

• NEA grant recipient, National Award for Excellence in Art Education

• Advanced studies, Eugene O’Neill Puppetry Conference, and Haystack Mountain School of Crafts

• Exhibits pastel paintings locally and nationally

A noted art-history scholar and researcher, Abby Meyer is a popular performer in the Orthodox Jewish female community and has played notable characters in dozens of professional stage productions and films. Ready wit, incisive humor and a love of the absurd all characterize Abby. She is a master of anecdotal, character, improvisational, observational, physical, prop and spoof comedy and excels at voice alteration, comedic writing, hair and make-up application and costume and prop curation, portraying characters ages 20 to 120. In addition, Abby uses her talents for volunteer work, an effort to inspire a love of the performing arts in the Jewish world. Since 2010, she’s served as the Camp Simcha mascot, utilizing her improv, storytelling, emceeing and writing-producing-directing skills. Abby graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Boston University with a degree in art history.

Elena Tal made her vocal debut at the Victoria International Festival in British Columbia. She attended Carnegie Mellon’s summer musical theater program, and studied opera at Tufts University, where she graduated with Honors. Elena Tal studied with top professors from The Juilliard School, the Hochschule für Music in Germany, University of Maryland, College Park's School of Music, and performed at the Italian International Music Festival Centro Studi Italiani. She has performed in opera workshops with New York’s La Selva and Crittenden, and acting workshops with the esteemed Sande Shurin Acting Studios. Elena Tal has performed as soloist in concerts throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, and aboard England’s QE2, but now she exclusively shares her gift of voice with women in regular concerts, master classes, workshops, and lectures around the world. Elena Tal also teaches students in the Tal Voice Studio of Baltimore, through online lessons, and at Bais Yaakov of Baltimore.

Judy Leserman is about to finish her Masters in Speech-Language Pathology at CUNY Lehman and hopes to work with children who have hearing loss and teach them how to listen and talk. In her free time, she enjoys playing viola, which landed her a job as a counselor and music assistant at Tizmoret Shoshana for the Summer of 2016. Ever since, she has been grateful to be part of the Tizmoret Shoshana family, having returned for 2018 and 2019. Some of her favorite memories of camp include playing chamber music with her campers, participating in group renditions of “Down By The Bay”, and having dance parties with her coworkers in rainstorms. Judy is excited to work as the head counselor this Summer and hopes it will be the best (albeit most virtual) Summer yet!

Malka Schwalbe holds an MA in Art Therapy and Mental Health Counseling from Caldwell University and a BA in Studio Art and Psychology from CUNY Brooklyn College. She is on track for dual licensure in NYS for Creative Arts Therapies and Mental Health Counseling. Malka has experience in a wide range of art forms including drama, dance, and visual art. She has appeared in various Jewish films, plays, and web series such as The Gift and “Soon By You.” Malka trained at Jewish Center for the Performing Arts (formerly known as Brooklyn Jewish Dance Institute) and worked as a teacher's aide at Steps on Broadway. She has also won the SHAW Art Award for her visual art and had her work displayed in several student galleries. As a former Tizmoret camper, counselor, and assistant instructor, Malka is looking forward to rejoining the staff.

Rachel Berenshteyn is the creative writing instructor at Tizmoret Shoshana, coming back for her second year teaching writing and her 11th year with the camp in total. Rachel has served on the editorial staff of numerous student publications and has had both her creative writing and scientific writing published. In 2019, she received the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s Gold Circle award for traditional fiction. Rachel also has a background in dramatic arts, improvisational theater, and several styles of dance. She is currently getting her BA in Clinical Psychology at Macaulay Honors College at CUNY Hunter College.

Sarah Locker has been part of Tizmoret Shoshana since 2013. She's spent summers there as a camper, counselor, creative writing minion, shiur assistant, and collaboration head. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, making art, and learning Torah. She graduated from Bnos Avigail seminary and is currently pursuing her BS in Behavioral Science from Bellevue University. She works in a preschool and loves working with children of all ages. She's super excited to spend her eighth summer at Tizmoret Shoshana!

Serene Klapper is pursuing a degree in Mathematics with a minor and concentration in fine arts. She currently teaches studio art at Manhattan High School for Girls. Past experiences include art instruction at the Art Studio Workshop of Yonkers and the Neve Michael Crisis Center in Pardes Hanna, Israel.

Shoshana Rosenthal first attended Tizmoret in 2012 and has loved it ever since. As a camper, she majored in creative writing while giving camper divrei torah every year. In 2016, she became the first member of the Tizmoret Shoshana Emerging Artists program, allowing her to gain experience as the assistant shiur counselor before entering seminary and college. She spent a year studying at Machon Basya Rochel Seminary. Currently, Shoshana is pursuing a combined degree in biology and psychology at the Lander College for Women Honors Program while simultaneously taking honors-level Judaics Studies courses every semester. She also has experience as a voice instructor, drama instructor, and backstage manager/technical director. Her creative writing work has been published in several student publications as well as in Hamodia. She is excited to be returning to Tizmoret as a shiur counselor.

​Avigayil Finkelstein is pursuing her PhD in Medieval Jewish History. She holds an MA in Jewish Studies and a BA in Jewish Studies and Creative Writing. Avigayil hopes to teach Tanach and share her love of learning with others. In her free time, she writes short stories and shares fun facts about Hebrew grammar, to the absolute delight of her friends and family. She is excited to be joining the Tizmoret staff!

Yael Friedman gave her first shiur on the shabbos of her bat mitzva, and she was hooked. After teaching occasional shiurim in her community throughout high school, she went on to learn in Michlalah Yerushalayim and got her B.A. in Judaic Studies from Yeshiva University. She worked as a tutor at Michlalah and later taught high school Limudei Kodesh in Baltimore. Yael obtained her MSW from University of Maryland, and she currently works for a local mental-health clinic. Since she moved to Baltimore in 2009, she has continually sought out opportunities to teach shiurim in the community. This will be Yael’s third year as the shiur teacher at Tizmoret, and she can’t wait to be back with such an intelligent, dynamic group of students.

Mallory Adler grew up in a suburb of New Jersey where she received training at The Denise Daniele Dance Studio under the direction of Denise Blackstone. She continued her studies through high school attending The Performing Arts Academy under the dance direction of Mrs. Faisst and Mrs. Bourke. Mallory finished her training under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfield at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. While in attendance at University of the Arts she performed in works by Katie Swords-Thurman, Jesse Zaritt, Anne White, Sidra Bell, Curt Haworth, Ronen Koresh. Mallory had an opportunity to study overseas at The Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance under the direction of Paul Bloom in Jerusalem, Israel. She worked with Iya Israel and others from Batsheva Dance Company. She is now a part of the professional hip hop dance company The Redef Movement.

Marian Hahn has taught piano and chamber music at the Peabody Institute since 1987. She has performed internationally as a soloist, and as a member of the Amabile Piano Quartet and Amadeus Trio. She was a prizewinner in the Leventritt and Busoni competitions and gave New York recitals as a Concert Artists Guild winner. She has served as a judge in competitions such as the Geneva International, Hilton Head, and Concert Artists Guild and visits China to give guest master classes and lessons.

Jessica Schechter is an award-winning director, actor, performer, and producer in New York City. She has an MFA in Directing from the Actors Studio Drama School, and a Bachelor’s degree in Educational Theatre from NYU. Jessica is a certified theatre teacher in New York State and has been acting, directing, and running drama programs for over 15 years. She is a director member of the renowned Actor's Studio Playwrights-Directors unit and has worked with Tony and Emmy award- winning actors and directors. She is a professional voice over talent having voiced spots for Amazon, Samsung, Schneider Electric, and more. Jessica is currently producing and acting in the award- winning hit web series “Soon By You” and is an acclaimed speaker, improvisor, and stand-up comedian presenting at conferences and community centers around the country. Jessica has run the drama program at Tizmoret Shoshana for seven summers and is excited to be returning this year.