Archives: Team Showcase

Meet Hillary Guttin!

Hillary is excited to return to JCDSRI for her ninth year. She is the 3rd and 4th grade Judaic Studies teacher as well as the T’fillah (prayer) coordinator. She holds a B.A. in Linguistics from Brandeis University. Prior to working at JCDSRI, Hillary taught at camps and Hebrew schools. Additionally, Hillary was a development associate at the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island for three years. Every year Hillary looks forward to observing as her students grow and change throughout the year. She also looks forward to finding out what she will learn from each and every student.

In her free time, Hillary is a musician and she is a skilled beatbox-er! She participated in collegiate a capella and honed her beatboxing skills there.

Meet Rebecca (Becca) Hirschmann!

Becca is excited to join JCDSRI for her third year as the Head Ilanot (4-year-old) teacher! She holds a  Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and a Masters in Early Childhood Education with a concentration in Literacy. Prior to teaching at JCDSRI, Becca taught in classrooms for children ages 6 weeks – 3 years old.

In her spare time, Becca enjoys singing! She is really looking forward to making strong, long-lasting connections with the JCDSRI community, the children, and their families.

Meet Rina Holtzman!

Rina is excited to return to JCDSRI for her fifth year as a Hebrew teacher though she has been part of the broader JCDSRI community for many years. She holds a B.A. in Hebrew and Judaica from Bar-Ilan University and Hebrew University in Israel. Prior to working at JCDSRI, Rina taught Hebrew, Bible studies, Siddur (prayer skills) and weekly Torah stories at Providence Hebrew Day School, Striar Academy, and Temple Emanu-El in Providence. Every year, Rina looks forward to getting to know her students and speaking conversational Hebrew with them. Rina really loves getting to connect with the neshama (soul) of each child as she teaches and learns from them.

In her free time, Rina loves baking, singing t’filot (prayers) and Israeli songs, and needlepoint.

Meet Ruth Horton!

Ruth began working as a consultant in our classrooms back in 2018. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education & Special Education, as well as a Graduate Degree in Early Childhood Special Education; she also has certification in Basic Sign Language. Ruth’s last position was as an Early Childhood Educator in the Smithfield, RI school district. Prior to that she worked as a Special Education Educator with the Northern RI Collaborative. Ruth  is really looking forward to working with teachers to assist them in developing their authentic teaching styles.

Outside of school, Ms. Horton’s main interest is to be a student of the Natural World. 

Meet Andrea Katzman!

Andrea is excited to return to JCDSRI for her sixteenth year, and her fifth as Head of School. Andrea earned both her BA and MA from the University of Kansas and immediately after finishing graduate school, lived in Jerusalem for a year where she coordinated a Jewish feminist project and directed an English Language learning program for Ethiopian immigrants.

In 1999, Andrea and her family moved to Providence and a few years later, she began teaching Pre-K at JCDSRI. Andrea has also served as a private educational consultant and taught in the Education Department of Rhode Island College and in the Shoolman Graduate School of Jewish Education at Hebrew College. In 2009-10, Andrea and her family lived in Rishon LeZion, Israel, during which time she co-wrote and published her first book, Purple Leaves, Red Cherries: Short Stories on Motherhood. 

Andrea is grateful to be Head of School at JCDSRI and – together with her students and colleagues at JCDSRI – spends her days building community and practicing kavod (respect), hesed (kindness), and shalom (peace). She has an extensive snow-globe collection and regularly perpetrates acts of “guerilla gardening”. Andrea and her husband, Steve Jacobson, have two college-age daughters, both of whom are proud graduates of JCDSRI!

Meet Harshita Lakhiani!

Harshita is excited to return to JCDSRI for her twenty-fourth year, first as the Business Manager and now as the Chief Financial Officer. She holds a Bachelors in Economics and Accounting from H.R. College of Commerce in India. Prior to working at JCDSRI, Harshita worked with a stockbroker in India.  Every year, she looks forward to the fifth-grade graduation as she sees students, whom she has known since pre – kindergarten, all grown up and ready for middle school!

In her free time, Harshita loves gardening and cooking.