New Faces

Meet the new faculty, staff, and trustees joining the JCDS community this year.

ROW 1 LEFT TO RIGHT: Jen Barclay, Kindergarten General Studies Team Teacher; Marci Borenstein, Principal; Elah Grandel, Music Teacher

ROW 2 LEFT TO RIGHT: Genevieve Greinetz, Rabbinic Intern; Leslie Cohen Kastner, Director of Institutional Advancement; Shiri Katz-Gershon, 3rd Grade Hebrew Teacher; 6th-8th Grade ELL Teacher

ROW 3 LEFT TO RIGHT: Michelle Raskin-Kennedy, 7th & 8th Grade Toshba Teacher; MS Jewish Studies Mechina Teacher; Judy Werner, School Counselor

TRUSTEES UPDATE םינמאנ רבח

Richard Bennett lives in Brookline with his wife Deb Gaffin and their two children, Miriam ’26 and Reuben ’28. Richard is currently Senior Director, Principal Gifts at Harvard Business School. He has worked as a professional fundraiser both in the U.S. and the U.K., including for Princeton University, the World Wildlife Fund and Hillel International, as well as consulting to many leading U.K. universities.

Uri Nurko has been employed at Bostonbased Frontier Capital Management since 2016 as a member of the investment team. In this role, he helps analyze investment opportunities for the firm’s institutional clients. Previously, he worked in various other finance and investment management roles while living in Washington D.C. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter-holder. In his spare time, he enjoys watching and playing sports, skiing, listening to music, and going for hikes with his wife Mira and their daughter.

Jaka Saarony currently resides in Newton with her husband Gadi and their three children: Shai, Sadie, and Max ’25. Jaka is a very active member of her community, volunteering as co-chair, treasurer, representative and coach for numerous Jewish and secular schools and organizations. Jaka is most passionate about sharing new places and new experiences and life with her family. Being married to an Israeli and traveling the world is part of who Jaka is, and has formed how she approaches philanthropic work and her role in making the world a better place.

Thank you to these Board members who have recently completed their terms. We acknowledge their years of service and dedication to JCDS.

Marci Borenstein

(2020–2021)

Gary Elovitz (2019–2021)

Fiona Epstein

(2009–2021)

Howie Rodenstein

(2013–2021)