Our Team

Aliza Goodman has proudly been with The iCenter growing the field of Israel education for over 10 years. She currently leads the design and implementation of The iCenter’s professional development initiatives for Jewish educators across North America. In this role, she is building a team that experiments with ways to help educators infuse Israel throughout their settings, grounded in personal relationship building with Israel and Israelis. Most recently, her focus has been on developing criteria by which to measure success and articulating best practices in Israel education for educators in the field. Her commitment to and passion for Israel was ignited during childhood family trips to Israel from her home in Toronto. Aliza holds an MBA in Social Policy and Management and an MA in Jewish Professional Leadership from Brandeis University.

Anne Lanski currently serves as the Founding CEO of The iCenter. Israel education has been Anne’s personal and professional passion for three decades. As a pioneer in crosscultural education and teen travel to Eastern Europe and Israel, Anne is Founder and former Executive Director of Shorashim, a nationally-recognized Israel education organization. She is regarded as the seminal figure in making the “mifgash” an essential component of Israel educational programs, and is the recipient of numerous grants and awards for her pioneering work in this field. Anne received her M.A. from the Steinhardt School of Education at NYU, and is a graduate of the Senior Educator Program at the Melton Centre of Hebrew University. Anne currently resides in Chicago with her husband Barry and their three children.

Ari enjoys having Israel at the center of his work at The iCenter. A Midwest native and a shareholder of the Green Bay Packers, Ari lived in Israel on three different year-long programs: Young Judaea Year Course, Masa Israel Teaching Fellows, and at Hebrew Union College, where he earned a Masters in Jewish Education. As an educator, he experienced the impact educational travel can have during the two summers he guided high school trips through Europe and Israel. Before joining The iCenter, Ari directed the Marin/San Francisco Jewish Teen Foundation, where he learned about the power of education through Jewish philanthropy and social justice.

Cari Schulman is a founding team member of The iCenter and leads teams focused on operational excellence and culture building. Her work lives at the intersection of talent, systems, vision, and values to animate an environment that is grounded in, and motivated by, relationships. Cari’s passion for Israel was cultivated in the home, where she was raised with Israel infused into everyday life. She is an Insights Discovery Practitioner, and holds an MBA from Loyola University and a BA in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Carl came to the field of Israel education via his first career in Israeli journalism. During nearly 15 years living in Israel, he reported on some of the biggest—and smallest—stories unfolding in the country. After climbing the ladder at The Jerusalem Post, he served as the paper’s Editor before opting to apply the lens of journalism to help North American learners of all ages engage with Israel in multi-faceted ways. When he’s not collaborating with his iCenter colleagues to build the field of Israel education, he can be found teaching current events classes and making jam, hosting family and friends, and spending quality time with his grandson.

Carolyn’s passion for Israel started when she went to the University of Illinois—Chicago and has continued throughout her career in the Jewish Community. Carolyn comes to The iCenter after working at Pardes Jewish Day School in Scottsdale, Arizona, Temple Beth Israel in Skokie, IL, and the Jewish United Fund in Chicago, IL. She is fortunate to have lived and worked in Israel in addition to having visited many times. Carolyn is so excited to work at The iCenter and combine two of her passions—Israel and education.

Dan Tatar’s journey in experiential Israel education began with his own transformative teen experience (led by his then-teacher, Anne Lanski). Over the past 25 years, he has dedicated himself to the field, from facilitating teen travel to Israel to his current role as Director of Engagement and Strategic Partnerships at The iCenter. With advanced degrees in Israel Education (The George Washington University) and Jewish Professional Studies (Spertus Institute), along with certifications in Innovative Strategies and Teaching with AI, he brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his work. Alongside his educational career, Dan continues his passion as a stage and television actor, bringing a unique creative perspective to his educational approach. He lives in the suburbs of Chicago with his brilliant wife, brave daughter, and ever-curious dog. (Pronouns: he/him)

As the Operations and HR Manager, Dena brings over 10 years of higher education and education technology experience where she excelled in building processes and growing teams. She is excited to enhance The iCenter with culture-building initiatives, systems improvement, and people operations. Dena holds a Master of Social Work degree from The University of Maryland Baltimore and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from The University of Kansas. She is excited to pair her professional experience in education with her connection to Israel. Dena found her connection with Israel while participating in the former URJ Eisendrath International Exchange (EIE) program in high school and growing up at URJ OSRUI as a camper, counselor, and unit head. Dena lives in Northbrook with her husband, two boys, and a dog named Matzah.

Denny was born and raised on Kibbutz Kfar Hanassi in the Upper Galilee. She spent a few years of her childhood experiencing the jewish community in New Jersey. Her Journey through Judaism and Israel took part in many programs such as: Camp Tawonga in SF, Diller Teen Fellows, Shnat Sherut in Ayalim on the Gaza border, working in Bina (TLV), and many more. During her army service she had a position in the Education Corps, guiding soldiers that came with difficult backgrounds. Before joining The iCenter, Denny worked as a coordinator for the Diller Teen Fellows in Rishon Lezion and The greater MetroWest partnership. On top of that Denny was a Community manager at the “Haachim” company in Tel aviv.

Elana is the coordinator for Chicago’s shinshinim hub, a program that brings young Israelis to North America to volunteer, teach, and enrich our Jewish communities. Growing up, she spent her summers at the URJ OSRUI summer camp, where Israel and Hebrew became a central part of her identity. Elana lived in Israel for a number of years as well, and went on to serve in the Israel Defense Force’s Education Corps. Before joining The iCenter, Elana worked as a Jewish educator with numerous organizations in Israel and the Chicagoland area, as well as in Chicago’s theatre scene as an actor and writer. Elana holds a BFA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Born and raised in Israel, Elisheva developed strong Jewish and Israeli identities. Elisheva got her Bachelor in Social Work from Bar Ilan University, and her Master in Nonprofit Management from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and practiced different managerial positions in various organizations in Israel such as Kesher (a center for families of children with special needs), Gvanim (a rehabilitation center for adults with mental disabilities), the JDC, and the Israeli Friends of the Weizmann Institute of Science. Elisheva is excited to work with The iCenter as an Educational Experience Producer and combine two of her passions—Israel and high-end productions. Elisheva lives in Deerfield with her husband and their four children.

Israel has been central to Erika’s identities for almost as long as she can remember. Since 2015, she’s had the good fortune of being a member of The iCenter team lending her talents to multiple facets of the organization, from publication production, to data management, financial development, and program management. Currently, Erika serves as the Program Director for The iCenter’s Graduate Degree in Israel Education in partnership with The George Washington University where she has the opportunity to work daily with the current and future movers and shapers of Israel education.

Erika has extensive nonprofit experience with expertise in the areas of strategic development, program management, and communication. Previously, she served as the Director of the Association of Israel’s Decorative Arts (AIDA) at the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies. Prior, Erika served as a Program Manager at Heartland International, an international development organization and she began her career as a Research Assistant at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. She received her MA in International Relations from the University of Chicago and her BA in Middle Eastern and International Studies with a minor in Hebrew from Emory University.

Originally from Belarus, Ilana grew up in Nahariya, Israel. In addition to her BA in Political Science and Education, she holds an MBA in Social Entrepreneurship from Ben-Gurion University. Ilana is extremely passionate about education and community development. With a focus on teens in Israel’s periphery, she led educational programs and teams at a variety of social organizations. In 2019, Ilana launched an initiative for empowering families with young children to reconnect with nature. Today, the community has over 7000 active members and continues to grow. Ilana is very excited to join The iCenter and inspire and connect its multiple communities of learners and change agents.

Jake is excited to be a part of The iCenter, where he infuses his lively camp counselor spirit into the realm of Israel education. Within The iCenter, he holds the role of Academic Program Coordinator for the iFellows initiative and the Graduate Degree in Israel Education at the George Washington University. In this capacity, he collaborates closely with both academic programs and The iCenter’s Experience Team to craft and execute in-person experiences and contribute to the expansion of The iCenter’s academic offerings.

Most recently, Jake was the Community Experience Specialist at Hillel at Arizona State University, where he planned and executed all of Hillel’s large-scale social programs, oversaw all of their student-facing marketing, and led Birthright Israel trips. Jake was a longtime camper and staff member at Capital Camps, where he served as Sports Director and led their inaugural Israel trip. A graduate of Tulane University in International Relations, Jake is a big fan of Tulane athletics (and sports in general) and is an avid baseball player and fan.

Kristy Scher joins The iCenter team as the graphic designer. She studied painting and sculpture at Illinois Wesleyan University where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts. Kristy then attended Rhode Island School of Design and earned a Master of Arts in Teaching that focused on art and design education. She thinks graphic design is the perfect career for her as it perfectly marries her meticulous self to her creative self.

Lori B Sagarin RJE has served as the Director of Congregational Learning at Temple Beth Israel in Skokie, Illinois, since 1995. She is the former president of the National Association of Temple Educators (now ARJE), and is also the past president of the Chicago Association of Reform Jewish Educators. In addition to formerly serving on the advisory boards for NEXTBOOK and Project Esther, Lori has served on the faculty of OSRUI since 1993. Lori completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin and a Masters degree in Jewish Education from Hebrew Union College. In 2009, she was awarded an honorary doctorate in Jewish Religious Education for 25 years of dedicated service in Jewish education.

Max is thrilled to be at The iCenter, where he works between the worlds of content and facilitation. Within The iCenter, he holds the role of Education Content Coordinator. In this capacity, he creates new educational resources, imagines creative opportunities for their use in real-world, in-person settings, and strives to bridge the two areas. Ultimately, his goal is to help everyone find their unique way into a life of learning and educating.

After graduating from Dartmouth College, where he focused his studies on the Middle East, religion, and linguistics, Max got his MA at Harvard University in Middle Eastern Studies. Before joining The iCenter team, he spent his summers working at Ramah Wisconsin as a counselor and Rosh Eidah.

Michael is a Senior Educational Consultant with The iCenter. Prior to that, Michael was the Vice President of Canada Israel Experience and Next Generation Initiatives at the Jewish Federations of Canada–UIA. In that role, Michael maximized the number of Canadian teenagers and young adults traveling to Israel on programs such as Birthright Israel, the March of the Living and high school/youth movement programs. Michael has been invited to speak all over the world on topics of the Israel experience, Birthright Israel, Israel and experiential education. Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts from York University, a Juris Doctor from Osgoode Hall Law School, a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto, and an Executive Master’s of Arts in Jewish Professional Studies from Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership. Michael is married to Rebecca, and they have a daughter named Jordyn and son named Joshua. In his spare time, Michael is studying Shotokan Karate and working towards earning his Black Belt. Stay tuned for updates.

Born and raised as part of the “Frozen Chosen” in Anchorage, Alaska, Mikayla’s Jewish identity and passion for Israel were developed at home and flourished after spending a year in Ashdod as part of Masa Israel Teaching Fellows. Before joining The iCenter in 2023, Mikayla worked in engagement and development at Hillel at Arizona State University and as a Hebrew / Judaics teacher at Congregation Beth Israel and Temple Emanuel in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Mikayla holds a Bachelor’s in Geology from Northern Arizona University, a Masters in Tech Management from Arizona State University, and a Masters in Israel Education from The George Washington University. At The iCenter, Mikayla pairs her passion for data-driven decision-making with her love of Israel Education by developing and implementing operational systems to further the impact of The iCenter. Mikayla lives in Skokie with her pups Cookie and Pancake.

Natalie Blitt is an educator and the author of two young-adult novels and three middle-grade novels. While Natalie claims that everything she knows in life she learned as a result of reading children’s books, she does understand that there are many ways to educate and inspire connections. A graduate of McGill University, she also has a Journalism degree from the University of King’s College in Halifax, and is now pursuing a master’s degree at The George Washington University in Israel Education. While she’ll proudly fly the Canadian flag at any opportunity, she currently lives in Skokie, IL, with her husband, Rabbi Josh Feigelson, and their three sons.

Or grew up in Hod Hasharon in a secular Israeli home with Iraqi and Ashkenazi Jewish traditions. She is a certified Israeli Tour Guide, has an MA in Israel Education through the George Washington University and The iCenter, and a BA in Israel Studies from the University of Haifa. Before moving to the States, Or lived in Jerusalem, where she was involved with several social initiatives, focusing on LGBTQ+ life and feminist culture. She then spent three years as an Israel Fellow at the University of Michigan, where she played a key role in engaging students and fostering a deeper understanding of Israeli society, politics, and culture. Today, Or lives in Deerfield, IL, with her wife, Tilly, and two children, Maya and Yonatan.

Rachel See started realizing Israel was going to be a central part of her life after her first Israel experience at the age of eighteen. Her relationship with Israel led her to the world of Jewish education and to The iCenter as a participant in the first cohort of the Master’s Concentration in Israel Education (iFellows). Rachel holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from UC Berkeley, an  M.A. in Jewish Education and an M.A. in Jewish Nonprofit Management from HUC-LA, and is honored to have graduated as part of the first cohort of The iCenter’s Masters in Israel Education at The George Washington University. She currently serves as the Director of the iFellows Master’s Concentration in Israel Education at The iCenter. Originally from LA, Rachel lives in Buffalo Grove with her husband, two very Chicago-native kids, and dog, Theo(dor Herzl).

Shalom is a senior educator with The iCenter, and serves on faculty for the Foundation for Jewish Camp. Prior, he served as the AVI CHAI Project Director for the training of staff returning to summer camps in North America, and Director of Education in the Shlichut and Israel Fellows unit for the Jewish Agency. He is a member of the International Education Committee of Taglit-Birthright, has served as a consultant for the Jim Joseph Foundation, JUF Ta’am Yisrael and the Jewish Peoplehood Committee and teaches a course in experiential education at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Shalom was the Central Shaliach for USY from 1992 -1995. He was also a scholar on the prestigious Jerusalem Fellows Program, following which he was the Executive Director for Jewish Renewal at the UJIA in England. Shalom is an acclaimed public speaker on contemporary Israel who brings extensive knowledge, humor and passion. He recently served as a month-long scholar for United Synagogue in Chicago and at the Park Avenue Synagogue in New York. He has published articles on Israel and Jewish education in The Times of Israel and eJewishPhilanthropy, and delivered an ELI Talk.

Shalom is still in awe of the fact that we can speak about the ‘State’ of the Jews! He is the son of a Holocaust survivor who grew up in the company of aunts and uncles of the closest type albeit not family. Their experiences, Yiddish banter, humor and optimism very much shaped who he is.

Rabbi Yehudit Werchow was born in Argentina and grew up in Israel. She holds a BA in Political Science and Literature from the Hebrew University and a M.A. in Religious Education from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in New York. She was ordained at HUC-JIR in Jerusalem. Previously, Yehudit served as the Director of Israel Engagement for the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) in North America, as the Jewish Agency’s Senior Shlicha for the Reform Movement in North America and the UK, and as the Director of Education for MASA.

Yotam Wolk is the Jewish Agency Senior Shaliach (emissary) with RootOne & The iCenter. He grew up in Haifa, Israel, as the youngest of three. Upon concluding 3.5 years military service in the anti-aircraft corp as a sergeant major, Yotam spent several summers working in Jewish summer camp, as well as training other Israelis to become summer camp staff through the Jewish Agency. Yotam also served as the Jewish Agency Israel Fellow to Yale University.

Yotam holds a BA in International Affairs and Communications from Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and an MA in Israel Education from the George Washington University. Yotam currently resides in Chicago with his wife, Nitsan.