“Dr. Mike” and “Morah Zehava” work together with Rabbi Jensen as Youth Directors for the GNS program. Before coming to Great Neck, they were living in Silver Spring, Maryland. They have three daughters: Tsofia (5), Miriam (3) and Tehila (brand new!) who are active members in the youth program.
Zehava, a native of Great Neck grew up attending Great Neck Synagogue and the North Shore Hebrew Academy. As a child, Zehava enjoyed both the social and spiritual aspects of the youth program at GNS and always felt a strong connection to it.
Zehava attended SKA for High School, Midreshet Moriah in Israel and Stern College for Women. Afterward, Zehava earned her Master’s degree from New York University’s Steinhardt School of Education. Zehava is a speech-language pathologist and works with children of all ages. Zehava is musical and artistic and enjoys developing creative strategies to engage children in the learning process.
Dr. Mike hails from Edison, New Jersey, where he attended Rabbi Pesach Raymon Yeshiva. After graduating from the Jewish Educational Center, Dr. Mike studied in Israel at Yeshivat Reishit Yerushalayim and Yeshiva University. He earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from Argosy University in Washington D.C. where he specialized in therapy for children and adolescents. Dr. Mike is currently the Director of Student Support Services and counselor at Torah Academy of Bergen County (TABC) where he enjoys helping students navigate personal, social and academic challenges.
Together, Dr. Mike and Zehava have always been active members of their community. While in Silver Spring, Dr. Mike taught in the Hebrew School and served as a youth counselor for Kadima the Conservative youth organization. Zehava started a monthly learning program for young women. Together they assisted in Aish HaTorah D.C.’s High Holiday minyan and program. They also participated in Project Inspire, which trains already observant individuals to bring others closer to Judaism.
Dr. Mike and Morah Zehava enjoy running activities and programs for GNS youth that keep our synagogue an exciting and awesome place to be!