Frana Baruch is a graphic designer, teacher, artist and mom.  She has been teaching art for many years as part of the Temple Beth-El Religious School and High School; as well as giving art instruction for special programs such as Mitzvah Day, Seventh Grade Workshops, as well as Adult Education.   Frana is a graduate of Pratt Institute, where she majored in Graphic Design and minored in Illustration. Frana is proud to be a member of The Tivoli Artist's Co-op www.tivoliartistsco-op.com, and shows her work often at that gallery as well as other venues. Feel free to visit Frana's studio during The 2011 ArtEast Studio Tour on 10/22 to 23, 11am to 5pm.

Rabbi Rena Blumenthal is the Assistant Director of the Office of Religious & Spiritual Life and Rose & Irving Rachlin Adviser to Jewish Students at Vassar College.

Lewis Brownstein is Professor of International Relations at SUNY New Paltz. Professor Brownstein has taught at New Paltz since 1968 and has specialized on Israel and the Middle East since the mid-1970s. He has made numerous trips to Israel and the territories over the years after teaching International Relations at Hebrew University in 1974-75.

Naomi Kamlot has been teaching Hebrew and Bar/Bat Mitzvah students for over 25 years. She is the author of “Basic and Easy Hebrew.”

Rabbi Neal Joseph Loevinger is the spiritual leader of Temple Beth-El. Rabbi Loevinger was ordained in 1999 as part of the first graduating class of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies. He graduated with academic awards in Jewish studies and a letter of distinction from the Talmud faculty.

Miriam Rubin recently retired after serving as the TBE Education Director for 18 years. She previously taught in the Religious School for many years and served as the president of the congregation. Mrs. Rubin is one of the synagogue’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah tutors. She is a magna cum laude Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Brandeis University.