Staff

Sabrina Maleh

Chief Program Officer

Sabrina Maleh has been involved with the Magen David Yeshivah organization for over 25 years, in various capacities and holding different roles such as board member, writing teacher, Director of…

Norman Mandel

Associate Executive Director

Associate Executive Director Norman Mandel works to promote and enhance every aspect of the Center and has been doing so for over twenty years. Norman continually searches for innovative and…

Russell Willens

Chief Financial Officer

Russell Willens is an accomplished financial executive with over 30 years of experience in the accounting and finance fields. Russell started his career as a Senior Accountant at a public…

Aaron Rosenfeld

Chief Operating Officer

Aaron Rosenfeld comes to us with a rich background of Jewish communal experience. Always involved with Jewish activities from his youth growing up in the Deal, New Jersey area and…

Harry Chazanoff

Director of Youth & Family Services / Director of Day Camp

Director of Youth & Family Services and Director of Day Camp Harry runs all of the Center’s Youth Sports programs and events during the year. He supervises programs for as…

Carol Dery

Director of Group Fitness

Carol Dery is deeply familiar with the group fitness industry in New York City. She is a veteran of the trade and has spent much of her career serving as…

Lillian Ebani

Managing Director of Youth & Family Services

Lilian always wanted to teach. “I want every child to experience as many new things as they can, in a safe and nurturing environment,” says Lilian, the Center’s Assistant Program…

Hannah Elmekies

Admin Associate & Young Adult Coordinator

Hannah Elmekies, a graduate of Baruch College with a degree in Marketing Management, found her career trajectory redirected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A transformative trip to Israel post-October 7th ignited…

David Jolovitz

Director of Health & Wellness

David has been the Director of Health and Wellness for the Center since 2014, extending a health-and-fitness industry career that has included strength coaching, personal training and fitness management. Before…

Inbal Khabieh

Director of Education, Admissions, & Teacher Development

Inbal Khabieh has been with Early Childhood Special Education for over 10 years.   Holding a Bachelor’s in Political Science Inbal pursued a career in Journalism but found her passion…

Lisette Lalo

Director of Student Services and Program Operations

“I want to make a difference in children’s lives, help them succeed and reach their full potential.” Lisette’s dedication to her work as Director of Early Childhood Education is evident…

Aimee Mishaan

Senior Center Co-director

Before coming to the Senior Adult Department Aimee was the Director of Early Childhood Administration. “My passion for children is endless and to see them every day and watch them…

Jodi Nemet

Senior Center Assistant

Jodi Nemet brings over 15 years of experience in the fitness and wellness industry to her role as Senior Center Assistant. Her dedication to helping individuals move better, get stronger,…

Ashley Rosen

Senior Center Co-director

Growing up, Ashley’s grandparents were very much a part of her daily life, even until their last days at the ages of 94 and 95 years old. In fact, she…

Lauren Sakkal

Youth Services Admin

Lauren has been part of our Center family for quite a while now, and her love for our family stems from the love she has for her own family. “As…

Gaby Shimoonov

Assistant Director of Health and Wellness

Gaby serves as the Assistant Director of Health and Wellness at the Sephardic Community Center. Gaby first started working in the Center in 2015 managing the health spa. A year…

Kathy Shabot

Director of Arts & Culture

Kathy arrived at the Center in 2010 from a career in event planning and logistics for the hospitality industry. Those skills help her troubleshoot problems before they arise at the…

Julie Sherr

Director of Women’s Culture Club

Julie started out working at the Center quite a while ago – in the Early Childhood Dept as a supervisor for 20 years. But after taking a few years off,…

Dr. Samuel Torjman Thomas

Director of Musical Arts

Dr. Samuel Torjman Thomas is the Director of Musical Arts for the Sephardic Community Center. He oversees all music programming for Encore and for Encore Outreach. In addition to his…

Constantine Voytenko

Director of Aquatics

“Every student excels in the pool at their own pace, and I love being a part of their progress.” Constantine has spent his career teaching children how to swim –…

Rita Agarunova

Accounts Payable

After several years of hospital corporate accounting and handling different corporate responsibilities, Rita Agarunova joined our Center family. “From the start at joining the Center, I felt like I was…

Elina Fried

Controller

As Controller, Lina handles payroll, accounts payable and receivable, and human resources, vital services that support the Center’s work in the lives of our community. She works directly with the…

Mary Halabani

Marketing Manager

Mary is a dedicated Marketing Manager with a talent for crafting effective social media strategies. With an extensive portfolio in content creation and a proven track record of developing compelling…

Lilian Hasbani

Reception Desk Coordinator; Group Fitness Support Staff

Lilian’s always loved being around people. Before working as a receptionist in the building, Lilian was a morah for an Early Childhood program. “I’ve always enjoyed serving people in this…

Janice Mizrahi

Graphic Designer

“I love being able to see my work posted for tons of people to see. It gives me a sense of joy when others see what I create and appreciate…

Yaffa Nachmani

Registrar

Yaffa has been the Center’s Registrar since 1997, occupying a crucial administrative role that keeps the records straight for our hundreds of programs and thousands of members. She’s not afraid to try new approaches…

Carmen Sabbagh

Accounts Receivable

Carmen takes pride in selling the Center – its programs, trips, and even raffle tickets. “When our community comes together at the Center for an event, it makes me happy,”…

Milia Shacalo

Membership Associate

Milia has worked at the Center FOR THIRTY YEARS, and before that was professional administrative support for an interesting variety of employers, from freight forwarders to financial services. “I have always…

Greta Schwartz

Graphic Arts & Marketing Director

From an early age, Greta knew she wanted a career in the creative arts. So, she focused on her two favorite subjects while at Syracuse University — Graphic Design and Basket Weaving.…

Gentian Vata

Facilities Director

Gentian Vata finds immense fulfillment in his role as Facilities Director, largely due to the support and collaboration of his colleagues. With over a decade of experience managing residential and…