Faculty & Staff

Midreshet Eshel’s staff of highly qualified Jewish educators have been hand picked to provide an exciting and challenging learning experience which combines textual study and inspiration. Students are encouraged to integrate their learning to real life. They will develop the necessary skills & love of learning to become independent life-long learners of Torah.

Rabbi Yosef Benarroch Rabbi, Sephardic Educational Center, Jerusalem. Born in Tangiers, Morocco, Rabbi Benarroch holds a degree in Education from the University of Manitoba, an M.S. in Jewish History from Touro College, and is a graduate of Mercaz Harav Yeshiva in Jerusalem. He was ordained as Rabbi by Machon Harry Fischel in Jerusalem. Rabbi Benarroch also served as the Rabbi for the Sephardic Community in Vancouver, Canada.
Miriam Tawil Founder and Director of Midreshet Eshel Miriam holds an M.S. in Jewish Philosophy from Revel at the Yeshiva University, and an M.S. in Jewish Education from Azrieli at the Yeshiva University. She was the Past Chair of the Jewish Philosophy Department at Magen David Yeshivah High School, and is the Executive Director, Barkai Yeshivah.
Mrs. Ilana Alouf Mrs. Alouf’s love of Torah study started at a young age. In high school she took extra curriculum studies in Bible and Hashkafa. Ilana had the privilege to take classes with great rabbis in Israel. I also completed my B.A. in psychology and Jewish studies in Touro College. In 2008 Ilana completed her Masters in Psychology in Industrial Psychology Human Relations. She then taught Jewish law and Hashkafa in Magen David Bible classes. The past three years Ilana has taught Hamesh Megilot in Alegra Francko seminar.
Anne Gordon Anne Gordon is currently pursuing a doctorate in Jewish Education, the natural accompaniment to her years of teaching experience, ranging from high school through post-graduate levels, in both the United States and Israel. Ms. Gordon has also directed the Summer Program at Matan in Jerusalem, and the Beit Midrash Program of Camp Morasha. She is a veteran of the Israeli batei medrash for women, and is an alumna of Drisha Iinstitute’s Scholars Circle. She holds an M.A. in Judaic Studies and a B.A. in History & Philosophy from Harvard University.
Dara Knapel Dara has a BA degree in Judaic Studies from Stern College and an MS Degree in Education and Special Education from Hunter College. Prior to making aliyah 5 years ago, Dara worked at Hillel Yeshiva High School and Shore Hebrew High School in Deal New Jersey. Since making Aliyah, Dara has worked at various one year midrasha programs in Israel. She lives in Bet Shemesh with her husband Rabbi Jason Knapel and their 5 children.
Rabbi Yisrael Krengel Harav Yisrael Krengel received Semicha from the Rabbanut HaRashit L’Yisrael, and holds a BA in Education and Psychology from the University of South Africa.
Rabbi Hayim Levy Originally from the Brooklyn community in New York, Rabbi Levy studied in the Yeshivat Hayim Berlin in Lakewood, NJ. He has a program located in the illustrious Kollel of Yehave Daat Jerusalem that prepares rabbis for the Diaspora, is the author of the Sefer Anshei Hayil, and is the Director of the Gosephardic Fellowships, which reaches out to hundreds of Sephardic Youth in North America. For nearly a decade he has been teaching Sephardic Halacha at Aish Hatora, Yesod Hatora, Ner Yaakov, and other yeshivot. He is one of the originators of the Sephardic Heritage program in numerous seminaries, including Shearim and Jewel. He made Aliyah 10 years ago and resides in Har Nof with his wife and children.
Rabbi Yonatan Magazzinich Born in Montreal, Rabbi Yonatan Magazzinich grew up in the Sephardic community in Toronto, Canada. As a child he attended the Or Haemet Sephardic School. Between school and his parents Yonatan was instilled with a very strong respect and appreciation for Sephardic tradition. He went on to graduate from Ner Yisrael Yeshiva High school and attended Mercaz Hatorah Yeshiva in Israel for close to three years. After spending some time in the Mir Yeshiva he married Julie Mergi of North Miami Beach, and was then accepted into the Yechaveh Daat Kollel under the guidance of Chacham David Yosef.
Tehilla Markovitz Tehilla Markovitz (Hayun) is has taught (and still teaches) in various seminaries and schools such as Machon Gold, Midreshet Moria and Israeli high schools beyond the green line. She holds a B.Ed in Judaic Studies and Education from Michlala College, and an M.A. in Jewish History from Touro College, Jerusalem.
Rabbi Yisrael Vaknin Rabbi Yisrael Vaknin is a Jerusalem native who studied at Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh. He then began his teaching experience at Midreshet Hadarom, followed by 15 years of teaching at the Barkai School in Kiryat Arba. Recently, Rabbi Vaknin and family spent 4 years on shlichut in Brooklyn, New York, teaching at the Barkai Yeshiva of Flatbush. Rabbi Vaknin is a teacher with the Misrad Hachinuch, and now brings his experience and expertise to Eshel.
Dina Coopersmith Dina Coopersmith holds a B.Ed in Tanach and Computer Science from Michlala College and a MS in Jewish Studies from Touro College, Jerusalem. Dina is the educational director of women’s learning, teacher and lecturer at Aish HaTorah, Jerusalem. Her 20 years of experience include teaching at Midreshet Rachel, Machon Gold and Be’er Miriam, among others. Dina moved to Israel at a young age from NYC and currently lives in Jerusalem.
Rabbi Barak Levy Born in Brooklyn, Rabbi Barak Levy grew up amongst the Sephardic community in NY. He learned in Yeshivat Hayim Berlin and Lakewood Yeshiva in the Unites States, and at the Mir Yeshiva in Israel. Rabbi Levy has been a prominent hazzan for Sephardic communities in both NY and NJ for 15 years. He made aliyah with his family in 2009 and currently resides in Har Nof, Jerusalem. He is the Director of the Sephardic Program at Yeshivat Baalei Daat in Jerusalem. His fields of expertise include Sephardic Jewish Law, Hebrew grammar, philosophy, preparation for marriage, and pathways in prayer. Rabbi Levy teaches in numerous schools in Jerusalem and lectures on the GoSephardic Fellowship programs.
Judith Fogel Judith Fogel holds an MA from Hebrew University, and a BA from Columbia University. In addition, she is an alumnus of the Midreshet Lindenbaum Bruriah Scholars Program, and is a certified kalla teacher through Moetzet Hadatit Gush Etzion. She is currently obtaining a degree as a Yoetzet Halacha at Nishmat in Jerusalem. Her teaching experience includes shiurim on Gemara, halacha, and Jewish women’s’ issues at Midreshet Harova, Machon Gold, and Tal Torah. Mrs. Fogel currently lives in the Gush Etzion area with her family.
Rabbi Jason Knapel Rabbi Knapel holds a B.A. from Yeshiva University, and an M.A. from Bernard Revel at Yeshiva University. He obtained his smicha from Yeshiva University. He served as Assistant Principal and taught at Hillel Yeshiva High School in Deal, New Jersey, for 9 years. He then made aliya with his family, and since then has taught at Shaalvim for Women for 7 years, and is currently serving as the Masgiach Ruchani for Yeshivat Shvilei HaTorah.