Dr. Ronald Wachtel ,Director
Dr.Wachtel is the founding Director of Kav L’Noar, made aliya together with his wife in August 2002, having worked for over 30 years as a school psychologist with adolescents in both Jewish day school and public high school settings in the United States. Dr. Wachtel, who holds a PhD in Counseling Psychology, directed a Career Mentoring program for high school students for over 20 years which was recognized as an ‘exemplary educational practice’ by New York State. He also developed several courses designed to enhance student decision-making ability, which were taught as an elective in the high school curriculum. Shortly before his aliya, Dr. Wachtel served as a leading advocate for offering parenting workshops as a prerequisite for keeping their children in a given yeshiva or day school. Dr. Wachtel was voted Counselor of the Year on Long Island by the Nassau Counselor’s Association in 1983-84 and is a member in good standing in Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology and Phi Delta Kappa, the National Honor Society in Education.
Rina Berkus, Clinical Supervisor
Rina made aliyah from Florida in 2007. She is a clinical social worker with many years of experience in therapy, clinical supervision and non-profit administration. She received her MSW from the University of Michigan and has additional post-graduate training in both family therapy and management of non-profit organizations. She is licensed as a clinical social worker in Florida, where she was the clinical director of Youth and Family Services for a large community mental health center. Rina worked primarily in community settings with children/youth and families and is committed to family therapy as a means of empowering parents to be more effective in that role. She has worked with all ages of children from infants to adolescents, with the goal of improving child-parent relationships and reducing emotional and behavioral problems.
Mrs. Sima Gordon, Mentoring Supervisor
Sima made Aliya to Israel in 1990. She holds a B.A. in Humanities, and has had training in psychodrama, narrative therapy, and working with abused teens. She has worked for the past decade with adolescents in Israel from Anglo homes. Seeing the special needs of this population prompted her to found an alternative High School that she ran for several years. Before joining Kav L’Noar she worked for the Jerusalem Municipality as a youth counselor and activity program director for the Charedi youth at risk division. There, she developed a community model for crisis prevention & intervention.
Mrs. Sharon Feifer , Assistant Administrator
Sharon made Aliyah to Israel with her family in 1983. She worked as a caterer in Har Nof and Efrat for 15 years. Mrs. Feifer worked as a volunteer at Kav L’Noar for several months before joining the staff in July 2005.
Joy Epstein, MSW, Family Therapist
Joy Epstein is a clinical MSW social worker with advanced training in Family Therapy from Pacific Coast Family Therapy Training Institute in Vancouver, BC, Canada. She has been a practicing psychotherapist for twenty years. She worked for six years as the Clinical Supervisor for the department of Social Services in Nefesh B’Nefesh. Prior to that she worked in agencies with children and teens at risk and families in Beitar Ilit, Jerusalem and Gush Etzion along with her private practice in Jerusalem and Efrat. Joy works with adolescents, young adults, couples and families helping them to address issues relating to adjustment, anxiety, depression, low self esteem, abuse and trauma. She also specializes in coaching parents of children with ADHD. Joy made Aliyah in 1998.
Dvora Litt , MSW
Dvora Litt made aliyah in 1996 from New York with her family. She holds a BA from Brandeis University and a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work. Dvora’s area of specialty includes time-limited dynamic psychotherapy with individuals, couples and families. Before joining KavL’Noar she worked as both a therapist and case manager for the Shalom Yehudah Community Mental Health Center and for Lemaan Achai. She also worked extensively with Olim Chadashim at Nefesh B’Nefesh.
Dovid Lessin , MA
After receiving a B.A. on Psychology from Yeshiva University, Dovid went on to complete graduate and post graduate clinical training as a family therapist at The Family Institute of Neve Yerushalayim . There he worked with a variety of clients, including individuals, couples , and families . During this time , he received specialty training in issues related to domestic abuse in the Jewish community . In additional to his work at Kav L’Noar ,He also serve as a Guidance Counselor at Yeshivat Shaalvim , where he works extensively with post-high school males ages 17 through early twenties . Dovid made aliyah in 2005 from Silver Spring ,MD.
