Our Team
Ellie Rothstein
Chief Executive Officer
Ellie served as an educator in Yeshivos for many years, only to realize that there was a vital element missing from his students' educational milieu - an address for their emotional health needs. From there, Ellie began rigorous training in social work and multiple psychotherapy modalities which culminated in the founding of Shlavim, a grass-roots organization aimed at bridging the gap between yeshivot and the world of emotional health. As a part of this process, Ellie delved into the business side of running a not-for-profit. As Shlavim grew, Ellie's name became synonymous with the cutting edge of emotional health and running an effective not-for-profit. When he's not changing the conversation on emotional health, Ellie enjoys designing brochures and making chicken and waffles for his family.
Michael Friedman
Chief Operating Officer
Michael and his family made Aliyah in 2021 from New Jersey. He has a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) focusing on nonprofits and has dedicated his career to working with non-profits and helping others. Michael has significant experience in building programs, managing programs and working with diverse and large teams. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, playing video games and reading fantasy genre novels.
Gila Ashkenazy
Director of School Programming
With a robust background in social work and a passion for empowering individuals, Gila currently serves as the Director of School Programming at Kav L'Noar. In this role, she leverages a wealth of experience gained over 7 years as a Program Manager in Social Innovation at Yedidut Toronto. There, she was instrumental in addressing the challenges faced by olim through a comprehensive approach that included therapy, vocational training, and financial rehabilitation, enriched by her own transformative journey since making Aliyah from Australia in 2009.
Before making Aliyah, Gila had a distinguished career in Australia, focusing on youth at risk. She pioneered initiatives aimed at promoting social justice and improving access to health, employment, and educational resources for young people, setting new standards in the field.
Outside of work, Gila is an outdoors activities and craft enthusiast. Her diverse interests reflect a deep appreciation for creativity and exploration, both of which she brings to her professional endeavors.
Galina Dvoiris-Hasin
Director of Community Engagement
Born in Russia and from a very young age volunteered and worked in jewish community, where she gained extensive experience in the field of informal education and group work.
After graduating from University where she studied intercultural communications as well as German and English languages, she participated in the Masa Program studying community work and Hebrew language, and shortly after that made Aliyah in 2011.
In the first three years of her immigration, she managed to complete a master's degree in nonprofit management at the Hebrew University, and has dedicated her career to helping others across different nonprofit careers.
Galina lives in Jerusalem with her husband Daniel and 2 children - Naomi and Elisha.
Yonatan Sinclair
Lead Therapist Trauma Based Interventions
Yonatan Sinclair is a sexual couple and family therapist, a graduate of the Rotem Center. Has a master's degree in educational counselling from Bar Ilan University. Works at a private clinic, co-founder of Keshav - a centre for support, counselling and education on the subject of mental health in experiential education, guides youth line groups in the kibbutz factories in the Gaza Envelope, and treats post-traumatic couples at the Ministry of Défense's Magdalor clinic.
Yonatan is married to Orit, father of 4 children and lives in Gush Etzion.
Keren Damboritz
Lead Therapist Trauma Based Interventions
Psychotherapist (MA) and expert guide and counsellor in the mental health field.
Group facilitator in disaster areas with experience in supporting groups to build resilience and adaptability in the face of stress and trauma and helping develop coping strategies to navigate life's challenges.
Psychotherapist in private practice
Shayna Liba Walk
Digital Marketing
Shayna brings a unique blend of educational expertise and strategic communication skills to her work. She holds a B.Ed from Michlala Jerusalem College and has completed extensive content strategy training. Shayna's career is driven by her commitment to understanding her audience. This belief has helped her tailor lessons to individual students and now enables her to translate complex ideas into compelling messages.
Outside work, she enjoys spending time with her family in Kochav Yaakov and crocheting kippot.
Miriam Schechter
Lead Therapist Trauma Informed Therapy
Miriam is a MSW clinical social worker, who immigrated from Ukraine in 2009.
Specializes in mental health, holds a master's degree from Bar Ilan University. She is a program manager, professional instructor and owner of a private clinic. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Miriam has started working in the field of trauma treatment and has participated in several aid missions for refugees and evacuees. Since October 7, as a resident of the Gaza envelope, she has focused on helping residents of the south emotionally.
Tali Simckes
Administrative Manager
Tali Simckes made aliyah in 2009 and joined Kav L'Noar in 2015. She started as a Bat Sherut and has grown with the organization now serving as the Administrative Manager. Tali loves her job and cherishes the opportunity it gives her to make a positive impact in her own unique way. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking plant-based foods and spending time with her nephews.
Mendel Horowitz
Director of Clinical Development
Mendel is a psychotherapist, researcher, and author in Jerusalem who is certified by the International Board for Certification of Group Psychotherapists. His research interests include group therapy and the convergence of masculinity, loneliness, and faith. Mendel is also a founding member of United Hatzalah’s Psychotrauma & Crisis Response Unit in Israel and a member of the Public Outreach Committee of the American Group Psychotherapy Association. Mendel has facilitated workshops internationally on religion, masculinity and emotional isolation, and on intergenerational trauma, ambivalence, and avoidance in group dialogue. Mendel's popular essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Jerusalem Post, JTA, Forward, and his professional writing can be found in the International Journal of Group Psychotherapy and in “Addressing Diversity Dynamics in Group Therapy: Clinical and Training Applications” published by Taylor & Francis.
Hadas Schroeder Rohamim
Clinical Director - Jerusalem
Hadas Schroeder Rahamim is the Clinical supervisor at Merhav L'Noar by KLN and L'Merhav. She is both a clinical and educational psychologist. She graduated from Bar Ilan University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem with High Honors, and has continued throughout the years with extensive post-graduate training. Before joining KLN she headed a large team of psychologists in a Jerusalem-based center for Ultra-Orthodox families in special education. Together with goal-oriented, evidence-based advanced psychological methods she believes in an honest compassionate approach as the foundation of therapy. When she is not supervising our therapists, she enjoys time with her family.
Zev Ganz PhD
Clinical Director-
Beit Shemesh
Dr. Zev Ganz earned a master’s degree from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work of Yeshiva University and a doctoral degree from Smith College School for Social Work. He completed postgraduate training in Individual and Family therapy at The Family Institute of Neve Yerushalayim with a focus on working with young children and their families as well as the treatment of child sexual abuse. He is a certified practitioner of the attachment- based model Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), and has lectured and published widely on the topic of attachment and families. Zev currently serves as Rosh Tzevet of the Lamerchav/Kav L’noar mental health clinic in Ramat Beit Shemesh, is a clinical supervisor and instructor at The Family Institute of Neve Yerushalayim, a lecturer at Machon Shiluv, and maintains a private practice in Ramat Beit Shemesh and Jerusalem.
Milca Céline Adrey
Clinical Director - French
Milca Céline Adrey has lived in Israel for 20 years, clinical psychologist and anthropologist, she is passionate about issues of cultural change and migration. She supervises the team of therapists in the French-speaking branch of Kav Lnoar. She likes to understand the world around us, and to be able to make it a little happier.
"Whatever difficulties you encounter during Aliyah, the French-speaking team of Kav l'Noar will do its best to help you overcome them."
Naomie Keren
Program Manager- French
Naomie made aliyah from Paris when she was 18. She spent a year continuing her Jewish studies at Midreshet Lindenbaum, following which she completed a BA in psychology at Ariel University and an MSW at Hebrew University. Since starting at Kav L’Noar as a mentor in our new program for recent teenage French Olim. Naomie has worked to expand all of our French programming in several departments, eventually becoming deputy director of programming, utilizing her talent to advance Kav L’Noar’s services at all levels.
Sara Lederer
Lead Therapist - French
Sarah made aliyah at the age of 20 and has been working at Kav L'Noar since 2017
Since completing her Sherut Leumi in the service of victims of domestic violence and young children with behavioral difficulties, Sarah has never ceased to be committed to helping families in crisis, both as couples and as children.
Sarah is a graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Bachelor of Science in Education and Teaching and MSW Therapist Certificate) and the College of Management (Master of Family Counseling). She has also taken numerous complementary training courses (Family Mediation specialized in parental conflict, EFT Couple Therapy, Trauma Focus CBT, DBT, Psychoanalysis, etc.).
In recent years, she has also been heavily involved in facilitating and supervising the groups that Kav L'Noar sets up in schools, giving her a comprehensive approach to the child/adolescent and his or her environment.
Her solid training and experience make her a top-quality therapist who is equally working in French and Hebrew.
Margaux Azoulay Ricard Admin- French and School Programming
Margaux made Aliyah with her family in 2021. After many years of practice as a lawyer, she chose to focus on projects that made sense to her and joined the Kav L'Noar team. She supports the team in structuring and monitoring programs in schools and at our Jerusalem clinic. She is also responsible for the French department for monitoring the agreements signed with our donors and helping to develop our activities.