Temple Beth Torah - Religious School Staff

Religious School Staff

Temple Beth Torah is deeply committed to providing the best possible Jewish education to our children. Our Religious School program is very successful with 80% of students continuing their education after their Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Listed below is a brief introduction to our educational staff.

Dr. Robert Spitz is the Education Director at Temple Beth Torah.

Dr. Spitz grew up on the North Shore of Massachusetts. He attended Boston University, Hebrew College, and Salem State College. After teaching public school in Lynn, Massachusetts, and religious school in Wakefield, the Spitz family moved to NY where he taught in Bellmore public schools and Temple Beth El in Great Neck. He was encouraged to further his Jewish education at Hebrew Union College and received a Masters degree from Queens College and H.U.C. at the same time.

Dr. Spitz, informally known as Bob, received CAGS from Hofstra and Masters and PhD. from Pacific Western, and Columbia University.

Dr. Spitz served as Education Director in East Northport, Merrick Jewish Center, and Old Westbury before Joining the TBT family twelve years ago.

Our principal is serving on the Commission for Jewish Education at United Synagogue, METNY Region, is past president of his synagogue, and serves on their board. He is currently treasurer and past president of L.I. Principals Council, Vice President of National Federation of Men’s Clubs and he currently serves on the advisory commission of the Board of Jewish Education of Greater N.Y., Queens, Nassau.

Mrs. Shirley Cappell is enjoying a lengthy career in education, having taught both general and Jewish studies in the UK, Australia and the USA. Currently, our Tutorial Program is under Mrs. Cappell's direction.

Her education includes: Teacher certification in Jewish Studies from Gateshead UK; Bachelors in Education from Liverpool University UK; Masters in Reading from Adelphi University USA; and Reading Recovery Certification from NYU, USA.

Currently, she is a reading / literacy specialist at Oceanside School District NY and has been an Elemtary teacher; Head of General Studies at Lubavitch Day School in Chicago and Head of the Jewish Studies Department at Mt. Sinai College, Sydney Australia.

If you ever walk past a classroom and hear the teacher calling her students “honey, or sweetheart” or telling them that they are the best, chances are that you are passing Mrs. Glotzer’s classroom.

Mrs. Glotzer has been a member of the teaching staff at Temple Beth Torah for the past fifteen years. She has seen many children pass through the doors for the first time as scared students and, seemingly overnight, watch them leave as confident Bar and Bat Mitzvah young adults. One of her greatest pleasures is when students from the past come in to say hello.

Mrs. Glotzer has had many years of teaching, educational and life experience. She has a degree in elementary education from Brooklyn College, has participated in many hours of staff development courses offered through the Board of Jewish Education, and worked in nursery school, kindergarten and several other Hebrew schools. She grew up in an orthodox family on the Lower East Side and has always been immersed in Jewish traditions, culture and holidays. She loves to share stories with her students.

Mrs. Lisa Glotzer-Steiner has been Temple Beth Torah’s Bet teacher for the last 3 years. The Bet class is a hands on experience. They color, cut, glue, create and write their way through all of the Jewish holidays and bible stories. The children in her class are introduced to the letters of the Alef Bet. Miss Glotzer says they readily sing the Alef Bet song.

Lisa’s “real job”, as student call it, is teaching 1st grade in the Levittown School District. She has a degree in Elementary Education and psychology from Hofstra University, a Master of Science degree in literacy from C.W.Post. Certification is NYS pre-K-6th grade, and she has literacy certification as well.

Mrs. Levine is Temple Beth Torah’s Special Activities teacher and her duties include meeting with all classes Gimel through Vav each week. Activities include themed arts & crafts projects as related to upcoming Jewish Holidays, and cooking traditional Jewish foods with the students. Mrs. Levine works on all long-term projects with the teachers and students, and assists Dr. Spitz with special programs.

Mrs. Levine is certified N-6 and has a Masters Degree from SUNY at Stony Brook. She taught in the Half Hallow Hills School District and is currently a substitute teacher at Commack High School

Mrs. Reiner has been teaching Kindergarten and Alef class at TBT for the last several years. Besides her work at TBT, she is currently the Hebrew Literacy Teacher at the Sid Jacobson JCC in Roslyn. In the past she has taught Judaic and introductory Hebrew classes.

She is recognized as a creative and dedicated teacher of early childhood classes. Mrs. Reiner uses puppetry, storytelling, music, and Jewish values to encourage her students to learn.

Mr. Schwartzberg currently teaches our Daled and Vav class at TBT Religious School. He lived in Israel as a young boy before moving with his family to the Bronx.

Mr. Schwartzberg has a Bachelors Degree in Education and a Masters Degree in Counseling. He taught in the New York City School system for 32 years and has also taught Religious School at the Plainview Jewish Center for several years.

Orna Sheena is the facilitator of computer-based learning at Temple Beth Torah, as well as as Educational Program Director at UJA - Federation of NY. She holds a Master's degree in Instructional Technology from Touro College.

Orna integrates educational technology into classroom settings to enhance students' Jewish learning. She joined TBT staff as a Hebrew Teacher and served as coordinator of our fledgling computer center. She encouraged our growth in technology and worked to see the computer center developed in its new setting.

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