Ilysa Cooperman is currently serving as Youth Group Advisor for Temple Ahavat Shalom. Ilysa has been a member of the TAS High teaching staff since 1999. She has been a retreat counselor and also spent a year in our second grade program. Not only is Ilysa serving as our TASTY advisor, she is also the Retreat coordinator. Ilysa has been working in the public school system with special needs children for 11 years and is currently working on her degree in Child and Adolescent Development. Ilysa truly enjoys her time here at TAS and is proud to be part of the TAS staff. She is looking forward to spending many more years as a part of youth programing and the TAS family.

Rabbi Dalia Samansky is excited to be joining the TAS team after being ordained from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in May 2009. During rabbinical school she spent two years at Sha’arei Am Temple of Santa Monica, served as a Chaplain at Children’s Hospital, and participated in several interfaith conferences. Before entering rabbinical school, Rabbi Samansky graduated with a BA from Brandeis University, and then spent several years working in the Boston Jewish community, including serving as Director of Education and Family Educator. In 2003, she served on the Mazkirut board for the Conference for Alternatives in Jewish Education. In addition to her work in the Jewish community, Rabbi Samansky is very involved in her local community, volunteering for campaigns and serving as an elected Ward committee member (during her time in Boston). Rabbi Samansky’s thesis was a qualitative and quantitative study on programs focused on engaging young professional Jews in the Jewish community. Rabbi Samansky’s life is enriched by her wonderful husband Jason and their beautiful daughter Naomi.