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September 7, 2009
Mallory Probert comes to the East Brunswick Jewish Center with a wealth of experience in educating both Jewish children and adults.
Probert took over as director of congregational and lifelong learning Sept. 1 following the retirement of Steve Solomon, longtime education and youth director.
“My goal is to build bridges, not erect walls,” said Probert of her philosophy in reaching out to adults, children, and lay and religious leaders.
Probert is former director of Long Island’s Florence Melton Mini School — a project of the Hebrew University — and J Learn, the UJA-Federation of New York’s Long Island adult learning initiative.
Prior to that she worked as a teacher and administrator at congregations in Manhattan and on Long Island.
Probert holds a master’s degree in public administration from Long Island University and received a fellowship from the William Davidson School of Jewish Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where she earned her master’s in Jewish education.
“I came to the East Brunswick Jewish Center because the thing I love the most is the creativity and energy of things that are transforming,” she said. “I’m at my best when there is an opportunity for creative change.”
While the synagogue already has a broad array of educational programs, new for the current school year are its Gan Israel kindergarten — open to both members and nonmembers — and a return of Mommy and Me classes, which were offered sporadically over the years.
The synagogue will also offer a Hebrew ulpan.
“We have an Israeli population in East Brunswick and the surrounding area who might also like to learn at ulpan on Sunday morning, and we would open it up to them to participate alongside other community members and teens,” said Probert. “We have teachers at our Hebrew school from Rutgers to put a fresh face on our program, as well as our best teachers from previous years.”
The focus throughout the year from the youngest children up will be Israel and developing a sense of Jewish identity through connection to the Jewish homeland, she said.
Probert has two dogs and three children — “all in college, so you should have rahmones [compassion] on me.”
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