Partial List
- Annie Orenstein – Partner. Producer, Radio host, writer – Maale Adumim, Israel - Annie has been producing shows for women in the arts since 2007. She is the cofounder of Spotlight On Women and is the host of Spotlight On Women Radio which is aired weekly in Israel, featuring music by women for women as well as other women producers and professionals of different fields. Annie also writes articles featuring artists in the Jerusalem Post and the Jewish Press. Annie, originally from Brooklyn, NY, made Aliyah in 2003… Read more
- Kerry Bar-Cohn - Kerry Bar-Cohn, aka “Rebbetzin Tap” teaches children to love being alive and being Jewish! Kerry has been singing and dancing since childhood. Together with her husband Rabbi David, she creates educational videos with catchy songs catchy and life affirming messages. They have touched thousands of Jewish children’s lives, inspiring them and bringing them joy. They currently live in Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel and are the proud parents of four sons: Daniel, Ilan, Bentzi and Yeshaya.… Read more
- Leah Chwaiewsky Bassett – ATARA Founding Member; Dancer and Theater Artist, Medical Clown – Toronto, CAN - Leah (Chwaiewsky) Bassett has trained in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Modern and Musical Theatre at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Academy of Dance in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Leah has performed in a wide variety of productions throughout Western Canada and had the privilege of assisting in choreographing the opening and closing ceremonies of the Pan Am Games. Leah participated in the first ATARA Conference in 2007 and became an early active ATARA board member. Read more
- Gayle Berman – Singer – Israel - Gayle as Deborah the Prophetess/ Photo by Rebecca Kowalsky Gayle Berman is an internationally recognized soprano, having performed as soloist throughout North America and Europe. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin, where she was a Metropolitan Opera Auditions Winner, she went on to perform leading roles with companies such as the Rome Festival Opera, Lake Geneva Opera Festival, San Antonio Opera, Boston Academy of Music and Madison Opera, as well as a soloist with… Read more
- Bracha Daniel – Singer, Dancing – Jerusalem, Israel - Bracha Daniel has been performing since she was 10, when she made her first debut in the Raise Your Spirits Theatre production of Joseph. Since then has been onstage for every RYS production and in various shows all over Jerusalem, including ones held in Beit Hillel, AACI, “Encore,” and more. While singing and dancing is her obsession, Bracha works as a reflexologist, a dental assistant and an abuse prevention educator for Tahel. Read more
- Darcie Davida Giborah – vocalist, songwriter, music industry administrator – Modiin, Israel - Darcie (Davida Giborah) Nicole is a vocalist, songwriter, music business consultant, and publicist in the R&B/Soul idiom. Compared vocally to the likes of Chaka Khan, Teena Marie, Ann Wilson, Etta James, and Mary J. Blige, Davida Giborah is a classically trained coloratura soprano, her earliest inspiration into music comes from her mother Surah Batyah, z"l, a folk artist, and her grandfather Levi Yizchak Vladimer, z"l; a WWII-era jazz bassist who played with Tommy Dorsey and… Read more
- Ana Elya – Songwriter, Composer, Singer – Nachlaot, Israel - Ana Elya writes, composes, arranges and performs original texts and melodies, along with traditional songs in Hebrew, Yiddish and Ladino. Born near Paris, Ana Elya was raised in a secular French culture touched by a Hassidic spirit. As a cheerful and athletic little girl she creates her first shows for family and friends. Through the beauty of the Holy Days, music and Shabbat songs, she discovered Jewish practice and started to embrace it at the… Read more
- Adina Feldman – Singer, Songwriter, Choreographer, Director, Teacher – Jerusalem, Israel - Adina is a Singer/Songwriter/Choreographer/Director and teacher with a successful career as a performer in the U.S. and Israel. Adina has performed everywhere from New York’s Town Hall to the Israel Festival in Jerusalem and has created three highly successful one-woman shows. In March of 2013, Adina had the honor of performing the American National Anthem for President Barak Obama in Jerusalem on the occasion of his historic speech and visit to Israel. Trained in New… Read more
- Chanale Fellig – Singer, Songwriter - Chanale Fellig is a singer, songwriter, recording artist and performer whose melodic and moving songs open the hearts and touch the spirits of women in communities everywhere. Her powerful performances excite and inspire all-female crowds in places as far as China, South America, Alaska and Israel, in schools such as Bais Yakov, Bais Rivka, and TAG. Her career began in 1999 when she was invited to sing for “Women in Song,” a concert that featured… Read more
- Sharona Florsheim – Choreographer, Improvisation Artist – Israel - Sharona Florsheim is a choreographer and improvisation artist based In Israel. In her choreographic work she brings together complex structures of improvisation and set material, emphasizing the relationships formed in real time between space, performers, and audience. Her recent work includes: The Big Game (2012), Connectivity Practices (2014), Noa's Secret of Infinity (2015) Fragile Formation (2016) and The One Hand Sound (2017). Her artistic work, presented in Europe, Africa and regularly performed in Israel, is deeply inspired by… Read more
- Judith Gerzi – Songwriter, Singer – Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel - Rebbetzin Judith Gerzi, the soul-singer/songwriting sensation, is now touring with her début album, 'Awakening.' Originally from London, England, she now lives in Israel with her large family. With the voice of an angel, she has been called ' the Jewish Adele' and 'the white Whitney Houston'. She'll take you from joy, to tears, to laughter... all in one show! Judith Gerzi was born in London England and made aliya with her busband rabbi Yehoshua Gerzi… Read more
- Yehoshua Gerzi – Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel - Rabbi Yehoshua Gerzi, the leader of the Pilzno Shul, spent six years with the Pilzno Rav, and received from him a tremendous amount of Torah learning and practical exercises that form part of a direct mesorah from the Baal Shem Tov. He plays 13 different instruments and leads a Friday night musical davening for his community. Read more
- Toby Klein Greenwald – Advisory Board. Theater Director, Writer – Efrat, Israel - Toby Klein Greenwald has founded, co-founded or directed more than 12 theater companies or educational theater projects. She is the artistic director of Raise Your Spirits Theatre (www.raiseyourspirits.org), in which capacity she has co-authored (lyrics) and directed musicals on Esther, Noah, Ruth, Deborah and the daughters of Tzelofchad (sole lyricist). She directed and script-advised the show Count the Stars in Gush Etzion in 2014 and directed Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for both Raise… Read more
- Elisheva (Ellen) Horowitz – Painter, Cartoonist, Illustrator – Maale Adumim, Israel - Elisheva (Ellen) Horowitz was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. She expressed an early interest in figure drawing and painting, coupled with an innate love of Torah and Israel. Encouraged by her parents, she took courses at the Cleveland Institute of Art and later went on to study painting and design at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Elisheva's paintings have been exhibited in Israel, New York, Boston, and San Francisco. She made Aliyah in 1986.… Read more
- Ina-Esther Joost Ben-Sasson – Cellist – Jerusalem, Israel - Since her immigration to Israel in 1989, Ina-Esther Joost Ben-Sasson has been the Principal Cellist and frequent soloist of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra IBA. German born, she studied with P. Fournier, S. Celibidache and E. Barenboim, after receiving her Soloist’s Diploma at the State’s Music Academy Hamburg (Germany). Having won top prizes, including the Diploma of the Tchaikovsky Competition, Moscow, and the 1st Prize of the International Cello Competition Belgrade, she has been in high… Read more
- Avital Macales – Singer, Songwriter, Actor, Improv Comedienne – Israel - Avital Macales is a singer, songwriter, actor, and improv comedienne, and has been performing for the past decade on various theater stages around Israel and on screen, in leading roles, including in Raise Your Spirits Theatre and WIT (Women-in-Theater) Modiin. She is a member of the ABSOLUTe Improv troupe and the Kolot Etzion women’s choir. In 2016 Avital co-founded The Women’s Performance Community of Jerusalem, a place where women can unite through the performing arts… Read more
- Esther Leah Marchette – ATARA Co-Director; Singer-Songwriter – Boston, MA - Esther Leah (Aviva) Marchette is a singer, songwriter and former cantor (before becoming a baalat teshuva in her early 20’s) with a B.A. in Songwriting from Berklee College of Music in Boston, and plays piano, guitar and percussion. Professionally, she has been working in the software industry for 20 years as a manager and technical program manager. She has led many large complex cross-functional programs, coordinated development and releases of new software products and IT… Read more
- Miriam Leah Gamliel, EdD – ATARA Founder/Director, Performer – Montreal - Miriam Leah (Droz) Gamliel is a thought leader with a doctorate in Educational Innovation residing in Montreal, Canada. In her early career, she studied musical theatre and performed principal roles before adopting religious observance. Once observant, she became a producer and arts administrator, instrumental in the formation and management of ATARA. Outside of ATARA, she has directed a feature film, participated in arts-based fellowships, and can be seen as a principal performer in shows by… Read more
- Gitty Porgesz – Choreographer, Dancer – Jerusalem, Israel - Gitty Porgesz is a choreographer/Dancer and Founder of Carmia Dance Group. Trained in classical and modern dance, contact-improvisation, choreography and Iyengar Yoga by some of the best teachers in the country. Gitty holds a diploma from Wingate Collage and has been teaching dance and movement for the past 13 years. Gitty has performed and participated as a creative dancer-choreographer for as many years. In 2011, as the director and choreographer for Carmia Dance Group, Gitty… Read more
- Emuna Bracha (Valentina) Recchia – Dancer, Composer, Writer, Director, Choreographer – Israel - Emuna Bracha (Valentina) Recchia was born in Italy in 1983. She wrote her first poetry and short stories at the age of 12. Subsequently she devoted herself to the study of dance in various schools, including the Broadway Dance Center in New York. As a result of the experience of living in New York in 2008, she wrote her first musical (Le Favole Nel 2009) that was performed in its native region (Basilicata). She wrote the story,… Read more
- Michal Shababo – Musician, Composer - Michal Shababo is an academically trained musician and composer who recently released her first international commercial album, Breathe it in. Her album is a work of love and passion, a collection of folk-rock original songs that tell a story of unity, hope and peace. She is proud to be a recording artist, music educator and mother of two. Read more
- Batya (Taylor) Shachar – Actor, Dancer – Matityahu, Israel - Batya (Taylor) Shachar is originally from Boston, but moved to Los Angeles for her formative years. In LA, she worked behind-the-scenes in the music industry. She also performed in a few plays and was a part of a sketch comedy group at Theatre East in Studio City, CA. She loves writing “songs” (poems until they are complete!). Batya has a real knack for the performing arts which she mostly realized during her time in seminary… Read more
- Shaked Sebag – Dancer, Choreographer – Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel - Shaked was born in Israel and raised in Arizona and has been training in dance since she was 3 years old. After becoming baalat teshuva in college in arizona, and finishing her degree in education for the arts, and made aliyah with her husband and first child. She was an instructor at Rachel Factor’s studio in Jerusalem before moving to Ramat Bet Shemesh and opening the RBS Dance and Music Academy together with Jezliah Villarreal… Read more
- Shaked Sebag – Dancer, Choreographer, School Director – Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel - Born in Israel and raised in Arizona, Shaked has been dancing since she was 3 years old and has never stopped. After becoming baalat teshuva in her first year of college in Arizona and finishing her degree in education for the arts, she made aliyah and soon after opened the RBSDMA together with Jezliah Villarreal in 2010. This is her 5th year running the academy as the solo Creative Director and she is so honored… Read more
- Batya Yehudit Shrager – Musician – Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel - Batya Yehudit Shrager has a BA in Music Performance from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. Upon graduating, she spent a year at Neve Yerushalayim seminary in Har Nof. That year, she joined the Ron Shulamit Conservatory Orchestra and helped form their Woodwind Quintet. Seeing all the musical opportunities for religious women and having fallen in love with Israel, she decided to make Aliyah. Over the next few years, Yehudit performed and taught clarinet in Aviv… Read more
- Aviva Speigel – ATARA Contributing Board; Dancer – Tzfat, Israel - Aviva Speigel founded and produces the Tambourine Dream Festival in Israel. She also produces many other events and celebrations for women in Tzfat, Israel, and teaches dance improv, creative art workshops, and “Gym-dance-Shticks” for women and girls. Aviva is passionate about connecting women together so that we can help each other to move deeper into connection with ourselves, each other, and haKadosh Baruch Hu. Prior to making aliyah, Aviva co-directed the Chabad House Jewish Student… Read more
- Sarah Spielman - Sarah Spielman is originally from London and made Aliya to Israel 17 years ago. When she made Aliya, she earned the “Outstanding Artist” award, the highest ranking award for a new immigrant granted by the Ministry of Absorption. Sarah received her vocal training at some of the world’s leading conservatories. While earning her BA in Russian and Italian from the University of Cambridge, she pursued her passion for music and Judaism. She graduated from the… Read more
- Inbar Tabib – Singer, Dancer, Actress – Israel - Inbar Tabib, an Israeli born (American raised) female Orthodox singer, is one of the leading professional singers today, performing in Israel and abroad in various women's events and conventions. Inbar sings in different styles and musical genres, for example: religious upbeat & dance songs, quiet neshama (soul) songs, chasidish and mizrachit, along with her own original songs which she wrote, composed and produced. Aside from her native languages Hebrew & English, Inbar also sings in… Read more
- Yael Unterman – Poet, Author, Actress, Bibliodrama – Jerusalem, Israel - Yael Unterman was born in Jerusalem, Israel. She grew up in Manchester, England, and returned to Israel at the age of 18. In addition to spending several years on advanced Torah studies, she earned a BA in Psychology/Talmud (Bar-Ilan University), and Masters degrees in Jewish History (Touro College) and Creative Writing (Bar-Ilan University). The many hats she wears include: Poet Author Actress Life Coach Teacher & Lecturer Translator & Editor Bibliodrama Facilitator Her first book… Read more
- Jezliah Villarreal – Musician, Dancer – Israel - Photo by Rivka Rischall Jezliah Villarreal is a singer/songwriter/musician/dancer and the co-director and co-founder of the RBS Dance and Music Academy located in Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel. Jezliah was born into an Evangelical Christian home that observed the Sabbath. Her father was the pastor of a Latino church in Austin, Texas. Her parents and family are from Mexico and settled in South Texas in their youth. From a young age, Jezliah showed tremendous interest in the performing… Read more
- Yona Yakobovitz – Drummer, Composer, Arranger, Band Leader – Israel - Yona Yakobovitz, a presenter at the 2018 Atara conference in Jerusalem, is Tofaah's drummer, leader, and its founder. She composes and arranges the majority of the band's music. She studied drums and percussion from the age of five and played the piano from age six. After getting her degrees in music and education, she moved to Israel from Saratoga Springs, New York in 1981 to attend seminary. There, she befriended and played with other young female musicians and decided to… Read more
- Audelia Zagoury – Singer – Tzur Hadassah, Israel - Audelia Zagoury, from Tzur Hadassah, a performer at Atara's 2018 Jerusalem conference, made aliya with her family 13 years ago from Morocco. She graduated from the classical vocal department of the Rubin Academy of Music and Dance. She sang as a soloist in the Ankor Choir for the president of Italy Bralosconi in 2009. Audelia participated as a choir singer for the Israeli Opera in an opera by Puccini under M. Zubin Mehta's baton in the… Read more
- Sarah Zier – Singer, Musician – Jerusalem, Israel - Sarah Zier began her piano studies at the age of three. She added voice and ballet classes to the mix, and soon knew that she was to be a lifelong musician. Wanting to earn a degree and teach music as a career whilst staying within a frum environment, Sarah began her undergraduate studies in Israel at Levinsky Teachers College and the Ron Shulamit Conservatory, where she is currently finishing up a Bachelor of Education degree… Read more
- Tziona Achishena – Musician, Singer, Songwriter – Israel - Tziona lives in Northern Israel, where she performs her moving original compositions and teaches singing, Torah, and prayer. She is a mulit-instrumentalist who plays guitar, piano, riq (a Middle Eastern tambourine), harmonium, and the Persian santur. After living in California, performing improvised music with free Jazz giants such as Charles Gayle, and producing story-theatres and an album of original music, she returned to her Jewish roots and moved to Israel. She channeled her diverse background,… Read more