Esther Leah Marchette – ATARA Co-Director; Singer-Songwriter – Boston, MA

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 

Judy Winegard – Actor, Singer, Comic – Los Angeles, CA

Judy Winegard was classically trained in the performing arts at Ithaca College having been awarded her BFA in Drama. She has performed in musical theater for over 25 years having performed in such productions as Jekyll and Hyde, West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, 

Rachel Vernon – Dancer – Toronto, CAN

Rachel Vernon has been training and performing in modern dance since the age of four, and over the past 20 years has had the privilege of working with many of Toronto’s leading modern dancers and choreographers. Rachel has performed in various Canadian cities, including Calgary, 

Chana Shavelson – Singer

Chana Shavelson received her vocal training from Elizabeth Coss, a former principal artist with the Metropolitan Opera; Mark Aliapoulios, at the Boston University School for the Arts; and Miriam Meltzer, at the Jerusalem Rubin Academy of Music. Chana has attended the Tanglewood Institute and appeared 

Peninnah Schram – Storyteller, Author – New York, NY

Peninnah Schram, well-known storyteller & author, is Professor of Speech and Drama at Yeshiva University’s Stern College. Vibrantly elegant in her storytelling, she tells Jewish stories of wisdom and wit. Her latest book is an illustrated anthology, THE HUNGRY CLOTHES AND OTHER JEWISH FOLKTALES (Sterling 

Ashira Morgenstern – Composer, Author – Israel

Ashira Morgenstern composed/released the first recording of original music by and for Jewish women in 1983 under the guidance of Rav Sheinberg of Torah Ohr and Rav Nachman Bulman. A close student of Rebbetzin Chaya Sara Freifeld, a”h, she was the founding director of Tapeynu, 

Leah Levy – Filmmaker

Leah Levy is a new up and coming filmmaker. Her films capture her struggles, adventures and fears as she journeyed into frumkite. After receiving a Bachelor’s of Art’s in Sociology from the University of Louisville, Kentucky, she came to New York and worked in music. 

Marilyn Lechtman – Dancer, Designer – Toronto, CAN

Marilyn Lechtman began ballet training at Les Grand Ballet Canadienne in Montreal and continued studies in jazz and modern dance. She taught and performed for a number of years before turning her artistic expression to clothing and costume design. In 2005 she debuted her one-woman 

Tziporah Miriam Halperin – Singer – New York, NY

Tziporah Miriam Halperin, Mezzo-soprano, has appeared in concert and in a wide range of opera roles with companies around the U.S. including the Caramoor Festival, West Bay Opera in Palo Alto, Opera Theater of Connecticut, and the Sanibel Festival. Noted especially for her dramatic flair 

Ariella Goldberg – Singer, Songwriter – Toronto, CAN

Ariella Goldberg is a singer-songwriter originally from Beverly Hills, California. She tours communities in Canada and the US performing a dramatic musical program From 90210 to 613, a musical rendition of her odyssey from secular Beverly Hills to life as a Chassidic woman. As she 

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 

Rachel Factor – Singer, Dancer, Actress – Jerusalem, Israel

Rachel Factor is a Kollel wife and mother who makes her home in Eretz Israel. Her journey from Hawaii, where she was born, to Los Angeles and then New York as a singer, dancer and actress and finally to her home in Yerushalayim is chronicled 

Chava Schneider – Guitarist, Singer

Chava Schneider was born and grew up in Chelsea. Both her parents were involved in music professionally- her father taught high school music and her mother played in orchestras locally. From an early age, Chava studied choir and piano, but immediately loved guitar. She was 

Katia Bolotin – Pianist, Composer, Arranger, Singer

Katia Bolotin, a pianist, composer, arranger and vocalist, is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University and The Cleveland Institute of Music. She holds a Master’s degree in musicology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She lectures and performs both nationally and internationally. She is 

Phyllis Blackman – Singer, Songwriter

Phyllis Blackman comes from a musical family and has always been in chorales and musical groups, receiving honors for her vocal performances. She has been part of the recording groups Blue Spectra and Dubie Duke and the Duchess. Phyllis composes and sings her own music 

Rivka Nahari – Partner.  Pianist, harpist, opera soprano – Brooklyn, NY

Rivka Nahari – Partner. Pianist, harpist, opera soprano – Brooklyn, NY

Rivka Nahari has had many years of training and performing experience in both music and dance. She began her ballet training at the age of 3 and studied in the pre-professional program at the Academy of Nevada Dance Theater where she continued until her graduation 

Shoshana Auerbach – Singer-Songwriter, Piano Instructor and Music Therapist – Brooklyn, NY

Shoshana Auerbach – Singer-Songwriter, Piano Instructor and Music Therapist – Brooklyn, NY

Shoshana Averbach, LMSW, MA, MT-BC, LCAT, released her debut CD, The Time is Coming. Her CD features original healing songs in a variety of styles, in English and Hebrew, as well as instrumental piano compositions. Her songs foster a deeper connection with the Creator and 

Shaindel Antelis – Singer-Songwriter – NY-NJ

Shaindel Antelis – Singer-Songwriter – NY-NJ

Shaindel Antelis has been singing ever since she learnt how to talk, and started writing her own songs at ten years old. From when she was a young girl she dreamed about releasing an album of her own. Well that day has finally come. Shaindel 

Rivka Lomiansky Watters – ATARA Founding Member; Actor, Singer, Dancer – Toronto, CAN

Rivka Lomiansky Watters has been a professional performer for over 15 years and has a tremendous amount of training in acting, dance and voice. She has studied at the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, as well as at the Toronto-based comedic 

Henye Meyer – ATARA Founding Member; Writer, Director – Manchester, UK

Henye Meyer, a writer and theatre director in Manchester, England, has two published novels and an upcoming work to appear shortly as a serial in Hamodia. She has written articles for the BBC, Jewish Observer, Jewish Tribune, and the Jewish Homemaker, as well as comedy 

Amy Guterson – ATARA Contributing Board; Film writer and Director – Pittsburgh, PA

Amy Guterson – ATARA Contributing Board; Film writer and Director – Pittsburgh, PA

Amy (Gordon) Guterson has her BA from Stern College, Yeshiva University, where she was the school’s first theatre major. She studied acting with Uta Hagen, and Mike Nichols, and has trained intensively in improvisation with Paul Sills. Amy is a graduate of The New Actors