Education Staff
Director of Early Childhood Education – Roanne Miller
Roanne Miller has been the Director of Early Childhood Education at Congregation Beth El since July, 1999. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Rhode Island in Child Development and Family Relations and has taken numerous graduate courses in the field of Early Childhood. In addition to directing our Nationally Accredited Preschool and leading our Early Childhood congregational holiday programs, she is on the Board of Directors of Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism, an affiliate of the Union of Reform Judaism,where she serves as their treasurer. Roanne is also actively involved with the Sudbury Early Childhood Advisory Committee and a board member of the Metro West Jewish Day School.
Find out more about Beth El’s Preschool.
Director of Education
Rabbi Judy Spicehandler was raised in a rabbinic family with a particular passion for education and for the Hebrew language. She spent the latter half of her childhood in Israel, where her father was the dean of the Jerusalem branch of Hebrew Union College. After serving in Tzahal (Israel Defense Force), and spending a year at Kibbutz Tzelim, she studied art at the University of Chicago (BA 1976) and at the Art Institute of Chicago (MFA 1999), and was a professional artist before shifting her focus to Jewish education. Rabbi Spicehandler comes to Beth El with 18 years of experience in Jewish education, interrupted only by four-year tenure as a student at Hebrew Union College, where she was ordained in 1999. Although her most recent school was quite large (close to 700 students) she has also served in smaller schools, and enjoys the opportunity they provide for true engagement with all of the children and their families.
Find out more about Beth El’s Religious School.
Youth Educator
Rachel is a recent graduate of Ithaca College where she majored in Planned Studies (Non Profit Organizations: Focus on Jewish Communal Life) and minored in Jewish Studies.
Rachel’s life has been steeped in Judaism, from receiving special recognition as the first student to graduate from Prozdor and Gann Academy to her life long involvement in Camp Young Judaea as a camper and eventually Program Director.
Rachel’s enthusiasm and commitment to helping youth connect with their Jewish identity will be an asset to our education program and we heartily welcome her to our community.
Find out more about Beth El’s Youth Groups.
Education Coordinator – Beth Schine