Senior Administration

Ofra has been part of the Schechter LI Family since the early 1980’s. Ofra completed her studies at the Beersheva Teaching College and the Ben Gurion University of the Negev and began her journey as a Jewish Educator. After many years of teaching Judaic Studies and Hebrew at Schechter, Ofra became the middle school assistant principal for grades 6-8, then the upper school assistant principal for grades 6-12, before becoming Principal in 2014. Ofra received the Janus Korczak Educators Award and was honored at the 2011 Schechter LI Gala. Ofra practices what she preaches and all of her children have received their education at Schechter LI.

Mr. Thorgersen brings to our community 25 years of teaching high school English courses. Additionally, he has taught freshman composition, research, literature, and rhetoric courses in colleges and universities including Yeshiva University, SUNY Suffolk, and CUNY York. These experiences helped him build Schechter’s senior-year College Writing course, which prepares our students for higher education and affords them one of several opportunities to earn college credit while still in high school. His background in writing for and producing professional children’s theater informs his speech and drama courses and his experience as a writer and editor for local newspapers and magazines aids in advising for our own journalism programs. More recently, Mr. Thorgersen earned his certification as a school building leader; he now also serves as dean of the high school and as a supervisor for new faculty. His doctoral work focuses on the use of games and gameplay as learning tools.

I have been a dedicated educator for over thirty-one years. As I retire from Long Island public schools, I aim to combine my two passions, Judaism and education, at Schechter, an excellent Jewish educational institution. I am delighted and fortunate to be joining such a talented faculty where kindness, generosity, and making the world a better place are the values embraced and embedded in the educational program.  I look forward to joining you and sharing in the school’s commitment to providing children with a diverse and individualized academic environment while fostering a culture of thoughtful acts of caring and good will.

I am a lifelong learner, and I enjoy instilling this value in my students as well as other educators. I hold a bachelor’s degree from Stony Brook University with a major in psychology and a minor in Spanish Languages; a master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from Long Island University, Post Campus; a second master’s degree in School Counseling also from LIU, Post Campus; a post master’s degree in Educational Leadership from CUNY Queens College; and a doctorate in education in Foundations of Leadership and Policy Studies. I also hold certifications in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, Grades K-12, Teacher of Spanish, grades 7-12, School Counseling, School Building Administrator, and School District Administrator. 

I began my teaching career at J.W. Dodd Junior High School in Freeport.  I then moved on to become a guidance counselor at Walt Whitman High School, then the Assistant Principal of Pupil Personnel Services at Baldwin High School. Within the Baldwin School District, I then became Director of Curriculum, Grades Pre-K-12.  Finally, I will be ending my public-school career as Assistant Principal of the Middle School where I also have the distinct honor to oversee a variety of programs. I am proud to have created a successful and rewarding teacher-mentoring program in the middle school.   

My husband and I have two sons, Ari and Jacob, and two dogs. We are very proud of our sons: Ari is a sophomore in college, and Jacob is finishing the eighth grade.

Elizabeth joined the Schechter LI Family in 2021 as the Director of Admissions and Community Outreach. Not only did she bring with her over ten years of experience as a real estate attorney, but she also has an extensive background as an independent fund-raising consultant for Jewish nonprofit agencies. Elizabeth loved her involvement in Jewish Day school growing up, and as a current Schechter mom, passes this on to her children. In her free time, Elizabeth loves working out and is an avid runner, always ready to spring into action for a good cause and to share joy.

I’ve been a staff member at the Schechter School of Long Island for the past 22 years and absolutely love it here. I started working at SSLI full time the Monday following my college graduation with a B.S. in Business Administration, and SSLI quickly became my home away from home. As the Business Director, I handle financial matters such as tuition, aid, grants, and I am the lead professional contact for many of our school’s vendors.

Outside of Schechter, I’m a mom to a 13-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son. My days away from SSLI are mostly filled with spending time with my children whether it’s heading to after-school activities, the beach, or visiting family.  If I’m not spending time with my kids, you can find me testing new recipes and diving into a novel a few minutes at a time.

Lori has been a familiar face at SSLI for over 15 years, is a long-time member of the SSLI community, and is the proud parent, along with her husband Steve, of two SSLI alumnae. She has served on numerous SSLI committees and has been an active parent volunteer for various Schechter programs and events since 2006. Lori is also widely known in the broader Long Island Jewish community. She developed an expansive network of contacts during her tenure at the Sid Jacobson JCC where she served as Operations Coordinator for the Center For Israel and, among other responsibilities, coordinated the Shinshinim (Israeli emissary) program for Long Island and Queens. Lori is also a former litigation attorney, who practiced law for more than 12 years at a mid-size private Manhattan law firm. She enjoys hosting family and friends for Friday night Shabbat dinners and other gatherings in her home, cooking creative new recipes, reading, and practicing yoga in her personal time.

Josh graduated from Binghamton University with a BA in History and Economics. He continued on to receive his master’s of science in physical education from Hofstra University. Josh is a Schechter LI alumnus who graduated in 2011 and came back to coach various sports. He has now been coaching volleyball for the last 8 years and teaching physical education for the last 4 years. Josh was appointed Director of Athletics in 2023 and is looking forward to expanding the efforts of the athletic program.

For Chana, it all began in high school when a friend asked her to help out at an event for young adults with special needs.  That was it.  She had found her academic, professional, and personal path and went on to pursue her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Special Education.

Chana comes to Solomon Schechter with over a decade of varied experiences that include working with a wide age range of students in a variety of settings.  She has taught and supervised staff in public and Jewish day schools, Camp Ramah’s Tikvah Program, as well as social groups for individuals with special needs.  She has worked privately with students providing them with extra academic and other support.  She has collaborated with families to design and prepare her students and their families for a meaningful and attainable bar/bat mitzvah.  Chana has also designed and launched inclusion programs in large Hebrew schools that ultimately influenced the way their congregations adopted a synagogue-wide approach to inclusion.

I am Art Mandel and am one of the college counselors. I have been a college counselor for over 30 years and have traveled from coast to coast, and from Canada to our southern border visiting over 350 colleges and universities, meeting with admissions officers and students. I have also been the Director of Guidance for the Roslyn School Districts where I built and directed the counseling program from K-12. I hold three advanced degrees and attend a variety of conferences to ensure that Schechter is a state–of–the–art school. My greatest joy is working with students to find the right college fit where they realize their dreams and will thrive as they prepare for their future.

Coming soon…