Our Story

In 2012, Jewish Kids Groups piloted an independent Jewish education model. We wanted to make Hebrew school FUN and to reach families who were not being served in the Jewish community. JKG started with just six children and has grown to over 250 at four locations! Our programs are designed for all types of Jewish families, including those from interfaith and unaffiliated backgrounds. The Jewish educational backgrounds of our students are diverse, and our teachers are trained to engage all students, making JKG a place children look forward to learning, making friends, and building Jewish identity.

Our Leadership Team

Leadership Team

Ana Robbins

Founder & CEO

Ana Robbins is a charismatic social entrepreneur who started Jewish Kids Groups (JKG) as a way to engage Jewish youth during the school year outside of the traditional Sunday school and Hebrew school models.

Maya Selber

Chief Operating Officer

Maya is an experienced team-builder, program-envisioner and culture-creator. She manages JKG's growing team, as well as influences strategy, systems and infrastructure needs.

Rachel Dobbs-Schwartz

Chief Innovation Officer

With over 15 years of experience in teaching, building curricula, developing leaders, and non-profit business systems and structures, Rachel has done it all, from teaching in the classroom to directing overnight camps, to facilitating institutional change management.

Trena Kennedy

Finance & Administration Director

Trena Kennedy is JKG’s Bookkeeper, manages JKG’s finance department, supports the Board of Directors and volunteer committees, and assists in development efforts.

Carly Reisman

Development Associate

As JKG’s Development Associate, Carly stays busy writing and managing grants, cultivating relationships, raising funds, and stewarding our generous donors.

Debbie Denenberg

Director of Program Operations

As JKG’s Director of Program Operations, Debbie is in charge of managing program operations for all of JKG’s Atlanta programs. She recently served as director of JKG’s Morningside Afternoon Community for four years.

Jordana "Joey" Heyman

Education Director

Jordana "Joey" Heyman has committed nearly two decades to Jewish education, working in both teacher and administrator roles in overnight and day camps, day schools, and youth groups.

Kendra Wolpe

JASA Cohort Director

Kendra is a trained coach specializing in executive function. Kendra is passionate about finding creative solutions for challenges in her clients’ work and personal lives.

Sydney Popsuj

B Mitzvah Program Director

Sydney is responsible for all things related to JKG’s two-year B Mitzvah program: the curriculum, managing the teaching team, planning community service trips, and leading our second year students’ group B Mitzvah ceremony. She is also in charge of all aspects of JKG’s robust Teen Leadership Academy.

Noah Auten

Program Director: Decatur

Noah runs JKG’s program in Decatur, and is committed to fostering a positive environment so students and teachers feel happy at JKG. Noah ensures that our kids are being challenged and engaged by providing experiential education opportunities.

Sivan Abada

Program Director: Sandy Springs

As JKG’s Sandy Springs Director, Sivan manages family communication, planning, curriculum development, team management, administration, and program initiatives. She has an extensive background in human resources management.

Jade Malka

Program Director: Brookhaven

As JKG’s Brookhaven Site Director, Jade brings her love of the arts to life! She has served in childcare for 8+ years, including being Lead Teacher and Assistant Director of JKG in Decatur.

Sarah Skoke

Program Director: Morningside

Sarah is the Director at JKG’s Morningside Afternoon Community location. Sarah offers a robust background in education, teaching, and management.

Meet Our Teaching Teams

We love our staff, students, and parents and work hard to constantly encourage and build them up because we absolutely couldn’t do what we do without them. Our team is authentically enthusiastic and do not take lightly their responsibility as role models for our kids. We empower our team, invest in them, and provide the resources they need to grow into the next generation of Jewish leaders.

Afternoon Community Decatur - Teachers

Featured

Gracie Wallace

Alana Wolf

Hannah Bogans

Lesley Upson

Afternoon Community Brookhaven - Teachers

Featured

Seday Abraham

DJ Katz

Afternoon Community Morningside - Teachers

Featured

Patti Gerth

Arielle Lerner

Nick Buzzutto

Sophia Cohen

Afternoon Community Sandy Springs - Teachers

Featured

Bean Beal

Moriah Solgan

Arielle Lerner

B Mitzvah Program and Teen Leadership Academy - Teachers

Leah Weingast, Teacher and Assistant Director

Seday Abraham, Teacher

Hayley Ellman, Teacher

Maya Torres, Teacher

Sophia Cohen, Teacher

Manny Goldin, Teacher

Joshua Schwartz, Teacher

Leo Rose, Assistant Teacher

Carson Kingsbury, Floater

Noah Cranman, Assistant Teacher

Join The Team

Our Board of Directors

Sara Beth Watson, Board President
Director of Tax Credits, MASSIE R&D

Andy Deutsch
Senior Brand Strategist, Google

Martha Berlin
Lay Leader, Jewish Community of Atlanta

Marc Azar
CPA/ABV, CVA | Partner, Tax Group Smith & Howard

Danielle Selber
Assistant Director, Tribe 12

Stephanie Abes
Lay Leader, Jewish Community of Atlanta

Roben Smolar
Senior Director of Communications, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies

Eliana Leader
Director of the Kaplan Mitchell Retreat Center, Ramah Darom

Jeff Kirsh
Retired Senior Managing Counsel, Customer and Commercial Leadership, The Coca-Cola Company

Josh Bornstein
Director of the Office of Safety, Security, and Asset Management and Chief Security Officer; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Arielle Orlansky
Director of Women’s Philanthropy, Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta

Katie Levitt Greene
Senior Product Designer, Flashtract

Jon Effron
Principal, Jon Effron & Company