People

Gabe Axler, Director of High School Programs is a Chicago native and has worked at Shorashim since 2006. Gabe has helped to shape our Club Israel program and our Hebrew enrichment, and is currently the Director of High School Programming. Gabe is currently getting his masters degree from Spertus college in Jewish Professional Studies and was recently married to the beautiful Ravit Greenberg.

Shahar Gal, Shaliach and Program Coordinator was a guide for countless Taglit-Birthight Israel programs and the Shorashim High School Program before he came to Chicago. His passion for youth education started as a branch leader in the Hanoar Haoved movement in Israel . In the army, he served as an infantry solider and worked with detached youth. Shahar is a  licensed and accomplised tour educator in Israel, but somehow ended up in the Chicago winter!... but not before he married Lee Perry Gal  (another Shorashim educator).

Udi Krauss, Educational Coordinator for Israel Programs is an alum of the Shorashim High School program (1994) and works as a senior educator and trip leader. He is a graduate of the Rimon School of Music and for the past six years has been working with the Israeli singer/songwriter, Eric Berman. Since its inception in 1999, Udi has led over forty Taglit-Birthright Israel trips (in addition to dozens of other programs), where he seeks to combine his passions for music and informal Jewish education. 

Aaron Lipkin, Interim Israel Office Director is an alum of Shorashim’s High School program (1992 – Brosh rules!!) and has staffed at Machaneh Shorashim, in 1998 and 1999 and many Taglit-Birthright Israel trips.  Born and raised in Jerusalem, Aaron became a manager in Shorashim's Logistical Operations in 2001. During his army service, Aaron was in the Intelligence Corp., and later graduated Hebrew University in Jerusalem with a degree in International Relations and Jewish Thought. Aaron is married (to Etty, also a Shorashim alumna) with four children (future Shorashim alumni) and lives in Ofra, Israel.

Sharna Marcus, Director of Taglit-Birthright Israel Programs, as a program director at Shorashim, handles all things Taglit-Birthright Israel. She is also an educator at Shorashim focusing on staff training, curriculum writing, innovative program development and teaching about Israel through social media. Sharna is in perpetual motion, so don’t try and record her teaching, she will only make you dizzy.

Yossi Nameri, Educational Manager for Israel Programs is one of the founders of Shorashim and has been leading American and Israeli groups (as CCP, Shoresh, and Shorashim) since 1979. Born in Haifa and raised in Kiryat Yam, Yossi served as combat medic during the War of Attrition and Yom Kippur War, before he was promoted to an officer. He has a masters degree in Political Science and Land of Israel Studies from Haifa University. For 15 years, he worked with Melitz and has served as the Youth Delegate of the Jewish Agency in Ukraine and Latvia.

Adam Stewart, Director is an alum of the Shorashim High School Program (1990) and has led many high school and Taglit-Birthright Israel programs. Adam is completing his Ph.D. in History at Loyola University Chicago and lives in Chicago with his wife and three children. Adam is also an educational consultant to The iCenter.

Michal Tamim, Program Coodinator for Israel Programs was born in Beer Sheva and raised in Lehavim and currently lives in Kfar Varburg, Israel. In her army service Michal Served in the Nahal brigade as a commander, and later graduated with a law degree from Tel Aviv University. Michal has been working with Shorashim since 2007 as a logistical coordinator for all Shorashim groups, and is also the special projects coordinator for our joint JNF programs, including the Alternative Winter and Spring Break Programs.

Linor Vaknin, Program Coordinator began working at Shorashim after finishing her B.A. at the University of Iowa where she studied Communication Studies and Art and received a Certificate in Entrepreneurship.  After completing her degrees in Iowa, she moved to Evanston, IL and began working with Shorashim. Coming from an Israeli family background, but being raised in Ames, Iowa, she was eager to be a part of a greater Jewish community and work in Israel education. Linor stays busy when she’s not at Shorashim. In her spare time you can find her doing yoga, reading memoirs, seeing live music, and volunteering and working at CLIF Bar or with Jewish youth.