Congregational School Staff

Holli Goldenberg

Congregational School Director,
Zayin (Grade 7), Tot and Teen Coordinator

Holli is an accomplished educator by profession. She is currently working as a district administrator within the school district of Philadelphia, where she oversees the English as a Second Language program at multiple schools. Holli has extensive experience in both formal and informal Jewish education and has a background in theater. She is also our current teen leadership and social programming coordinator.

Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer

Congregational School Curriculum Development
 and High Holy Day Family Services

Gabrielle began her work with Mishkan Shalom as a teacher in our school in 1998 and considers Mishkan to be one of her spiritual homes ever since! Her husband, Fred, and their children, George and Jeremy, have also been part of the Mishkan community for many years. Gabby is now the curriculum creator for the Mishkan school and also leads children's services for the High Holy Days.

Gabrielle is well-known as an author and Jewish educator whose work focuses on spirituality, creativity and disability. She is the proud recipient of the 2022 Covenant Award and currently edits the Jewish Disability Inclusion News. Gabrielle also leads Feed Your Spirit Writing, facilitating expressive writing workshops focused on spiritual curiosity and also writes a Substack called "Journey With the Seasons," a weekly practice of meditative reading, expressive writing prompts and deepening practices.

Maura Brody

Gan, Aleph, Bet (Grades K-2)

Maura is in her first year teaching at Mishkan, but her sixth year teaching professionally. She graduated from Temple University in 2020 with a Bachelor's in Middle Grades Education and Gratz College in 2023 with a Master's of Education in Equity and Inclusion. She currently teaches 7th and 8th grade math at Shafer Middle School in Bensalem Township School District, where she is also the cheerleading coach! In her free time, Maura enjoy arts and crafts, reading, writing (she is working on a novel), hanging out with her dog Tillie, and staying active in various Jewish community organizations servicing young professionals.

Amy Goldman

Gimel, Dalet (Grades 3-4)

Amy joined our teaching staff in 2020 and has extensive experience in Jewish education, having previously taught at Narberth Havurah, Main Line Reform Temple in Wynnewood and Temple Sinai of Dresher. She loves the creative arts and cooking — two passions that she’s already brought to her students at Mishkan. Amy is a graduate of Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania.

Noah Strauss

Hay (Grade 5)

Noah is in their first year teaching at Mishkan Shalom. They are a writer, educator and community organizer. They have a degree from Gratz College in Judaism and Human Rights and hope to become a rabbi. This summer, Noah served as assistant director at the children’s camp at the National Havurah Institute, a national pluralistic lay led Jewish community. Noah is a 2025 alum of the Tribe 12 Fellowship, in which they launched their oral history project, "Living Shiva, Living Shomar: Connective Tissue." Noah is fluent in Arabic, Hebrew and American Sign Language.

Cantor David Acker

Vav (Grade 6)

David holds a master's degree in cantorial studies and Jewish music from Gratz College as well as music degrees from Temple University’s Esther Boyer College of Music and Swarthmore College. He is also a candidate for a master's in Jewish education at Gratz College. Prior to teaching at Mishkan Shalom, David served as cantor and music specialist at Congregation Ohev Shalom (Wallingford) and Or Shalom (Berwyn). At Mishkan he has led clubs that created and performed plays and raps for Hanukkah, Purim, and Passover, as well as storytelling and trope clubs.

He enjoys singing all kinds of music, including opera, musical theater and lieder as well as liturgical music. David is drawn to teaching in the synagogue because within it he experiences the whole gamut of Jewish life: prayer, education, b’nai mitzvah preparation, life cycle, and community.