EDUCATION DIRECTOR

Emily has a masters in education, achieved National Board Certification in Teaching, and has 15 years of experience in public education. She took on the role as the education director of B’Yachad Oakland Mills Jewish School in the summer of 2023. With her two children as a part of the B’Yachad community, Emily has dedicated her time and energy towards building an engaging program rooted in Jewish values and growing the B’Yachad community.

CLERGY & B’YACHAD BOARD MEMBER

Hazzan Stephanie Weishaar has served as the Spiritual Leader of Kol Nefesh congregation in Columbia, Maryland, since 2014. Prior to her work in Jewish music, she earned a degree in international relations and spent many years in nonprofit development in Ukraine, Russia, and the US. Stephanie’s volunteer work has centered around interfaith collaboration, education, and the arts. After raising two wonderful children, she followed her dream to study in seminary and was ordained by ALEPH in 2021. Stephanie lives on a farm in Clarksburg with her husband and their two ridiculous dogs.

CLERGY & B’YACHAD BOARD MEMBER

Rabbi Michael Hess Webber has served as the spiritual leader of Columbia Jewish Congregation in Columbia, MD since 2021, when she received her ordination from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. Before becoming a rabbi, her life was a wild and holy adventure - earning her degree in archaeology and working as a traveling pizza maker in Israel. Born into a multi-faith family, Rabbi Michael advocates for Jewish folks with interfaith and intersectional identities - seeking to create safe spaces for all within Jewish community. She lives in Catonsville, MD where she loves to paint and dig in the dirt. She is oozing with love out of her eyeballs for her husband, Scott, and little one, Billi.

B’YACHAD BOARD MEMBER

Nate serves on the B’Yachad Oakland Mills Jewish School Board of Directors as a representative of Columbia Jewish Congregation. The father of two B’Yachad students (one current, one graduate), he is enthusiastic about the promise of a community Jewish school that can be a welcoming, fun, and educational space for all kinds of Jewish children and families in the area. In his day job, Nate works to promote youth justice reform at the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Nate and his family live in Catonsville, where he and his wife, Nancy spend lots of time cheering on their boys on the basketball court, baseball diamond, and soccer field.

B’YACHAD BOARD MEMBER

Jennifer is a member of the B’Yachad Oakland Mills Jewish School Board of Directors, serving since its inception. With nearly two decades of experience in education, she has previously served as a preschool teacher, Jewish school teacher, as well as a Jewish school director. In 2011, she was honored by the Howard County Jewish Federation for her dedication to secure the future of the Jewish family in Howard County. Jennifer is deeply passionate about instilling a love for Judaism in the next generation and believes in making learning engaging and fun!  Jennifer enjoys traveling, baking, and painting. 

B’YACHAD BOARD MEMBER

Andy is a member of Kol Nefesh. He is a retired military officer who is currently working at his wife's law firm as a Legal Assistant and Notary Public.

Andy volunteers his time with multiple organizations including Scouting America as a member of Baltimore Area Councils' Committee on Jewish Scouting. He is also a certified firearms instructor and merit badge counselor for Scouting America and an Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 851.

As a veteran, Andy contributes time to multiple area veterans organizations.  Andy was appointed the Officer of the Day for the Jewish War Veterans of the United States for the Department of the Mid Atlantic and Israel and is Vice Commander of Post 888 of the Jewish War Veterans.  Andy also belongs to several other veterans organizations including the Special Operations Association of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7472, and Disabled American Veterans Chapter 13.

If you are interested in any of these organizations or activities please contact Andy.

B’YACHAD BOARD MEMBER

Jenn (Jennifer) is a member of the B’Yachad Oakland Mills Jewish School Board of Directors as a member of Kol Nefesh. She has been on the board since spring of 2025. Her daughter is a student in the program.

Jenn was drawn to the school to give her daughter a community that will allow her to explore and gain an understanding of the religion, Jewish values, and culture. Jenn feels it is essential to utilize different mediums and learning strategies to help nurture learning in each student. The program aligns with one of Jenn’s core values that allow everyone to contribute to gain the most out of every experience.

Jenn is an occupational therapist working in mental health with adults for twenty plus years. She grew up and currently lives in Columbia. In her spare time, Jenn enjoys game nights, crafting, and going on adventures near and far.