Our Team

Orna Sonnenschein

Director

Orna began teaching Hebrew school in 1992 after returning home from a year in Israel, and she has been involved in Jewish education ever since. After receiving her master’s in NEJS at Brandeis University she worked as an assistant principal with Rabbi Cheri Koller-Fox in Cambridge. She then became the Education Director at Temple Beth Am in Framingham where she worked for 10 years. Since then, Orna has worked as the director of education at a Reconstructionist congregation in West Roxbury and as the Director of Elementary Education at Temple Israel in Boston. 

Orna was hired as the school director for Congregation Or Atid, of Wayland, in 2018. The following year, Temple Beth Sholom of Framingham merged their Hebrew School with Or Atid’s—and that’s how the Jewish Learning Collaborative of Metrowest was born! 

“We are proud to be a pluralistic school that welcomes any child (and family) that is curious about and wants to explore their Judaism,” shares Orna. “We are committed to the well-being of children and their parents.”

Orna’s dedication to designing meaningful yet fun experiences in the classroom and encouraging social and emotional growth—while nurturing the development of self and identity is at the core of all she does.

Adam Rifkin

Teacher, Gr. 4/5 (Shevet Torah)

Since 2017, Adam Rifkin has been a committed Jewish educator in our community. He graduated from Brandeis University, having studied Psychology and music, as well as Near Eastern and Judaic Studies. As a lifelong member of Temple Beth Sholom, he is happy to be continuing his work at the JLCMW! He is also involved in youth services and blows the shofar. Outside of religious school, Adam is in his final year of a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Regis College.

Hannah Solby

Teacher, Gr. 2/3 (Shevet Shalom)

Hannah Solby has been so happy to be JLCMW’s Grade 2 & 3 teacher since 2023. Originally hailing from Toronto, Canada, she came to MA to pursue a Masters Degree in Child Studies and Human Development from Tufts University. Since graduating, she has worked in Early Intervention as a Developmental Specialist, working with children under three. Her goal as a teacher is to empower and prepare children to be active members of their Jewish communities. With a balance of curricula teaching Torah stories and Jewish history, Holiday traditions and services, and Hebrew, she hopes to provide students with the foundation they need as they continue in their religious education.

Carol Vinci

Teacher, Pre-K/K/Gr. 1 (Shevet Bayit)

Carol Vinci has been teaching school for over 40 years and Hebrew School for over 25 years. She has taught Hebrew School grades pre-K to 6, mostly at Congregation B’Nai Torah. She is also a special education teacher for the town of Framingham. She attended and received her Bat Mitzvah from Temple Beth Sholom in Framingham.

“I have successfully (well relatively speaking) raised three wonderful children and just love giving back now,” shared Carol. “I want to give our students a solid foundation of learning—and a love of learning (while having fun!) that they can carry with them all through their life, just like I have! On top of that, I hope to give them a love of Judaism to have for the rest of their lives.”