Full-Time Staff

David Weinstein – Director

David  started in Young Judaea as a camper at Camp Young Judaea – Sprout Lake the year it opened in 1976. He was a camper, kitchen boy, madrich and merakez at Camp Tel Yehudah as well as the former National Administrative Vice President and Education Director of Young Judaea. He attended Young Judaea Year Course 1982-83. During his 17 year “vacation” from YJ, David was a high school teacher, family educator, curriculum developer and educational consultant. He graduated from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!) with a degree in Judaic Studies and Political Science and has a master’s degree in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He also studied Jewish texts at Machon Pardes in Jerusalem. David met his wife, Amy, at Sprout Lake in 1976 and their two children, Mikaela and Kira, are now Judaeans as well. David returned as Director of Tel Yehudah in 2007 and is a graduate of the Foundation for Jewish Camp’s Executive Leadership Institute as well as a recipient of the Innovator Award from the Legacy Heritage Fund. He also serves on the education committee of Bnai Keshet in Montclair, NJ.

Jamie Maxner – Assistant Director

Jamie hails from Stamford, CT and started her Young Judaea career at the age of 10 when she spent her first summer at Camp Young Judaea Sprout Lake in 1992. Since then, she was hooked and continued on to attend Camp Tel Yehudah, Machon in Israel, and ultimately spent a year in Israel on Young Judaea’s Year Course (1999-2000).  While pursuing a degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University, Jamie couldn’t break from her love of camp and returned to Tel Yehudah as a staff member each summer. After graduation in 2004, Jamie’s planned move to Atlanta, GA coincided perfectly with an opportunity to work as an Area Supervisor for Young Judaea’s Southeast District. While she enjoyed her stint as a southerner and tested out a lot of sweet tea and barbecue, she was excited to return to NYC to assume the role of TY’s Assistant Director in 2008. Through her work, Jamie was selected to and recently completed the Foundation for Jewish Camp’s Yitro Fellowship for Assistant Camp Directors. She also enjoys cheese tastings and playing with the Dodgeballsamic Vinaigrettes, the perennial dodgeball league favorites.

Noah Wilker – Operations Director

Noah has spent the past 18 years participating in and working for Young Judaea.  While growing up in New Jersey, he was involved in year round activities, attending both Camp Sprout Lake and Camp Tel Yehudah, and spent time in Israel on Machon in 1996 and Young Judaea Year Course (1998-1999).  He attended Hofstra University and after graduating returned to Young Judaea, signing on as the area supervisor of the New York/Long Island regions.  In 2008 Noah was hired full time by Camp Tel Yehudah as Operations Director.  After years spent there as a camper and many summers working there, for him it was the perfect fit, and an opportunity to return to a place that he refers to as a “second home”.  In his spare time Noah plays music around the Northeast and has recorded three albums.  Playing music is a passion he also brings to camp.

Yelena Pogorelsky – Havurah Project Manager

Yelena immigrated to the Unites States with her family when she was fifteen years old. Settling in Brooklyn, New York she worked in the midst of the Russian-speaking community throughout high school and college.  Drawing on her experience as a camper in a JAFI summer camp in the Former Soviet Union she spent two summers working at a Jewish day camp and assisted in a pediatric medical office in the heart of Bensonhurst while getting her BA in Business Administration from Baruch College.  After graduation, Yelena spent five years at a major investment bank but decided to look for a more fulfilling career path with us here at Young Judaea, as the program director for Havurah at Tel Yehudah. Havurah is an innovative camp program for members of the Russian speaking Jewish community.  Yelena loves to travel, read and cook in her spare time.

Sharon Wahaba – Registrar

Sharon joined the Tel Yehudah family in 2007, after graduating from Binghamton University with a bachelor’s degree in sociology.  Sharon was born in Brooklyn, NY, where she was raised in a warm traditional Jewish home.  Growing up, she attended a Jewish school, reinforcing values taught at home.  After many years of attending day camp, she spent several summers working as a counselor in summer camps.  Sharon continued working with youth, throughout college, as a volunteer.  She joined a student led volunteer group that collaborated with social services, which took under-privileged children on weekly day trips.  While in college, Sharon also went on a Birthright trip, strengthening her connection to Israel.

Andrew Fretwell – Education Director

Andrew grew up in Randolph, New Jersey and has been a part of Young Judaea since becoming an active member of the Morristown Club as a high school freshman. Since then, he has served and led Young Judaea in multiple capacities: local, regional and national mazkirut (youth board), Year Course participant, and staff at Camp Tel Yehudah from 2002-present, and is currently the education director.  Andrew graduated from the UMass – Amherst in 2007 magna cum laude with a double degree in Political Economics and English, and worked for the UMass Writing Center as a collegiate tutor. He has also spent significant time as a full-time volunteer for multiple political (including presidential) campaigns. Andrew currently is a Brooklyn resident and enthusiast and claims to be a a Rebecca Quick historical expert. Andrew has also been selected to the Project inCite Fellowship, for professional Jewish educators, sponsored by the Jewish Education Project (formerly BJE – NY). He serves as the Director of Youth Leadership for Young Judaea when not at Tel Yehudah.