Rabbi Shimon Lazarof

Executive director

Mrs. Chiena Lazaroff

Director and Principal of Judaic Studies
clazaroff@tdshouston.org

Mrs. Chiena Lazaroff was born in Tashkent, Russia. She lived in Paris, France before her family moved to America where they lived in Cleveland, Ohio. She attended The Hebrew Academy of Cleveland and graduated from Yavne High-School for girls.

She received her seminary teachers training at the Bais Yaakov Teachers Seminary in Brooklyn, New York. She has taught for forty-five plus years in New York, Detroit and Houston in Elementary Schools, High Schools and Adult Education classes. She obtained an Administrative License from the Department of Protective and Family Services, she is a member of the Professional Administrators National Credentialing, and attended the Principal’s Center at the Harvard Graduates School of Education.

Chiena Lazaroff has served on the board of the National Conference of the Central Organization for Jewish Education, spearheading the educational teacher training division. She lectures, nationally and internationally, on a broad range of subjects including the structure of the Hebrew Language.

She co-founded Chabad Lubavitch of Texas in Houston, Torah Day School of Houston and Camp Gan Israel of Houston. She has served as our Judaic Principal, curriculum developer and Judaic studies teacher since 1977.

Mrs. Chiena Lazaroff says “When we came to Houston people asked us what was our goal, our plan. We were there to create greater Jewish awareness and observances. How this was to be done, we had no idea. As needs arose, we rose to the occasion. It’s not the work of our hands, but the blessings of Hashem, conveyed to us through the Lubavitcher Rebbe and his love for each and every Jew. So many lives have been touched; it’s gratifying to see the second and third generation availing themselves of the Jewish education we provided and in turn, contributing to the community, as well. The Rebbe made us leaders, always urging us to greater heights. I feel privileged to have earned his confidence.”

Her children have graduated from Torah Day School and have gone on to become Rabbis, degreed professionals, project managers and one has served in the Elite Forces for the Israeli Defense Force. Several of her grandchildren are current students of TDS.

Rabbi Enan Francis

Assistant Head of School
efrancis@tdshouston.org

Rabbi Francis is an experienced principal and educator, joining us after leading the Southern CT Hebrew Academy for seven years. He also taught in various schools from Nest+M to the United Talmudic Academy. He graduated from Brooklyn College and attended YU’s Azrielli School of Jewish Education. He also received smicha at United Lubavitcher Yeshiva.

Rabbi Francis and his wife Gitty, an experienced social worker, have five children (KA”H) all of whom attended or are attending TDS.

Ms. Roben Lepore

Assistant Principal

Mrs. Shoshannah Bonn

Executive Secretary
sbonn@tdshouston.org

Shoshannah Bonn has a background in accounting, conference management, parks management, and nature education. After working in the front office and the school office at TDS, she has joined Rabbi Francis's office as his executive secretary. She enjoys reading, hiking, gardening, dancing, and Jewish holidays.

Ms. Devorah Hoffer

Front Office Manager

Mrs. Adina Metchik

Wellness Director, School Social Worker
ametchik@tdshouston.org

Mrs. Gila Barnett

3rd Grade Judaic Teacher
gbarnett@tdshouston.org

Morah Yaffa BarYam

Hebrew Language Teacher
ybaryam@tdshouston.org

Morah Yaffa has been teaching Hebrew and early childhood for over 30 years. She has been a teacher at Torah Day School since 1992, and taught Hebrew at Beth Israel's Religious School for 10 years, which she greatly enjoyed.

Yaffa completed her teaching certification from the Shine School of Education, a division of Bar Ilan University in Tel Aviv, for early childhood education and Hebrew as a Second Language.

Yaffa and her husband Kobi enjoy traveling, especially to Israel to visit family, and spending time with their daughters and grandchildren in Houston.

She greatly values her friendships, and makes time to meet with friends regularly.

Mrs. Menuchi Cagen

2nd Grade Judaic Teacher
mcagen@tdshouston.org

Rabbi Shmuly Ceitlin

Middle School Boys Judaic Teacher / Pre Mesivta Program
sceitlin@tdshouston.org

Born in Toronto Canada, graduate of the Chabad Yeshiva system, moved to Houston in the end of 2020 as a Chabad emissary of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

Mrs. Mindy Ceitlin

Middle School Judaic Teacher / Tzivos Hashem Coordinator
mceitlin@tdshouston.org

Mrs. Eta Cotlar

Middle School Chassidus Teacher
ecotlar@tdshouston.org

Mrs. Connie Dotan

2nd Grade Secular Teacher
cdotan@tdshouston.org

Morah Marissa Finkelman

Kindergarten Teacher
mfinkelman@tdshouston.org 

Mrs. Rivka Fishman

Middle School Judaic Teacher
rfishman@tdshouston.org

Rivka Fishman has been a teacher at TDS for over 20 years. She is currently our Special Programming Coordinator and our 4th and 5th grade judaic teacher. She is a recipient of the Irving L. Samuels Outstanding Teacher Award for Judaic Studies and of the Grinspoon – Steinhardt Award for Excellence in Jewish Education. Rivka is the author of the children’s book “Sara the Bucket Filler,” which helps children learn to be kinder and stay happier. She gives workshops on bullyproofing for parent, camp and school groups worldwide.

Rabbi Shmuly Gniwisch

5th and 6th Grade Boys Teacher
sgniwisch@tdshouston.org

Mrs. Elisa Goldstein

1st Grade Judaic Teacher
egoldstein@tdshouston.org

Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Elisa Goldstein received her Teaching Certification from Bnos Yisrael Seminary in Yerushalayim, Israel and graduated with a BA degree in Psychology.

Elisa has been a teacher in Torah Day School since she moved to Houston in 1998. She has taught various Judaic subjects to middle school and has been the Kita Aleph teacher for over 12 years.

She, together with her husband and family, are Chabad Shluchim to Houston and run the Chabad CHAI Learning Center of West Houston which serves the West Houston Jewish Community with Services, Adult Education, Hebrew School and Holiday Programs. Her involvement in the community includes the founding of Friendship Circle, directing the annual Friendship Walk and directing Camp Gan Israel for the past 11 summers.

Elisa is married to Rabbi Dovid Goldstein and has 5 children Sima, Avrami, Chaya, and Zalmi (all TDS Alumni), and Rozie, a student at TDS.

Mrs. Kathryn Howell

6th Grade English and History Teacher

Kathryn Howell is originally from Houston, Texas. She received a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin where she majored in both English and psychology. She also minored in education and earned her Texas teaching certificate while at UT. Mrs. Howell then earned her M.A. in English literature from the University of Houston. She has over 15 years of teaching experience including middle school, high school, and college. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and reading.

Mrs. Sherilyn Jones

Middle School English and History Teacher
sjones@tdshouston.org

Mrs. Jones was born in North Louisiana, and moved to Texas when she was four. She grew up in Lake Jackson, near the Gulf of Mexico, until 8th grade when she moved to Houston. She graduated from University of Houston with a Bachelors in English and is certified to teach both English and History. She has taught Middle school and High School English and History in both Atlanta Georgia and Houston, TX. She stumbled into TDS looking for a part time teaching position in 1992, and that turned out to be where she has spent most of her adult life.

Mrs. Jones says "I am starting my 31st year at TDS, teaching English and history, my college major and minor at the University of Houston.  I have loved the relationships I have made with families during these years, and it's amazing to now be teaching the children of former students.  TDS has blessed and enriched my life greatly." She has three sons and two grandchildren that all live in Texas.