Leadership

Faculty and Staff

Each member of the N. E. Miles Jewish Day School team values children as individuals who develop at their own pace and learn in their own way. With this in mind, our staff creates and teaches a curriculum that allows each child, from the youngest to the oldest, to grow with a sense of achievement and self-confidence. We offer children multiple avenues through which they learn and express their understanding, creativity, and imagination.

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Admin Team
Brian Cain

Head of School 

bcain@nemjds.org 

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Dr. Tara Bensinger, Ed.D, NBCT

Assistant Head of School, Director of Curriculum and Instruction

tarab@nemjds.orgA woman with long straight brown hair, wearing glasses, a purple dress, and a necklace, smiles softly while standing in front of a gray textured background.

Orly Henkin

Assistant Head of School, Director of Judaics

ohenkin@nemjds.org

Robin Berger

Director of Recruitment & Retention

rberger@nemjds.orgA woman with curly brown hair and glasses smiles at the camera, wearing a patterned blouse, in front of a mottled blue-gray background.

Kristi Norris

Director of Finance and Office Manager

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Sharon Sigal

Director of Community Engagement and Development

ssigal@nemjds.org

Chai Lion

Mascot

Our Board

The N.E. Miles Jewish Day School Board of Directors is composed of members who embody the broad and diverse nature of Birmingham’s Jewish Community. According to the by-laws, the board is comprised of at least 19 and not more than 34 members with representation from the three local synagogues, Chabad of Alabama, the Levite Jewish Community Center, and constituents of the Birmingham Jewish Federation, Birmingham Jewish Foundation, and Collat Jewish Family Services. The chairperson of the NEMJDS Endowment Advisory Committee, the president of the Parent-Teacher Association, and the immediate past president of the board shall also hold seats on the executive committee. Additional seats on the board are filled by NEMJDS alumni, parents, and community leaders.

Executive Committee 2025-2026

Co-Presidents

Sarah Kunin & Valerie Thompson

VP of Administration

Sarah Schaeffer

VP of Education

Josh Rutsky

VP of PR and Recruitment

Danielle Rosenbaum

VP of Ways and Means

Sharon Peetluck

Treasurer

Charles Stein

Secretary

Asaf Stein

Parent Association President

Alice Mintsin

Immediate Past President

Carlie Somerville

Head of School

Brian Cain

Board Members 2025-2026

Michelle Bearman-Wolnek

Zach Dembo

Amy Koplon

Duncan Lamb

Rachel Friedman

Annette Lichter

Tzlil McDonald

Andrew Newcomb

Daniel Rich

Martin Stein

Karen Weinrib

Ex officio: Florina Newcomb, Brooke Bowles, Lauren Schwartz, Rabbi Yossi Posner, Rabbi Adam Wright, Rabbi Steven Henkin