Four hikers walking through a snow-covered evergreen forest trail.

Meet the Team

Staff & Educators

Smiling woman with long dark hair wearing a tree-print shirt in front of a red brick wall

Tiferet

Tiferet is a Jewish environmental educator and community builder. She holds a Masters in Education and a B.A. in Diaspora and Transnational Studies with a focus on relationships between diasporic and Indigenous communities. Tiferet completed the Wild Deer wilderness skills training, and is a recipient of the David Suzuki Award for environmental educators.

She has worked with the TDSB, the Toronto Parks Forestry and Recreation Department, the University of Toronto’s Multifaith Centre and is a founding resident of Moishe Pod Toronto. Tiferet’s life has been woven with Shoresh since its inception and she is thrilled to be serving as Executive Director.

executive director
Smiling woman sitting outdoors in a grassy field, holding a small yellow wildflower on a sunny day

Cara

director of operations & development

Cara Gold is a Jewish community builder who has spent over 15 years creating vibrant, inclusive spaces for Jewish connection and belonging. At the Miles Nadal JCC, she spearheaded the growth of programming for LGBTQ+ and under-40 Jews, including LGBTQ+ at the J, Queer Jewish Incubator, and Lishma. She is also the founder of Ha’Sadeh: Toronto Jewish Renewal.

A nature Jew since her early 20s, when she earned a permaculture design certificate at a Jewish eco-farm, Cara’s connection to Shoresh spans over a decade, from conference participant to volunteer and strategic planning facilitator. Her favourite thing to do is sing Jewish morning blessings with friends in nature. She holds an MA/MBA in Social Impact & Jewish Professional Leadership from Brandeis University.

Smiling man in a blue shirt kneeling outdoors beside a whiteboard with handwritten notes and other people. 
b'nei mitzvah, teen and adult programs coordinator

Paul

Paul is drawn to big questions: Where does Truth lie? How can I grow more intimate with life? How can we, collectively, live in a way that honours the dignity of life in ourselves and others? What does healing look like? These questions have taken Paul into politics, the wilderness, and on a spiritual journey that has included being ba’al teshuvah, leaving Judaism, and connecting with teachers from various traditions before reconnecting with Judaism through family, lineage and ancestry. Paul finds joy, connection and purpose spending time with young people.

Paul is a Child and Youth Care Practitioner that has worked with individuals and groups from family homes to summer camps, ballet schools to hospices. He is blessed to work in a mentorship role with people of all ages in the context of nature, and is excited to support B’nei Mitzvahs living into their own big questions at such a potent time in their lives.

Smiling bearded man wearing tan overalls and a blue shirt in a lush green forest

Daniel

child & family programs coordinator

Daniel holds a Master of Environment & Sustainability from the University of Toronto, where his research explored how Jewish communities engage in environmental action. He has worked in plant conservation and nature education, and is passionate about connecting ecological sustainability with community life.

Daniel’s Jewish education and personal passion for sustainability fuel his excitement about weaving together Jewish tradition and environmental values. In his free time, he can be found playing music with friends, hiking, or reading science fiction and fantasy novels.

Smiling person in winter clothing standing in a snow-covered forest

Tamar

nitzanim coordinator & yesod mentor

Tamar is a teacher, student, and doer in the world of Jewish outdoor education, specializing in trees. Her work in trees in Toronto’s public and private sector and her years of experience leading canoe trips for Camp Ramah in Canada led her to the inevitable conclusion that the best place to be is outside.

Tamar has studied in many institutions of Jewish learning, including TanenbaumCHAT, Associated Hebrew Schools, Pardes, and Urban Adamah. Tamar is a coordinator at heart, always looking for efficiencies in service of facilitating Jewish community gatherings focused on ritual, song, and nature connection.

Smiling young man with curly hair sitting at an outdoor table with his hands clasped

Isaiah

lead educator, shoresh outdoor school
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Talia

lead educator, shoresh outdoor school
Hiker carrying a large backpack and yellow gear bag through a leaf-covered forest

Etelka

Lead Educator, Shoresh Outdoor School
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Rotem

Lead Educator, Kehilat Yesod

Board of Directors

Bearded man holding an orange carrot beneath his nose in a grayscale portrait

Ran Goel

board chair
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Jonathan Moneta

Treasurer
Smiling woman with long dark hair and glasses wearing an orange blouse in a leafy forest

Jackie Brown

Smiling woman in a colorful patterned blouse standing beside a tree outdoors

Patricia Feeheley

Portrait of a smiling woman with long dark hair wearing a denim jacket over a blue patterned top

Jessica Greenberg

Person taking a selfie on a sandy beach at sunset with waves and a bright sky.

Sebastian Ronderos-Morgan

SECRETARY