Tiferet Nashman, Executive Director
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 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.
Allie Shier, Director of Marketing and Communications
At Shoresh, Allie has worn many hats: she has managed the organization’s day-to-day operations, the Shoresh Shuk, marketing and communications, and loves to join our educational programs as both a facilitator and participant. She holds an MSc in Human Rights from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Before Shoresh, Allie coordinated a national resettlement program for Government Assisted Refugees at the YMCA of Greater Toronto and lived in India, working with women artisans living in remote communities through the Aga Khan Foundation. In her spare time, Allie is into crafting, hiking, canoeing, gardening, and spending time with her energetic toddler.
Tamar Goldberg, Program and Site Manager
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.
Cara Gold, Development Manager
Cara has been building inclusive and vibrant community for marginalized and under-resourced Jews in Toronto for 15 years. Cara loves Judaism and made it her business to do what she can to ensure that everyone who wants has access to it. At the Miles Nadal JCC, Cara spearheaded the strategic growth of inclusion programming, with a focus on LGBTQ+ Jews and Jewish people under 40 through founding LGBTQ+ at the J and Queer Jewish Incubator and co-founding Lishma. Cara has been a nature Jew since her early 20s when she received a permaculture design certificate during her time on a Jewish eco-farm. Her connection to Shoresh has spanned over a decade, first as an attendee of the Shoresh Jewish Food Conference in 2012 and then as a supporter, volunteer and most recently a facilitator of Shoresh’s current strategic plan. Her favourite thing to do is to sing morning blessings with friends in nature. She holds an MBA/MA in Social Impact and Jewish Professional Leadership from Brandeis University.
Vlada Bilyak, Operations Manager
Vlada (she/her) is newly in her nature era after completing Shoresh’s Zmanim program in 2024. She’s always loved sitting at the computer, but is now trying to make up for lost time by learning more about birds, trees, bees, and sacred waters. Vlada holds a Masters in Social Work and comes to Shoresh from a career in tech as a UX Researcher and Content Designer, and a social worker before that. She’s passionate about Jewish community, social justice, alternative economies, and design thinking. Outside of work she loves crafting, yard sales, and collecting craft supplies at yard sales.
Shalva Sutton, Child and Family Program Coordinator
Shalva is a lifelong nature and animal enthusiast. In 2010, at Shoresh’s Kavanah Garden, she fell in love with gardening and never quite made it out from between the vegetable plants. Shalva has a B.Sc. in Wildlife Biology and Conservation from the University of Guelph, and has worked in wildlife rehabilitation since 2020 at the Toronto Wildlife Centre. Prior to this, Shalva worked with children in an experiential educational setting as Rosh Teva Staff at Camp Stone, Farm Staff at Camp Green Acres, and as a Wildlife Club External Affairs executive. She believes that sharing knowledge and cultivating empathy through captivating public education can influence a broader change in society. Shalva is excited to be involved in creating opportunities for people to connect with their love of and fascination with nature and Judaism in a hands-on way.
Paul Kitz, B’nei Mitzvah, Teen, and Adult Program Coordinator
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. He 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.
Andrea Schaffer, Toddler Program Coordinator
Andrea is an experienced formal (day school teacher) and informal educator who now spends her time raising three young children.. Passionate about early childhood education and outdoor education, Andrea has taught at the Toronto Heschel School, worked as a PJ Library Connector and has volunteered with Shoresh. In 2003, she participated in a Jewish Day School fellowship at Brandeis University and later completed a Masters of Teaching. Andrea is so excited about Shoresh’s new toddler program, Nitzanim, and cannot wait to spend Tuesday mornings exploring nature with the little people in our community. Her favourite vegetable is red pepper.
Iris Benedikt, Lead Educator – Teen Program
Iris is an artist educator who uses imagination to artfully uncover mysteries of the land alongside youth. She studied Studio Arts and Geography, has a Bachelor of Education and is a certified teacher. Iris prioritizes youth empowerment and critical thinking in her facilitation practice, and has worked as an outdoor educator, a social justice Jewish educator and a visual arts instructor. She’s been involved with Shoresh since its inception and was the first to have a Shoresh b’nei mitzvah! Iris’s Jewish identity is intimately rooted in working towards a world with less hierarchy and more solidarity. When Iris is not at Shoresh, she is doing art and exploring nature.
Josh Kleinberg, Program Associate
Josh began volunteering for Shoresh in May 2018 at the Kavanah Garden. He enjoys carpentry and has built numerous projects including cutting boards, trays, desks and shelving units. Josh built Shoresh’s solar beeswax melter for Bela Farm, among other things. In 2021, Josh completed a beekeeping course through the Ontario Beekeepers’ Association. He was a recipient of a volunteer recognition award for his contributions to Shoresh. Josh is passionate about his work at Shoresh as he enjoys learning about nature in a hands-on way. Outside of Shoresh, you can find Josh riding his bike or enjoying a slice of pizza.
Risa Alyson Cooper, Founder of Shoresh
Risa is an outdoor educator, environmentalist, and urban homesteader. For 13 years, she served as the Founding Executive Director of Shoresh, grateful for the endless opportunities Shoresh offers to explore Jewish traditions in the fields and forests of southern Ontario. After proudly celebrating Shoresh’s B’nei Mitzvah, Risa retired from the organization in 2021. Her favourite vegetable is the beet.
Sabrina Malach, Co-Founder of Shoresh
Sabrina began working with Shoresh in 2011 after spending six years working and volunteering in the Jewish Food Movement in New York and Israel. She participated in the Adamah in 2005, studied at the Eco-Activist Beit Midrash in Jerusalem in 2006, and worked with Hazon from 2006-2007. Upon returning to Toronto, Sabrina got an MES from York University with a focus on pollinator protection in urban centres. In 2010, Sabrina was awarded the Canadian Pollinator Advocacy Award from the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign. Sabrina is a mom and Shoresh’s resident beekeeper.