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| Teacher Bio's |
Karen Walsh
Karen Walsh is the Education Director of the FJCC Hebrew School. Ms. Walsh became the FJCC
Hebrew School Director in 1998 after teaching third through seventh graders for more than 10 years.
She has also served on the Nursery School Executive Board and as Nursery School Director. Ms.
Walsh also serves on the Advisory Committee for the Institute of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at
Raritan Valley Community College and conducts Holocaust Education programs for students and
teachers in the Central New Jersey area. Ms. Walsh is an active member in her community and has
served as a volunteer on the Flemington Borough’s Events Committee for the past five year. She is
also a member of the Borough of Flemington’s Environmental Commission.
In addition to overseeing the Hebrew School, Ms. Walsh will be teaching Eco Judaism class this fall
at the FJCC Hebrew School.
Ms. Walsh earned a Master of Arts in Jewish Christian Studies from Seton Hall and a
Bachelor of Arts in English for Douglass College. She can be contacted for any
additional information kwalsh@flemingtonjcc.org or 908-782-6410 ext. 13.
In addition to spending time with her children, Ms. Walsh enjoys cooking, gardening, cooking things
from her garden, reading and knitting.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Barbara Clarin
Mrs. Clarin enjoys the challenges of teaching Kitah Gan and the opportunity to experience Judaism
through the eyes of our youngest students. Her multi-sensory approach to the curriculum has been
shaped by her love of art, music and dance. She is a firm believer that young childhood education
should not be seat bound, thus classes feature crafts, music, and movement along with traditional
methods of learning. Lessons are designed to acquaint students with each topic within a fun and
welcoming atmosphere.
Barbara and her husband Mitch have been members of the synagogue for 15 years and their
children – Emily, Jake and Jenna – attend the school. Like other members of the teaching team,
she has assisted in other roles at the FJCC. Barbara was a Sisterhood co-president and continues
to be active within the organization. She has served as a board member and president of the FJCC
Nursery School and taught Pre-K enrichment classes.
Mrs. Clarin has many interests and hobbies. She has been a dental hygienist for twenty years and
works for a local dentist. She and fellow congregant Cara London are partners in Draw the Line, a
mural/decorative painting business. She celebrated becoming a Bat Mitzvah in 2005, and is currently
working toward earning her 2nd degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. Barbara is also fond of
photography, training the family dog Milo, and annoying Mitch with her perplexing knowledge of
classic films.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Lois Gross
Lois Gross has been a teacher at the FJCC for over 15 years. Previously, she
taught the Gan (Kindergarten) class and now teaches Bet (2nd Grade) , Dalet and Hay History. (4th
and 5th grade).
Since joining the FJCC 20 years ago, she has been an active member of the
congregation, serving the Nursery School Board as President and Vice President.
She has held many positions on the Sisterhood Board, such as Oneg Shabbat
Coordinator, Treasurer, Kitchen Committee, Sisterhood President(2005-07) and currently serves as
Vice President. She leads monthly Junior Congregation for the younger grades and coordinates all
High Holiday programming.
Lois is a graduate of Hunter College, where she majored in sociology and
psychology and minored in education. She has attended numerous caje conferences from which
she learned many new teaching ideas.
She currently works at JP Case as an academic assistant helping developmentally challenged
students. She loves working with all children and finds her work very rewarding. In her spare time,
she enjoys being with her family and friends, playing with her dog, walking, traveling, listening to folk
music, attending concerts, loves visits from her son who’s in the Israeli Army and reading novels
(fiction and non) and poetry.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Fallon Gross
Fallon Gross returns to teaching this fall for the sixth year. She started as the Katonton (preschool)
Sunday School teacher in 2004. During her tenure at the FJCC Hebrew School Morah Fallon has
been responsible for the Sunday morning music program and introduced an adult education class to
the program. This year Morah Fallon will again be teaching the Gimel (3rd grade) students
Fallon lives in Flemington and is a member of the FJCC. She attended Hebrew School here at the
FJCC. After her Bat Mitzvah Fallon continued in Hebrew High School, was a teacher assistant and
tutor, spent a summer in Israel and was the Young Judaea Youth Group advisor. Teaching seems to
be the natural progression in her Jewish experience.
Fallon attended Rutgers University, where she was president of Chabad at Rutgers in 2007 – 2008
and enjoys bringing the light of Judaism to her peers on campus and to her students at the FJCC.
This summer Fallon completed an 8 week program where she received a certificate in culinary arts
and plans to open a kosher bakery someday. She loves to bake and her specialty is cheesecake!
Fallon enjoys spending time with her friends, reading and writing poetry, and reading any
of her favorite books over and over again (Catcher in the Rye, anyone?).
_______________________________________________________________________________
Deborah Kesselhaut
Deborah Kesselhaut returns to the Alef class for her fourth year. After teaching her first year with a
newborn in a baby carrier, she continues to share her love of discussing all things Jewish with the
first graders at the FJCC.
She graduated from the University of Massachusetts where she studied English and Psychology.
Prior to having kids, Deborah’s eclectic career took her from sales, to marketing, to being an office
manager for a software start-up. She also helped her husband build their own business. Presently,
Deborah is a stay at home mom to a young son and daughter.
Her previous experience in synagogue leadership found her on the executive board of the United
Synagogue of Hoboken, where she was vice president in charge of programming. She was a co-
leader of that synagogue’s Rosh Chodesh group, and co-authored the haggadah for their Women’s
Seder.
She has served the FJCC Nursery School as treasurer, and currently as president. Deborah is a
writer, who also loves cooking, entertaining, reading, and movies. (She is trying to develop a similar
passion for working out).
_______________________________________________________________________________
Laurie Rapkin
Mrs. Rapkin is a special education teacher who has been employed by the North Hunterdon-
Voorhees Regional High School District since 1976. She received her BA degree from Cardinal
Stritch University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She has a
M. Ed. from the College of New Jersey, where additional post masters level work was completed,
resulting in certification as a Learning Disability Teacher/Consultant.
Additional certifications include Teacher of the Handicapped, Preschool Handicapped, and
Supervisor. Instruction has been in a variety of special education programs. She established the
initial self..contained class for the mentally retarded at Voorhees High School in 1976. As the needs
of the school changed, the programs also changed.
Mrs. Rapkin has provided instruction in self-contained programs for the neurologically impaired, the
perceptually impaired, the multiply handicapped and the emotionally disturbed. She has provided
instruction in the pull-out setting in English, Study Skills, Science and Social Studies. In-class
support instruction has been provided in the areas of Physics, English and French, Instruction has
been at both the general and college prep levels.
Mrs. Rapkin has been involved at both the school, district and community levels. Early activities
included coaching the Band Front, as well as serving as assistant senior class advisor and
chaperoning senior class trips. She has assisted with Special Olympics both within the school and
community. She established the first Very Special A.."1s Festival held in Warren County. Also within
the district, she has been involved with Freshman Discovery and the Advisor/Advisee programs. She
has served as a mentor, and as a Learning Community Leader (LCL), for the Child Study Team.
Mrs. Rapkin has also served on numerous committees within the district. These committees have
induded the Superintendent's Wellness Committee, the Principal's Advisory Committee, the Diversity
Committee, the Professional Development Committee and the National Honor Society Selection
Committee.
Membership in professional organizations has also been an important component of Mrs. Rapkin's
career. She has been a member of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), Association of
Leaming Consultants (ALC), and Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA).
_______________________________________________________________________________
Karen Walsh is the Education Director of the FJCC Hebrew School. Ms. Walsh became the FJCC
Hebrew School Director in 1998 after teaching third through seventh graders for more than 10 years.
She has also served on the Nursery School Executive Board and as Nursery School Director. Ms.
Walsh also serves on the Advisory Committee for the Institute of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at
Raritan Valley Community College and conducts Holocaust Education programs for students and
teachers in the Central New Jersey area. Ms. Walsh is an active member in her community and has
served as a volunteer on the Flemington Borough’s Events Committee for the past five year. She is
also a member of the Borough of Flemington’s Environmental Commission.
In addition to overseeing the Hebrew School, Ms. Walsh will be teaching Eco Judaism class this fall
at the FJCC Hebrew School.
Ms. Walsh earned a Master of Arts in Jewish Christian Studies from Seton Hall and a
Bachelor of Arts in English for Douglass College. She can be contacted for any
additional information kwalsh@flemingtonjcc.org or 908-782-6410 ext. 13.
In addition to spending time with her children, Ms. Walsh enjoys cooking, gardening, cooking things
from her garden, reading and knitting.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Barbara Clarin
Mrs. Clarin enjoys the challenges of teaching Kitah Gan and the opportunity to experience Judaism
through the eyes of our youngest students. Her multi-sensory approach to the curriculum has been
shaped by her love of art, music and dance. She is a firm believer that young childhood education
should not be seat bound, thus classes feature crafts, music, and movement along with traditional
methods of learning. Lessons are designed to acquaint students with each topic within a fun and
welcoming atmosphere.
Barbara and her husband Mitch have been members of the synagogue for 15 years and their
children – Emily, Jake and Jenna – attend the school. Like other members of the teaching team,
she has assisted in other roles at the FJCC. Barbara was a Sisterhood co-president and continues
to be active within the organization. She has served as a board member and president of the FJCC
Nursery School and taught Pre-K enrichment classes.
Mrs. Clarin has many interests and hobbies. She has been a dental hygienist for twenty years and
works for a local dentist. She and fellow congregant Cara London are partners in Draw the Line, a
mural/decorative painting business. She celebrated becoming a Bat Mitzvah in 2005, and is currently
working toward earning her 2nd degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. Barbara is also fond of
photography, training the family dog Milo, and annoying Mitch with her perplexing knowledge of
classic films.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Lois Gross
Lois Gross has been a teacher at the FJCC for over 15 years. Previously, she
taught the Gan (Kindergarten) class and now teaches Bet (2nd Grade) , Dalet and Hay History. (4th
and 5th grade).
Since joining the FJCC 20 years ago, she has been an active member of the
congregation, serving the Nursery School Board as President and Vice President.
She has held many positions on the Sisterhood Board, such as Oneg Shabbat
Coordinator, Treasurer, Kitchen Committee, Sisterhood President(2005-07) and currently serves as
Vice President. She leads monthly Junior Congregation for the younger grades and coordinates all
High Holiday programming.
Lois is a graduate of Hunter College, where she majored in sociology and
psychology and minored in education. She has attended numerous caje conferences from which
she learned many new teaching ideas.
She currently works at JP Case as an academic assistant helping developmentally challenged
students. She loves working with all children and finds her work very rewarding. In her spare time,
she enjoys being with her family and friends, playing with her dog, walking, traveling, listening to folk
music, attending concerts, loves visits from her son who’s in the Israeli Army and reading novels
(fiction and non) and poetry.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Fallon Gross
Fallon Gross returns to teaching this fall for the sixth year. She started as the Katonton (preschool)
Sunday School teacher in 2004. During her tenure at the FJCC Hebrew School Morah Fallon has
been responsible for the Sunday morning music program and introduced an adult education class to
the program. This year Morah Fallon will again be teaching the Gimel (3rd grade) students
Fallon lives in Flemington and is a member of the FJCC. She attended Hebrew School here at the
FJCC. After her Bat Mitzvah Fallon continued in Hebrew High School, was a teacher assistant and
tutor, spent a summer in Israel and was the Young Judaea Youth Group advisor. Teaching seems to
be the natural progression in her Jewish experience.
Fallon attended Rutgers University, where she was president of Chabad at Rutgers in 2007 – 2008
and enjoys bringing the light of Judaism to her peers on campus and to her students at the FJCC.
This summer Fallon completed an 8 week program where she received a certificate in culinary arts
and plans to open a kosher bakery someday. She loves to bake and her specialty is cheesecake!
Fallon enjoys spending time with her friends, reading and writing poetry, and reading any
of her favorite books over and over again (Catcher in the Rye, anyone?).
_______________________________________________________________________________
Deborah Kesselhaut
Deborah Kesselhaut returns to the Alef class for her fourth year. After teaching her first year with a
newborn in a baby carrier, she continues to share her love of discussing all things Jewish with the
first graders at the FJCC.
She graduated from the University of Massachusetts where she studied English and Psychology.
Prior to having kids, Deborah’s eclectic career took her from sales, to marketing, to being an office
manager for a software start-up. She also helped her husband build their own business. Presently,
Deborah is a stay at home mom to a young son and daughter.
Her previous experience in synagogue leadership found her on the executive board of the United
Synagogue of Hoboken, where she was vice president in charge of programming. She was a co-
leader of that synagogue’s Rosh Chodesh group, and co-authored the haggadah for their Women’s
Seder.
She has served the FJCC Nursery School as treasurer, and currently as president. Deborah is a
writer, who also loves cooking, entertaining, reading, and movies. (She is trying to develop a similar
passion for working out).
_______________________________________________________________________________
Laurie Rapkin
Mrs. Rapkin is a special education teacher who has been employed by the North Hunterdon-
Voorhees Regional High School District since 1976. She received her BA degree from Cardinal
Stritch University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She has a
M. Ed. from the College of New Jersey, where additional post masters level work was completed,
resulting in certification as a Learning Disability Teacher/Consultant.
Additional certifications include Teacher of the Handicapped, Preschool Handicapped, and
Supervisor. Instruction has been in a variety of special education programs. She established the
initial self..contained class for the mentally retarded at Voorhees High School in 1976. As the needs
of the school changed, the programs also changed.
Mrs. Rapkin has provided instruction in self-contained programs for the neurologically impaired, the
perceptually impaired, the multiply handicapped and the emotionally disturbed. She has provided
instruction in the pull-out setting in English, Study Skills, Science and Social Studies. In-class
support instruction has been provided in the areas of Physics, English and French, Instruction has
been at both the general and college prep levels.
Mrs. Rapkin has been involved at both the school, district and community levels. Early activities
included coaching the Band Front, as well as serving as assistant senior class advisor and
chaperoning senior class trips. She has assisted with Special Olympics both within the school and
community. She established the first Very Special A.."1s Festival held in Warren County. Also within
the district, she has been involved with Freshman Discovery and the Advisor/Advisee programs. She
has served as a mentor, and as a Learning Community Leader (LCL), for the Child Study Team.
Mrs. Rapkin has also served on numerous committees within the district. These committees have
induded the Superintendent's Wellness Committee, the Principal's Advisory Committee, the Diversity
Committee, the Professional Development Committee and the National Honor Society Selection
Committee.
Membership in professional organizations has also been an important component of Mrs. Rapkin's
career. She has been a member of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), Association of
Leaming Consultants (ALC), and Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA).
_______________________________________________________________________________