Full Time Staff
Meet the Director, Helene Drobenare
Helene Drobenare, MSW, MA holds a Master of Social Work from Yeshiva University and Master of Administration in Organizational Change Management from the New School of Social Research. Helene has been working with youth for 20 years. Helene grew up in BBYO and went on to work in their leadership camp programs at Pearlman and Beber camps. She has also served as the coordinator for the March of the Living program, and the director of programs for Masada Israel Summer Programs. She lived in Israel for four years where she worked for TRACKS Adventures as Director of Youth Programs & Marketing. Helene has spent years committed to improving the lives of children in Africa through her volunteer work in South Africa and Tanzania.
Meet the Associate Director, Talia Horan–Block
Talia Horan–Block, MSW holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan. She went to CYJ Midwest and Tel Yehudah (91-98) as a camper and worked at CYJ Midwest, TY, and Sprout Lake (99-present). Talia went on Machon in 97 and Year Course 99-00.
Meet the Education Director, Jessie Gindea
Jessie Silverman Gindea, a life long Young Judaean, is thrilled to be working at CYJ Sprout Lake. Jessie recently graduated from the Pardes Educators Program with a Masters in Jewish Education and Certificate of Advanced Jewish Studies, as well as a Certificate in Jewish Day School Education from Hebrew College of Boston. Prior to studying at Pardes, she attended the Jewish Theological Seminary and Columbia University and earned a BA in Modern Jewish Studies from JTS and a BA in Middle Eastern Studies from Columbia. Jessie will be spending her summers at CYJ Sprout Lake and she will be teaching during the school year at the Solomon Schechter Day School of Bergen County.
Meet the Camp Registrar, Jessica Suckerman
Jessica Suckerman, holds a B.A. from Rutgers University with a major in journalism and a minor in psychology. Before coming to CYJ Sprout Lake, she worked with young adults to find them rewarding long-term Kibbutz programs in Israel.
Summer Staff
Coming soon!
