Our Team

Rabbi Zalman & Chana Paris

Founders & Executive Directors

Rabbi Zalman & Chana Paris are the Executive Directors of Chabad of Tribeca, which My Little School is a division of.  Recognizing the need for a nurturing & progressive Jewish Preschool in the neighborhood, Rabbi Zalman & Chana founded My Little School in 2010. They set out to create a preschool where children could thrive under the guidance of educators, who brought to their students rich and meaningful experiential child-centered learning that fully integrated modern educational methodologies with Jewish values. Rabbi Zalman & Chana and their five children live in Tribeca, and are proud of the stellar educational program that My Little School has grown into along with the other divisions of Chabad of Tribeca, offering a warm and welcoming home for vibrant Jewish life in the neighborhood. 

Jordana Cohen Fruchter, MS.Ed 

School Director & Director of Admissions

This is Jordana's tenth year at My Little School. She received a BA with honors from The University of Michigan and a MS in Elementary Inclusive Education and Teaching Students with Disabilities from Columbia University. Prior to joining My Little School in the summer of 2014, Jordana was a founding faculty member and Kindergarten teacher at Avenues: The World School. Jordana was drawn to early childhood education because of the fundamental role these brief yet enchanting years play in the lives of both children and their parents. She believes that MLS should be a place and community where the whole family feels nurtured and welcomed, and that this can be best achieved through building authentic relationships and a sense of belonging for all. Jordana is committed to creating a dynamic, respectful and collaborative school culture where teachers are valued, supported and always have a path for growth. She works with the Assistant Director and team of educators to ensure that each classroom's curriculum is informed by the best practices in early childhood education, that Jewish values guide school life and enhance learning experiences, and that a profound respect for each child lies at the heart of every interaction. Jordana is dedicated to continuously raising the bar at MLS in order to ensure a meaningful and excellent experience for parents, teachers and children. 

Elli Yondorf Davidman, MS Ed

Assistant Director

Elli, originally from the Philadelphia area, is a seasoned early childhood educator with a degree in Early Childhood Education from Stern College and a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from Bank Street College of Education. Over the past 10 years of teaching in New York, she has worked with children from ages 2 to 5, gaining a deep understanding of child development throughout the preschool years. Elli's educational philosophy emphasizes the power of learning through play, which drives her to create inspiring, creative curriculum for young learners. She joined Chabad of Tribeca/Soho as the Assistant Director of My Little School in the summer of 2024. Elli currently lives in Long Island with her husband and two daughters.

Darcie Rand

Director of Operations

Darcie is entering her third year at MLS. In her role she ensures that efficient systems are designed and executed, allowing teachers to maximize their time focusing on children and curriculum, and ensuring that parents have a positive and stress free experience when working with the MLS office. Darcie is thoughtful and patient in her approach to managing logistics and the needs of various individuals within the organization, and can always be relied on to have a smile on her face. 

Susie Meisler 

Parent Educator

Susie is entering her fifth year at MLS as our beloved Parent Educator & Early Childhood Specialist. In her role Susie is involved in supporting and guiding parents, teachers and children in all aspects of classroom life. Susie is an active teacher in our Toddler Caregiver & Me Classes, during which she shares her deep knowledge and understanding of child development, and facilitates conversations amongst parents and caregivers to support their growth in their parenting journey. Prior to joining My Little School Susie devoted 40 years of her life to helping children and parents thrive, first as a teacher and then as Director of the Huntington Jewish Center Pre-School, where she oversaw the highly successful program for almost 30 years. Susie's expertise is connecting with kids and guiding their parents through the development stages of raising children.  She developed her passion for nurturing families after starting a parent-and-me group in Singapore, where she lived with her husband and became a mother herself.  Being surrounded by families from all over the world exposed her to a variety of parenting styles and sparked a lifelong interest in family dynamics.  Susan has written hundreds of articles on parenting, continues to serve as a trusted counselor to countless parents, and has developed and led numerous parent-and-me programs.  She received her Masters in Education from Adelphi University.

Rena Allen

Early Childhood Specialist

Rena Allen is a Child Development Consultant in New York City. She earned a BA in psychology from Binghamton University and an MSEd in Early Childhood Special and General Education from Bank Street College. Her passion for working in early childhood education launched her career at a private school on the Upper East Side, where she gained tremendous experience teaching children in their early years of school.

After many years in the classroom, Rena used her training in Applied Behavior Analysis to work in Early Intervention doing Special Instruction and SEIT work for families in NYC. She now works to make quality early childhood education accessible to all learners, and structuring environments that contribute to student success. Rena’s path has taken her from classroom teaching to early intervention, and has landed her in her current work — focusing on child development, teacher training, program development, and parent consultation, in schools across Manhattan. 

Daniele Levine

Occupational Therapist

Daniele Levine, MS OTR/L is a New York State licensed Occupational Therapist specializing in pediatrics. Daniele graduated from New York University receiving a Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy. She has experience working with children for over eleven years. Daniele started out working in a hospital based outpatient therapy setting and then moved on to provide school based occupational therapy services. Presently, she runs her NYC based private practice, servicing children across different settings; home based therapy, school and in the community. Daniele has a strong passion for working in early childhood education and helping each child reach their fullest potential and functional independence. Daniele uses a play based individualized developmental approach, focusing on each child's unique strengths and interests.

Yonatan Gutfeld

Music Educator

Yonatan Gutfeld grew up in Jerusalem, where he studied music composition. He was active in the Tel Aviv singer-songwriter scene and toured the country with his band after releasing his debut album. Yonatan has been living in NYC since 2012, where he records his songs, writes music for theater productions, and teaches children in schools and programs throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. In 2017 he released Time’s Tyranny, an album of new compositions to Shakespeare sonnets in Hebrew translation.