Today our students celebrated Lag Baomer, the holiday marking the 33rd day of the Omer—the period we count between Passover and Shavuot. Traditionally, this day is celebrated with field days, campfires, and outdoor festivities.
In the spirit of this festive day, we are proud to announce a significant new investment in the future of Jewish Life and Learning at our school. After a national search, we are thrilled to welcome two exceptional Jewish educators to our faculty: Rabbi Shua Brick and soon-to-be Rabbi Becca Sendor-Israel. Both Rabbi Brick and Rabbi Sendor-Israel will begin their time at Gann this coming school year.
In addition to teaching within our Jewish Studies department, both rabbis will take on vital leadership roles in shaping our community’s religious and cultural life. They arrive with a shared dedication to pluralism, a wealth of experience in diverse Jewish settings, and a deep desire to collaborate with our excellent Jewish Studies and Jewish Life teams. Above all, both rabbis truly embody the Gann value of simcha—bringing a sense of vibrant Jewish joy to everything they do.
Becca Sendor-Israel
Becca Sendor-Israel is a Jewish communal leader in the Boston area who is a member of the inaugural smicha (rabbinic ordination) cohort at the Shalom Hartman Institute. She will be ordained as a rabbi in December 2026. Currently, Becca serves as the Executive Director of Temple Sinai, a Reform Temple in Brookline, where she works closely with clergy, staff, and lay leadership to strengthen vibrant Jewish communal life. In parallel with her professional work, Becca has been deeply engaged in Jewish ritual leadership and education, including as a High Holiday leader at the Washington Square Minyan, and in a variety of other lay leadership roles in the Greater Boston Jewish community. Before entering full-time communal leadership, Becca was a public service attorney and litigator at the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Originally from Newton, Becca is a graduate of Maimonides High School, and has pursued advanced Jewish studies at Midreshet Lindenbaum, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, and Hadar. She holds a JD from NYU School of Law and a BA in psychology from Columbia University. Becca lives in Brookline with her spouse, Davidi, and their two children, Aviv and Zoe.
Rabbi Shua Brick
Originally from New York, Shua is a Wexner Graduate Fellow who received his Rabbinic Ordination from Yeshiva University. Shua also attended YU for his undergraduate and graduate degrees, completing a dual master’s degree in Jewish Philosophy and Jewish Education. For the last six years, Shua has been at the Beth Jacob Congregation of Oakland where he served as Director of Family Learning and Resident Scholar, as well as teacher at the Jewish Community High School of the Bay on the Jewish Studies and Jewish Life teams. At JCHS, a pluralistic high school like Gann, Rabbi Brick taught multiple classes in Tanach, Talmud, and Jewish thought, and developed expertise working with teens. With an extensive background in Jewish summer camps and experiential education, Rabbi Brick is passionate about creating rich educational experiences that bring ancient wisdom to life, with an emphasis on accessibility and relatability so that students from a variety of backgrounds can opt in and grow together.
Becca and Shua are excited to meet members of our community this August!