
Our Team
Your Hosts

We have been hosting "PESACH TIME WITH THE MANDELS" (formerly Pesach Time Tours) for sixteen fabulous years. This year we are so excited to be going to the beautiful Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel in Asbury Park, NJ. We are planning so many new things from entertainment to wonderful lecturers. As always, the food will be non-stop and many new scrumptious dishes and fabulous decor will be incorporated. Every aspect of your Pesach vacation is planned to ensure a complete, pleasurable and fun experience for the whole family. We are committed to making sure from the moment you arrive at THE BERKELEY OCEANFRONT HOTEL, until you leave, nothing will get in the way of your enjoyment.
Program Director

Rabbi Chaim Block joins us again this year as our Program Director.
Rabbi Block lives in Monsey, NY with his wife Toby and children.
He is a Musmach from the Mirrer Yeshiva in Brooklyn, receiving semicha from Rav Shmuel Berenbaum, זצ"ל.
He is a 5th grade Rebbi at RYNJ (Teaneck community) and the General Studies Principal at Yeshiva Toras Emes, elementary division, in Brooklyn.
He is a member of the Jewish Music group Shalsheles and is a Chazzan at the AABJ&D shul in West Orange, NJ.
Rabbi Block has previously been a head counselor (Camp Manavu) and program director (Camp Romimu). He is looking forward to telling all of our guests where to go!
Executive Chef

Chef David Ben-Hamu was born and raised in Netivot Israel. He received some of his first training from his grandmother who was a skilled cook and had to provide meals for A very large household.
Although he is formally trained, his experience is what He built his career on.
Chef David is well versed in American classic fare, Israeli style foods (the whole gamut), a wide range of Chinese, some Indian dishes, and Mexican/Spanish style. Chef David will be preparing many varieties of beef, chicken, veal, fish, appetizers and much more..
Although he runs a very tight ship, he does like to introduce some humor into the work environment. It raises the moral of the staff and helps to bring the best out of everyone.
Executive Dairy Chef

Chef Chani Gold has spent years honing her craft in the food industry. She operates her own catering company and has experience cooking in restaurants and running institutional kitchens. From an early start working with healing diets, she developed an affinity for plant-based cooking. Limitations in the types of food people could incorporate into their diets necessitated an understanding of flavoring techniques used in a variety of cuisines. This knowledge has proven invaluable in her over 20 year career as a kosher chef, especially given the restrictions inherent in a Passover kitchen. Most important to Chani is balancing the goal of intensifying flavor with a philosophy of using less processed ingredients to enhance the taste and presentation of her food.
With her creativity and the ever increasing array of Pesach foods, Chani is sure to WOW our guests with a whole new variety of choices.
Day Camp Director
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Rabbi Shlomo Hyman has worked in the field of education for 32 years and has been with the Pesach Time Tours family for the past 14 years. In addition to Smicha, He has a masters degree in Jewish Education. Rabbi Hyman has 23 years experience working in summer camps in both supervisory and administrative positions.
Rabbi Hyman lives in Englewood, New Jersey, where he lives with his wife Freidi and their five children.
Rabbi Hyman runs a fun filled and exciting program. Day campers will have their days filled with numerous activities, make friends and gather memories that will last a lifetime. Among just a few of the highlights are Rabbi Hyman’s spellbinding story time, special guest entertainers, and the “acharon shel pesach” camper performances.
With all of the exciting and varied activities your child will never be bored!
Girls Teen Director | “Hit Hop” Dance Class

Atara Cohen is the Director of FIT KIDS/FIT TEENS in the 5 Towns. Throughout the year, she is not only in charge of the programming, and staffing there, but also gives multiple dance classes to children of all ages. At the women’s gym, called FIT, she gives a Hit Hop class, which is a high intensity dance class that incorporates planks, squats, etc.Atara is an artist and dancer who is creative and friendly. She enjoys working with children of all ages, teens and adults. She cannot wait to meet and have fun with all of the guests!
Gabbai

Rabbi Yissochar Ginsberg has been the menahel of Mesivta Tiferes Yerushalyim on the Lower East Side for over 18 yrs. He learned 10 yrs in Chofetz Chaim before coming to MTJ in 1982. He is one of the last people zoche to receive shmicha from R Moshe Tz"l. He was in Chinuch as a melamed for decades before accepting the mantel of leadership at MTJ. He also spent 15 yrs as a Reserve Chaplain (Rov) in the US Army. He has 4 Master degrees on many different fields of study. He is a former EMT & former Community Board Member for over a decade. And is currently the Clergy Liaison to the NYPD as well as the Chaplain at 2 different hospitals in NYC as well as an active member of the Queens Vaad – Chevra Kadisha for over 36 yrs.
Daycare Director

Deena Fogel is joining us once again as our dynamic Daycare Director.
Reservations

Working tirelessly behind the scenes for months before Pesach, Shloimy Zukierman will help all of our guests with their reservations. Shloimy has the experience & pleasant phone skills needed to make sure all of our guests are taken care of with a smile.
He will assist with answering all of your questions, making sure your rooms are exactly what you expect, and any amenities or special requests you may have are ready and waiting for you when you arrive.
Shloimy will be available throughout Pesach to help in any way he can. Including securing your reservation for the next year!
Lecturers
Rabbi Yitzchok Fingerer
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Rav Yitzchok Fingerer is the Rav of a flourishing Kehillah and Beis Medrash in Flatbush and is Morah D'Asra of the BJX (Brooklyn Jewish Xperience) Kiruv organization, which runs Kiruv programs for public high school students, secular college students and young professionals, as well as for young adults from Frum homes who need Chizuk. He is is a renowned, dynamic speaker and a sought out expert on chinuch, parenting, and the interface between Halacha and Hashkafah. The Rav is the author of several best selling books, including: Strengthen Your Emunah: Cultivating a Meaningful Relationship with Hashem (Feldheim) and Search Judaism: Judaism's Answers to a Changing World (Targum). He received his smicha from Rav Avrohom Pam Zt"l, at Yeshiva Torah Vodaas. Thousands of people watch his videos on Torah Anytime, Meaningful Minute, Daily Dose and Vayimaen.
Rabbi Avi Schnall
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Rabbi Avi Schnall serves as director of the New Jersey office of Agudath Israel of America. In the eight years that Rabbi Schnall has held the position, He has served as Chairman of the New Jersey Nonpublic School Committee and sat on Governor Phil Murphy's Restart and Recovery Advisory Council as a member of the Social Services and Faith Committee. Rabbi Schnall is a dynamic and very sought after speaker.
Rabbi Tzvi Sytner

Rabbi Tzvi Sytner grew up in Los Angeles, and is the Rav of The Village Shul and Aish Hatorah learning center in Toronto. He is a motivational speaker and therapist. He received Smicha from Rav Yitzchak Berkovits, and has delivered inspiring lectures worldwide, including South Africa, Australia, Chile, U.S., and Canada. Rabbi Sytner has a popular video series on Aish.com, and podcast called Inspiring Hope viewed by over 8,500 per month. He has a B.A. in Liberal Studies, a Masters Degree in Education, and a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy.
You can listen to more of his shiurim on Torahanytime, Aish.com, Meaningful Minute and more…
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Mrs. Toba Shifrin

Mrs. Toba Shifrin, a veteran mechaneches leading such institutions as Bnot Chaya Academy (Rabbi Wallerstien’s High School for Girls) and Camps Anna Heller and Oorah’s Zone Girls Division has been teaching and lecturing to women and girls worldwide for close to three decades. She delights in teaching from a vast array of sources and texts couched in humor and wit. Be prepared to learn, laugh and be inspired. Mrs. Shifrin lives in Passaic New Jersey where she teaches a weekly Tefila shiur and splashes in rain puddles with her kids.--
Rabbi Meyer "Mo" Shifrin

Rabbi Meyer Shifrin LPC is a therapist, a member of the Tikunim Counseling Practice. A former mesivta Rebbe and Beis Medrash Sho’el U’Maishiv, Rabbi Shifrin has lectured on a variety of topics to a wide range of audiences.
We look forward to Rabbi Mo's exciting variety of topics that he will be speaking on.
Rabbi Ephraim Eliyahu Shapiro

Rabbi Ephraim Eliyahu Shapiro is the Mara D’Asra of Shaaray Tefilah in North Miami
Beach, FL, providing guidance and inspiration for his kehila since 1998. He is a world-
renowned speaker who has lectured in Eretz Yisroel, Australia, South Africa, Canada,
many countries throughout Europe and cities across the United States. Rabbi Shapiro
is also a featured lecturer for the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation, and his daily
shiur on Kedushas HaPeh reaches a global audience. Thousands of people have been
inspired by Rabbi Shapiro’s Divrei Torah and Divrei Chizuk. His care and concern for
every individual is evident in the relationships he has with adults and children of all
ages. Rabbi Shapiro’s rapport with our Gedolei Yisroel are a testament both to his
devotion to Torah values as well as his dedication to providing for all who seek to be
inspired and to grow in their Avodas Hashem.
Rabbi Moshe Fingerer

Rav Moshe Fingerer is the associate Rav and director of BJX (Brooklyn Jewish Xperience). He has served as a senior lecturer and scholar in residence for hotel programs throughout the United States and was on the faculty of Aish HaTorah, Jerusalem and NCSY. He is a beloved, dynamic lecturer who passionately connects with his audience. He has counseled countless individuals and families helping them with children in crisis. Rabbi Moshe was featured in Mishpacha Magazine, Hamodia and other publications and is a founder of the Brooklyn Shabbos Project and the Brooklyn Unites for Israel rally. His International Tisha B'Av Porgrams are viewed by tens of thousands of Jews globally. In addition to his degree in biology, he also developed a unique curriculum for Jewish History.
2024 COMING SOON

PESACH TIME TOURS
Hashgacha

Rabbi Avraham Juravel
Mora D’Asra, Rav Hamachshir
Considered an acclaimed expert in both ingredient analysis and food manufacturing and technology, Rabbi Juravel currently serves as the Orthodox Union’s Rabbinic Coordinator for Technical Services. His expertise and professional advice is sought by many Kashrut professionals throughout the United States and the world. OU rabbinic field representatives as well as rabbinic coordinators frequently seek his guidance and approach to many complex Kashrut issues. He has visited hundreds of food manufacturing facilities throughout the world including Europe, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Korea, South America, Mexico, and the USA. Rabbi Juravel is married and the father of two children and has twelve grandchildren. He resides with his wife in Rockland County, NY.

Rabbi Moshe Kaufman
Head Mashgiach
Rabbi Moshe Kaufman is the Executive Director & Kashrus Administrator for KVH Kosher ~ Rabbinical Council of New England. He oversees the Kashrus of close to 50,000 products, over 1,200 companies, in more than 20 countries around the world. His Kashrus expertise spans many arenas including wine/ grape juice, meat, beverages, baking and many others. He had the privilege of learning the intricacies of kashrus from many renowned kashrus experts including his father, Rabbi Shraga Kaufman, Rabbi Avraham Juravel, and others. Rabbi Kaufman studied in the US at Yeshiva Bais Binyomin- Stamford, CT and in Eretz Yisrael at Yeshivas Ner Moshe. Upon returning to the US, he joined the Kollel at Yeshiva Bais Yosef - Novardok, focusing his studies on Kashrus related sections of Yoreh Deah and Orach Chayim and received semichah from Yeshiva Bais Yosef- Novardok in 2014. While continuing his learning he began freelancing in the field of kashrus working for OU, CRC, & others, under some of the world's renowned kashrus experts. In 2016, he joined the team at KVH kosher as the Rabbinical Food Service Coordinator, developing a robust and professional food service kashrus program. In 2017 Rabbi Kaufman became the Executive director & Kashrus Administrator of KVH Kosher and continues to expand and develop even greater brand recognition for the organization.