About Us
Ma’agal
Ma’agal (the Hebrew word for “circle”, pronounced “Mah-ah-gahl”) delivers robust, joyful Israeli dance education to people of all ages, and enables Jewish educators and dance enthusiasts to implement enriching, educational, and emotionally-connecting Israeli dance programs by providing them with training, resources, and supportive community.
Meet Erica
Director
Every year, Erica teaches Israeli dances at events and workshops for audiences young and old, both in the Jewish world and beyond. In addition to Israeli dance leader, Erica has been an engineering linguist, a high school English teacher, and a nonprofit Chief Program Officer. Erica was the Director of Dance at Camp Alonim, the Jewish sleepaway camp where Israeli dancing is a shared obsession, for twelve summers, and has been an Educator for the Cornerstone Fellowship, a program of the Foundation for Jewish Camp, for over a decade.
After earning her MBA and an MA in Jewish Professional Leadership from the Hornstein Program at Brandeis University, Erica launched Ma'agal, an initiative to improve Israeli dance education at schools and camps across the nation. She is a grateful Wexner Fellow/Davidson Scholar and a proud alumna of the Ruskay Institute for Jewish Professional Leadership, a program of UJA-Federation of New York that she now directs (when she’s not dancing). In 2023, she taught Israeli dance on her fifth continent (so far!).
Meet Fran
Teacher and Choreographer
Fran Amkraut has been dancing as long as she can remember. A native New Yorker, Fran earned her BA from Columbia University and later moved to Los Angeles where she earned her MBA. Multi-faceted and multi-talented, Fran is the President and CEO of Technion Contractors TCI, Inc, a board member at Kadima Day School in West Hills, CA, and recently choreographed the popular Israeli folkdance “Ein Maspik Zman” with Tamir Scherzer. She has delighted audiences as a dancer with Shalhevet, the Parparim Dance Ensemble, the Keshet Chaim Dance Ensemble, and most recently Gadalnu Yachad, a group that formed after October 7th to express their shared anguish about the hostages and their families through dance.
Meet Caren
Dance Instructor
Caren Heller is a native of New Jersey who is now the Performing Arts department chair at Milken Community Schools in Los Angeles. Caren has been involved in formal and informal Jewish education for over 20 years and has dedicated her life to sharing her passion for Judaism and the arts with students of all ages. She graduated from Rutgers University and received her Master of Arts in dance and dance education from Columbia's Teachers College. While living in Israel, she studied the history of Israeli folk dance at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. Caren previously worked at Ramaz Upper School, Golda Och Academy, and Camp Ramah teaching dance, choreographing musicals, and planning student life programs. Caren was a core teacher and facilitator at Ma’agal’s pilot seminar in 2015.
Meet Lisa
Rabbi Lisa Silverstein is a renowned spiritual leader, yogini, musician, and Israeli dancer. Her ongoing work in the areas of spirituality, yoga, music, wellness, dance, and Jewish culture has earned her a reputation as a leading informal educator in the United States, Europe, and Israel.
A certified yoga instructor, a celebrated musician and composer, and a distinguished teacher and performer of Israeli dance, Lisa is also the founder and executive director of Positive Jewish Living, a post-denominational Jewish organization that encourages a holistic, spiritual approach to physical and emotional wellness.