Channah Cohen
Channah hails from the windy (and snowy, and awesome) city of Chicago. After two years at Tomer Devorah Seminary in Israel, Channah attended Stern College for Women for two more years as a major in Psychology, serving on the Torah Activities Counsel and graduating summa cum laude with the Leadership and Vision Award. Subsequently, she traveled back to Israel as a madricha, where she met her wonderful husband Jeff.
Upon her return from Israel, Channah completed a Masters in Adult Learning & Leadership at Teachers College, Columbia University. The only thing that makes her happier than speaking about her dense thesis on Transformative Learning in Religion (copies available upon request!) is to work for OU-JLIC at Queens College, teaching, learning, and being part of the vibrant Jewish Community on campus. Channah lives in Passaic, NJ with her husband Jeff and their son Aryeh, both of whom she adores.
Talia Furleiter
Talia Furleiter is originally from Teaneck, New Jersey. She has an M.A. in Biblical and Talmudic Interpretation from Yeshiva University’s Graduate Program for Women in Advanced Talmudic Studies (GPATS).
For two years, Talia taught introductory Halakha at the Drisha Institute for Jewish Education in Manhattan. In addition, she was the founding instructor of Bavli Ba’Erev, a nightly Gemara study group for undergraduate students at Stern College. She has also taught or lectured at various synagogues including Mount Sinai Jewish Center, the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, NYU Hillel, and others.
Talia is currently a fellow in the second class of Nishmat’s Miriam Glaubach Center’s U.S. Yoatzot Halacha Fellowship. She lives in Washington Heights with her husband Matthew and their two sons, Yehuda and Ezra.
Rabbi Chaim and Lindsey Strassman
Rabbi Chaim Strassman and his wife Lindsey are very excited to be the OU-JLIC Fellowship Couple at Queens College this year. Originally from Highland Park New Jersey, Chaim attended Torah Academy of Bergen County in Teaneck New Jersey. Following graduation, Chaim spent a year and a half studying at Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh in the Old City of Jerusalem. He subsequently attended Yeshiva University where he graduated with a BA in Psychology.
Chaim is now in his fourth and final year of semichah at YU’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS). He spent the past summer directing a bus on NCSY’s TJJ summer program and both Chaim and Lindsey remain very involved with Central East NCSY. As Chaim and Lindsey have always been involved in helping develop strong Jewish Communities, they are very eager participate in building and strengthening the Jewish Community at Queens College through OU-JLIC.