Meet the Shivtei Team
Rabbi Eitan Bendavid, Rav HaKehilla
Rabbi Bendavid loves being a communal rav and he loves our community with all his heart.
Rabbi Bendavid joined the Shivtei community as our Rabbi and spiritual leader in May of 2017. Prior to making Aliyah, he was the Rabbi of the Manhattan West Side Sephardic Synagogue, assistant rabbi at Lincoln Square Synagogue and Rosh Kollel of the Yeshiva of Cape Town.
Rabbi Bendavid received ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (Yeshiva University) as a Wexner Graduate Fellow. He earned a B.A. in Philosophy from Columbia University, Masters in Modern Jewish History from the Bernard Revel Graduate School and studied at Yeshivot Hesder, Maale-Adumim and Yeshivat Har-Etzion (Gush).
A passionate Zionist, Rabbi Bendavid served in the Nahal Infantry Brigrade of the IDF and spent several periods of time living in Israel, which included a rabbinical internship at Shivtei, under the guidance of our community’s beloved Rabbi Beller z”l.
In addition to serving as Rabbi, teacher, and leader of the Shivtei community, Rabbi Bendavid enjoys studying Talmud, hiking with friends, debating intellectual history and Middle-Eastern politics, extreme skiing, a good game of squash, and spending time with his kids. He and his wife, Etta, have four children, Aryeh Lev, Boaz, Talya and Adir.
Rabbanit Etta Bendavid
Rabbanit Etta brings deep wisdom, compassion, and spiritual insight to the Shivtei community.
She is a Board-Certified Pastoral Counselor with extensive experience providing spiritual, emotional and mental health support for individuals and families dealing with life’s most difficult moments and losses. Based in Raanana, she maintains a private counseling practice and is a trusted source of guidance and care.
As a dedicated member of the Shivtei leadership team, Etta is involved in the lives of our members. Etta is a graduate of Matan’s Morot L’Halakha program and regularly advises women on issues of Taharat HaMishpacha. With an M.A. in Midrash/Theology and Education, she is also a seasoned Jewish educator, preparing kallot and b’not mitzvah with sensitivity and joy.
Etta teaches shiurim, leads women’s Hallel, coordinates the annual Women’s Megillah readings and brings a sense of purpose and heart to everything she does.
Whether it’s over a cup of coffee or a quiet conversation, Etta is available with a listening ear, a comforting presence, and a spark of humor and inspiration.
Rav Dani and Sonya
Rav Dani Schreiber has been an integral part of the Shivtei community since he made Aliyah from New York in 2011.
As Associate Rabbi, Rav Dani delivers derashot and shiurim during the week and on Shabbat and is involved in many educational programs throughout the community. In particular, he gives a Semichat Chaver (SCP) shiur for men which covers core topics in halacha in-depth and culminates with a test and a certificate for participants. He also leads the Beit Midrash minyan on Shabbat morning.
Rav Dani has a BA in Computer Science from Yeshiva University and was ordained at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (Yeshiva University) in New York.
In addition to his work at Shivtei, Rav Dani works as a full-stack software engineer. He and his wife, Sonya, have four children, Ezra, Sara, Ariella and Nechama.
Since her arrival at Shivtei with Rav Dani in 2011, Sonya Schreiber has been a leader in promoting women’s educational programs, a role that has increased with the establishment of the Women’s Leadership Team that ensures a constant stream of shiurim and other events specifically for women.
With a BA in psychology, a Master’s in Social Work and certification as a kallah teacher, Sonya is a resource in the community for taharat hamishpacha advice, and provides insight and guidance on a variety of topics. She and Rav Dani are also very involved with the Shivtei youth.
In addition to her work at Shivtei, Sonya works in marketing at a tech company in Raanana..
Rav Dani and Sonya are also heavily involved with the youth, giving shiurim and usually attending the Friday night Youth minyan.
Dudi & Rivka Stern
Dudi and Rivka Stern have tons of experience working with young people, both professionally and thorugh youth organizations. They are excited to join the SHivtei community with their two cute sons.
Meet the Office Angels
Office Administrator
Sarie Klein
Sarie Klein joined the Shivtei office team in May 2019 as a direct response to feeling like she wasn’t spending enough time at shul. Sarie and her husband and 4 kids made the decision to make Aliyah from Manchester, England in 2015 and they’ve never looked back!
Head of Operations
Shira Lavan
Shira Lavan has joined the Shivtei Yisrael team as our new Operations Manager! She’ll be working closely with Yael and Sarie and reporting to the chairman.
With Shira on board, the office will now be staffed every day from Sunday to Friday, helping us run even more smoothly.
Office administrator
Yael Malka
Yael Malka has been working in the Shivtei office since 2015. She is originally from Brussels, met her husband while living in London and then relocated to Hong Kong. This world traveler finally came home to Israel 6 years ago and lives in Ra’anana with her husband and 3 sons.
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