Rabbi Kohananoo brings over a decade of Jewish school leadership experience to Zucker Jewish Academy Toronto, where his warmth and genuine connection with students and families have made him one of the most trusted educators in the community. He holds a Master’s in Education in Administration and Supervision from Loyola University Chicago and is passionate about creating an environment where every child feels seen, supported, and excited to learn. He joins ZJA Toronto with a deep commitment to helping families raise confident, curious, and proud Jewish kids.

Mrs. Rhonda Halpern has dedicated more than twenty years to early childhood education and educational leadership. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Developmental Psychology, a Diploma in Early Childhood Education, Montessori certification, and additional training in Structured Literacy. Her professional work has included parent education, program development, and the creation of Jewish educational initiatives that have been implemented across North America.

As the founder and director of The Learning Tree Jewish Montessori Preschool, Mrs. Halpern developed a child-centered program that blended Montessori principles, project-based learning, and Jewish values. She is passionate about understanding how children grow and learn and believes that meaningful education begins with strong relationships, responsive teaching, and respect for each child’s unique strengths and potential.

Mrs. Halpern joins Zucker Jewish Academy of Toronto with a vision of building a preschool that is joyful, relationship-centered, and grounded in both educational excellence and Jewish values. She is committed to creating learning environments that spark curiosity, foster independence, nurture creativity, and cultivate a lifelong love of learning.

Racheli Laitman earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from York University and is currently completing her Master’s degree there, researching auditory biophysics — studying not only how our ears detect sound, but how they generate and emit sounds of their own.

As STEAM Program Lead at Zucker Jewish Academy, Racheli inspires students through hands-on, inquiry-based learning that blends science, technology, engineering, art, and math with the weekly parsha and Jewish holidays. One of her favorite projects has students build working menorahs using electrical circuits, learning about batteries, voltage, and circuit safety along the way. By weaving scientific discovery, creativity, and Torah learning together, she hopes to spark curiosity and a lifelong love of learning in every child.

As Director of Education for all Zucker Jewish Academy schools, Dr. Laya Salomon oversees the school’s mission, vision, educational principles, curricula, and teaching and learning standards, ensuring all schools meet high benchmarks for academic success.
Dr. Salomon’s passion is for children and for educating with goals that are learner-centered. She believes in the innate joy of learning and the role of schools in cultivating that joy through targeted, challenging, and personalized learning experiences. She is honored to be a partner in building a network of schools that is committed to educational excellence and effective teaching practices, while rooted in strong Jewish values and beliefs.
In addition to her role at Zucker Jewish Academy, Dr. Salomon serves as the Director of the Master’s Program and an Associate Professor at the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education & Administration at Yeshiva University, where she teaches graduate and doctoral-level courses in curriculum, assessment, lesson planning, teaching methods, mentoring, supervision, and leadership.

Born in South Africa, I studied Early Years Foundation Phase Teaching (Kindergarten through Grade 3), graduating Cum Laude and first in my class. After moving to Canada in 2001, I completed my Canadian equivalency through the Association of Early Childhood Educators and am currently working toward an Honours Degree in Childhood Development.

With 28 years of experience in early childhood education, I’ve served as a daycare and preschool Director and taught Kindergarten and Grade 1, always focused on creating nurturing, inclusive environments where every child feels valued and capable. I love bringing music, visual arts, movement and dance into learning, and I’ve completed extensive training in literacy programs aligned with the Science of Reading — helping children build a lifelong love of reading is a particular passion of mine.

My classroom is built on warmth, trust and curiosity, and I believe the strongest support for a child comes from true partnership between school and home. I’m excited to begin this new chapter at Zucker Academy and to be part of each child’s journey of learning, growth and discovery.

My name is Chaya Lederman. I was born in South Africa and grew up in Australia. I have been teaching for over 20 years, and teaching has always been a true passion of mine. I am currently enrolled in the Early Childhood Education program at Georgian College as I continue to grow as an educator and deepen my understanding of early childhood learning.

I believe teaching is about so much more than academics. It is about making a meaningful difference in children’s lives, helping them build confidence, discover their strengths, and develop a lifelong love of learning. I am especially passionate about nurturing a strong Jewish identity and instilling in my students a deep pride in being Jewish, while encouraging them to grow into kind, caring and thoughtful mensches.

Outside of school, I am a wife, a proud mom of four children, and the very proud mom of the cutest dog! I feel incredibly fortunate to do what I love every day and look forward to creating a warm, nurturing and joyful environment where every child feels valued and inspired to shine.