Youth Director: Amanda Dryer, Devora Batt, and Alexander Wildes

Devorah began her teaching career at Manhattan Day School where she met Alexander. She joined the LSS community last year as a group leader, and enjoyed getting to know and being a part of the community. She is recently engaged to our Teen Director, Alexander, and is thrilled to be working with him both at Manhattan Day School and at Lincoln Square Synagogue. Devorah is also pursuing a masters degree at Hunter for Special Education – with a focus on learning disabilities. She has a particular interest in becoming a learning specialist and an evaluator for students with learning disabilities. In her free time, she enjoys writing, learning about astrophysics, and painting. Devorah is excited to begin her new role as Newborn & Tots Director and encourages all LSS parents to reach out to her with ideas, feedback or just to say hello!

Alexander grew up attending LSS youth groups and has been working in the Youth Department for the last decade, working his way up from volunteer to counselor to Assistant Youth Director, and now to Teen Director.  Alexander graduated from Yeshiva University with a Bachelors in Marketing and from YU’s Azrieli School of Jewish Education with a Master's in Jewish Education.  Alexander is currently pursuing a second master's degree, this time from Hunter College, while concurrently working as a math and STEM teacher at Manhattan Day School. 

Avner grew up in Givat Shmuel, Israel. He was a Bnei Akiva (religious Zionist youth movement) student and then guided students for 3 years.
After 3 years, he was responsible for a Snif (branch) in Herzliya.
In addition, he was a coordinator for two years at summer camps in Bnei Akiva and was responsible for 150 children.
In the meantime, he studied at the Merkaz HaRav Yeshiva in Jerusalem for 3 and a half years.
While at Bnei Akiva and the yeshiva, he volunteered at the Zichron Menachem Association, which supports cancer patients and their families.
After studying at the yeshiva, he enlisted to the IDF, he served in the "Golani" Brigade, Battalion 51.
After he finished his service, he spent another two months in the Alexandroni Brigade, and then he arrived to teach Hebrew in Manhattan.

Emunah grew up in Alon Moreh, which is in Samaria, Israel. She studied at the Raya Ulpan in Beit El and then did "Sherut Leumi" (national service).
Then, in her second year, she was a volunteer at the Ora Institute and worked with girls who had immigrated to Israel, teaching them Hebrew.
After that, she began studying education at Orot College and Midreshet HaRuba.
In the meantime, she studied fitness training at the Wingate Institute and received her certificate and began teaching in a studio.
In addition, she was a member of the Ariel Youth Movement and was both a trainer and a Communard.
Emunah volunteered for about 4 years with children with special needs from the Lev Binyamin Association.
After Emunah finished her studies, she moved to NYC to teach Hebrew at MDS.

You can reach Devorah, Alexeander, Avner and Emunah at youth@lss.org