Our Staff and Leadership
Tracie Bernstein
NTS Founder and Director
Tracie Bernstein created Nourishing the Soul Workshops in 2020 as the culmination of 30 years of work developing and sharing programs that help people access meaningful Jewish experience. Tracie has learned from and worked with some of the Jewish community's most exciting and talented innovators. Working as a facilitator trainer, Tracie has guided educators and clergy across the country to implement and lead programs in their communities. She served as Assistant Director of Israel Programs for Young Judaea and Marketing Director for the Harold Grinspoon Foundation before joining Moving Traditions, where she trained facilitators to launch their award winning Rosh Hodesh: It's a Girl Thing program across the US. After studying and working in Israel, Tracie partnered with Rabbi Aryeh Ben David to help spearhead his brilliant Ayeka program, engaging American Jewish Adults in soulful education.
Utilizing the NTS pedagogy of personally engaging those in a space to collaborate, listen and create shared vision, Tracie has facilitated staff retreats, non-profit leadership trainings and seminars. She graduated with Bachelor's degrees from Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary. She has lived in an Atlanta suburb with her husband, Rabbi Michael Bernstein, and their children since 2009. In addition to her work with Israel Bonds and Friends of the IDF, Tracie has co-written the 8 hour training for MACoM (Metro Atlanta Community Mikvah), and trained 50 guides to welcome guests. Tracie's adult NTS spiritual workshops are available to the public and for private groups and institutions. The turnkey Nourishing Their Souls adolescent curriculum is available for sale with teacher training. NTS Teen Leadership Seminars began Fall of 2021.
Rebecca Gordon feels fortunate to support Jewish learning and spiritual growth for students ranging from early childhood through adulthood. Her life is guided by respect for my personal and work relationships. As Director of Education at Congregation Gesher L'Torah and Southeast President for the Jewish Educators Assembly, Rebecca has access to the breadth of programs available for adolescent spiritual development. She is committed to supporting NTS growth because NTS’s pedagogy and content are unique. The adolescent curriculum draws students into feeling and thinking about their Jewish experience in a way that no other material Rebecca has seen. Personally, NTS adult workshops give Rebecca the opportunity to engage her own personal journey through spirituality and learning, stimulating her mind and soul.
Rabbi Robert Scheinberg, PhD is the Rabbi of the United Synagogue of Hoboken, Rabbi Scheinberg devotes himself each day to making Judaism an engaging and creative source of meaning for people of all ages. As a teacher at the Academy for Jewish Religion and a volunteer with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism and the Rabbinical Assembly, he supports clergy, and synagogue lay leaders in keeping their institutions deep and vibrant.
Rabbi Scheinberg is passionate about Jewish education and the connection between scholarship and education, and leads a synagogue known for a spirit of radical acceptance and non-judgmentalism. Rabbi Scheinberg has long recognized Tracie Bernstein as a passionate and visionary Jewish educator, who creates bridges between traditional Jewish texts and ideas and our contemporary lived experience. His synagogue was among the first to support NTS adult workshops, and purchase the adolescent curriculum.
Jocelyn Schorvitz is Executive Director at MACoM [Metro Atlanta Community Mikvah] where she has the honor of guiding guests through their personal immersion journeys. Jocelyn oversees every aspect of the building and immersions, and organizes spiritual educational programs for the greater Atlanta Jewish Community. Jocelyn has worked with non-profits for more than 20 years. She first became involved with NTS Workshops as a participant who admired and connected deeply with Tracie's teaching. Jocelyn sees NTS as adding a much needed dimension to adult educational programming both in Atlanta and throughout the country. Jocelyn was inspired to join the Board to support NTS growth and provide others the opportunity to engage uplifting, intelligent, and truly nourishing workshops.
Lee Shaffer is a big believer in the strength and dedication of the Atlanta Jewish community. As Area Sales Manager for Jewish HomeLife in Atlanta, Lee is responsible for the overall intake and retention of the Jewish HomeLife Assisted Living and Memory Care Communities. Lee’s leadership is infused with deep commitment to those he cares about. He became part of NTS Leadership because he loves the creativity and passion behind NTS workshops and sees their benefit first hand through the experience of senior residents who have taken part in NTS Senior Care Workshops through the organization’s partnership with Jewish HomeLife.
