Welcome to the latest in our series of Staff Profiles. Alissa Felberman recently joined the Touro community as a Librarian at Touro College Israel. Alissa was kind enough to answer some questions for us below:
Where were you born?
I was born in Brooklyn, NY, but grew up from an early age in a town called Monsey in Rockland County, NY.
Where else have you lived?
When I was 21 years old, I moved to Israel with my husband, and we have been living here ever since. Despite the challenges that come with living in Israel, I love it here and believe it’s the best place for my family. Recently, my husband and I returned to Israel after spending two years teaching at a Jewish Day school in Maryland. We resided in the beautiful city of Potomac, Maryland, which allowed us to visit several famous sites, including Gettysburg, Mt. Vernon, and the Library of Congress in Washington D.C., where we received a private tour from one of the librarians there.
What languages do you speak?
My mother tongue is English, but I speak Hebrew fluently. I also studied Arabic for two years in college.
What fields have you studied and/or degrees have you earned?
I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in Information Science and a teaching certificate enabling me to teach English as a second language. Previously, I taught English to students in junior high school. During a sabbatical, I pursued a Master of Education degree in Library and Information Science from David Yellin Teacher’s College. While completing my degree, I worked for approximately eight years in a public library and only recently switched to working as a university librarian in Touro, Israel.
What is your ideal vacation?
I love nature and the beach, so any place where I can see greenery or take walks near the water is perfect for me. Recently, my husband and I visited the national parks in the western part of the United States, including Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. We traveled in a camper van and stayed in the park’s camping grounds. It was an amazing trip.
Any hobbies?
My hobbies are reading, gardening, and making sourdough bread.
Favorite food?
My favorite food, without a doubt, is falafel.
Tell us one thing about yourself that most of us probably don’t know.
I study Talmud every day in a program called Daf Yomi, where you learn a page a day. I have been doing it for about four years and hopefully will finish the whole Talmud in about three and a half years.
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