Educational Staff Bios

Jordan Ottenstein -

Director of Education

Jordan Ottenstein waves the lulav and etrog in celebration of Sukkot.

Jordan Ottenstein was born and raised in Shorewood, MN, which is a suburb of Minneapolis. Throughout high school, Jordan was very involved with BeSTY, the Bet Shalom Senior Temple Youth, and NFTY NO, the North American Federation of Temple Youth's Northern Region, serving on both his temple youth group and regional boards in different capacities. After graduating high school, Jordan attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he earned a degree with a dual major in Jewish Studies and Hebrew and Semitic Studies. While in Madison, Jordan was the chair of Hillel's Reform Minyan. Still an avid Wisconsin fan, you will often see Jordan at CRC wearing his Bucky Badger kippah.  Jordan is currently working on a Masters in Teaching from Webster University.

After graduation, Jordan moved to St. Louis and started working at CRC, first as the Education Program Assistant and Associate Director of Education, and now as the Director of Education. Jordan teaches Adult Hebrew and is looking forward to teaching other adult education classes in the upcoming year.  He also co-teaches confirmation class with Rabbi Susan and thinks that the class is one of the most rewarding parts of his job.

In the future, Jordan would like to attend rabbinical school and become a congregational Rabbi. He considers himself very luck to be working with, and learning from, CRC's amazing clergy. When he is not at CRC, Jordan spends a lot of his time with his wife, Marni, who is a nurse at St. Louis Children's Hospital. He enjoys teaching and learning from all of our community's learners.

To contact Jordan call 314-361-1564 ext 106 or email him at jordan@centralreform.org

Essie Mitchell-

Assistant Director of Education

Essie grew up in St. Louis and was educated in the Parkway School District.  After graduating from Mizzou with a certification to teach high school English, she went to Botswana with the Peace Corps.  From Africa, she moved to upper Maine and with Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), she spent a year creating recreational opportunities for a small rural community.  And from coastal Maine, Essie returned to St. Louis, where she taught high school English at Clayton High School.

Essie loved teaching and the process of facilitating growth and self-esteem in her students.  She then attended Washington University where she earned her MSW.  She intended to return to teaching, but from there she explored the ins and outs  of programming, non-traditional learning and group dynamics, working with the National Council on Alcoholsim and Drug Abuse (NCADA), Lion's Den Outdoor Learning Center, and Fort Zumwalt School District.  Essie served as the part-time Director of Education at B'nai El Congregation and has, als, taught adult ESL. Essie is a graduate of the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School.

Essie and her husband, Gary have two sons, Mayer, who is 10, and Solomon, who is 6. The family enjoys hiking at various county parks, frequenting open fields to toss a fribee or a baseball, reading, watching movies, and playing Parcheesi. 

To contact Essie, call 314-361-1564 ext. 118 or email essie@centralreform.org.

Maggie Duwe -

Interfaith/Outreach Coordinator

Maggie Duwe was born and raised right here in St. Louis.  And she did go to high school here!   She has an undergraduate degree from the University of Tulsa in physical education.  After living in Colorado, Arkansas, and Florida, she returned to St. Louis to attend Logan College of Chiropractic.  Maggie received her doctorate in 1985. 

Maggie began her studies and journey with Judaism in 1995, attending Introduction to Judaism, the original Ruth Group, and Melton.  In 1996 she converted to Judaism.

Maggie continued her chiropractic practice until 1999, when she moved to New York City.  There she began her studies at Hebrew Union College.  She was awarded a Masters Degree in Jewish Education. 

She currently holds the position of Interfaith and Outreach Coordinator and Adult Educator at CRC.   (And works as a Chiropractor again too!)

To contact Maggie call 314-361-1564 ext 112 or email maggie@centralreform.org

Rachel Berla-

Senior Youth Group (CeRTY) Advisor

Rachel grew up in the CRC community and is thrilled to be back as the CeRTY advisor.  As the daughter of a founding family of CRC, Rachel had her Bat MItzvah here, and was an active member of CeRTY all through high school.  When she's not busy with youth group Rachel is an RN at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

To contact Rachel call 314-570-3114 or email

certy@centralreform.org

Claire Berstein-

Youth Programs Coordinator

Bio and Contact Information Coming Soon!

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The CRC Education Program promotes Jewish connections to family, community, God, Torah, and Israel through exploration of Tzedakah, Tikkun Olam, Freedom, Peace, and the Power of Ritual.