BIO Dr. Amittai Benami arrived at LA Hebrew High with a wealth of experience in formal and informal Jewish education, both in the United States and in Israel. The son of a Conservative Rabbi and himself an alum of Boston’s Prozdor High School, Dr Benami is a product of a supplemental Jewish high school education. At Harvard University and Brandeis, he studied Jewish education and Hebrew literature. He subsequently received his Ed.D in Curriculum and Supervision from Wayne State University where he focused on spiritual education. In addition, he studied educational administration and psychology at the Hebrew University, Bar Ilan University, and the University of Pittsburgh. During his distinguished career, he has served as school principal, advisor/educational consultant and teacher at day schools, synagogue schools, youth groups and prestigious experimental elementary schools in Israel and the United States. He comes to Los Angeles Hebrew High School from his position as Judaic Studies Director of the Solomon Schechter School in Queens, New York. Having lived and worked for ten years as a teacher and principal in the Israeli school system, he is a fluent Hebrew speaker. Dr. Benami’s passion for Jewish education is further reflected by his keen interest in the teaching of spirituality, his love of storytelling and, on the lighter side, his immense enjoyment and participation in guitar sing alongs. On a personal note, Dr. Benami is married to Lilly who grew up in Leningrad and immigrated to the United States in 1990. She has a degree in architecture and urban planning and works as an information technology business analyst, primarily in the insurance industry. Dr. Benami’s proudest achievement has been raising his three children: Oz who studies engineering at Columbia University, Ilan who is in a specialized medical school army program at the Hadassah School of Medicine, and Noga who is completing her second year of community service in Israel working with children at a shelter for battered religious women. In partnership with our students, parents and the Board of Trustees, Dr. Benami is delighted to guide and lead Los Angeles Hebrew High School with creativity and vision as it continues to implement the 21st century state of the art educational practices.[/su_expand]