About Us
Mission
The Institute for Curriculum Services (ICS) is dedicated to improving the accuracy of K-12 instruction and instructional materials on Jews, Judaism, and Jewish history. We do this by developing standards-aligned curricula and providing professional development to teachers around the country.
We believe an excellent education is essential to building a strong civil society, where all people can flourish.
History
Launched in 2005, ICS addresses historical inaccuracies and misinformation about Judaism and Jewish history in public school textbooks. Issues that ICS has identified range from blaming Jews for the crucifixion to misrepresentations of Jewish holidays to supersessionism, the idea that Judaism became obsolete after the birth of Christianity. In 2017, reflecting its commitment to teachers, ICS expanded its scope to offer more professional development opportunities for history and social studies educators nationwide.
Our Mission
The Institute for Curriculum Services (ICS) is dedicated to improving the quality of K-12 education on Jews, Judaism, Jewish history, and Israel in the United States. We do this by developing standards-aligned curricula and providing professional development to teachers around the country.
We believe an excellent education is essential to building a strong civil society, where all people can flourish.
Our History
Launched in 2005, ICS addresses historical inaccuracies and misinformation about Judaism and Jewish history in public school textbooks. Issues that ICS has identified range from blaming Jews for the crucifixion to misrepresentations of Jewish holidays to supersessionism, the idea that Judaism became obsolete after the birth of Christianity. In 2017, reflecting its commitment to teachers, ICS expanded its scope to offer more professional development opportunities for history and social studies educators nationwide.
Who We Are
Bella Ben-Shach, Director of Operations
Bella is responsible for ensuring that all of ICS’s “back office” functions support the organization’s ability to function smoothly and effectively. Bella first joined ICS in 2020 as the Deputy Director. Previously, Bella worked as a program manager for Jewish and Israel educational programs for young adults and college students. Bella earned a BA in Integral Liberal Arts from St. Mary’s College and a Dual Masters in Israel Studies and Non-Profit Management from Brandeis University.
Kassidy Blum, Educator
Kassidy presents at conferences and facilitates professional learning for teachers and other education professionals. Prior to working with ICS, she worked as a secondary social studies educator for 6 years. During her tenure as a history teacher, she also served as a mentor teacher, professional learning community lead, and color guard coach. Kassidy earned her Bachelor of Science in Social Science Education from the University of South Florida.
Kassidy facilitates professional learning for the following states: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kansas, and Missouri.
Josh Daniels, Associate Content Editor
Josh examines instructional materials and state standards with the aim of ensuring accuracy on Jewish subjects. Prior to ICS, Josh earned his B.A. in Humanities from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington, where he now resides, as well as his M.A. from the University of Chicago Divinity School. His research interests range from American religious demography to modern Jewish identity, and encompasses work on contemporary Jewish movements in the US and Israel.
Aliza Elias, Chief Program and Strategy Officer
As CPSO, Aliza oversees the design and implementation of ICS programs and services, and leads the development of strategic and innovative partnerships and initiatives to advance ICS’s mission. She frequently presents on the intersection between K-12 education and Jewish identity and history. Aliza joined ICS as its first full-time employee in 2006 and became its Director in 2013. Under her leadership, ICS grew into a nationally-recognized initiative that improves the accuracy of K-12 education on Jews, Judaism, and Jewish history for all students. She completed a Master’s degree with distinction in Modern Jewish Studies at Oxford and a B.A. Hons in Psychology from the University of Calgary.
Casey Finch, Educator
Casey presents at conferences and facilitates professional learning for educators in the Northeastern region of the United States. Prior to joining ICS, Casey spent 15 years teaching Social Studies. He taught in both public and private secondary schools in NH, CO, and MA. Most recently, Casey worked for CFR Education developing teaching and learning materials about global civics. Casey holds a B.A in Political Science from the University of New Hampshire and an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Denver.
Casey facilitates professional learning for the following states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and DC
Dori Gerber, Director of Professional Learning
Dori leads the Professional Learning team of educators to achieve ICS’s goal of providing educational opportunities to more teachers nationwide. In addition, she serves as a resource for teachers, district supervisors and community partners throughout the United States. Prior to her role at ICS, Dori was an educator in both public and private settings for 17 years. Dori earned a B.S. in Public Relations from the University of Florida and an M.A. in Education from Nova Southeastern University.
Kristen Hallahan, Educator
Kristen presents at conferences and facilitates professional learning for teachers and other education professionals within the Western Region of the United States. Before working with ICS, Kristen was a high school English teacher for 14 years. She has taught in multiple states as well as internationally, including time in Dubai and Bogotá, Colombia. Most recently, she worked for Lakewood High School in Colorado. Kristen has a B.A. in Secondary English Education from Clemson University, and an M.A. in Secondary Education from The University of Alabama International Program.
Kristen facilitates professional learning in the following states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
Sandy Sierra Harry, Data and CRM Manager
Sandy is the Data and Events Manager for ICS and joined the team in February 2020. A recent transplant to California, Sandy is originally from NYC. She later moved to Florida to earn her BA in Psychology from Florida Atlantic University. She spent nine years working at the nonprofit ARC Broward providing case management, afterschool program teaching, and other forms of support to young adults with developmental disabilities. Sandy supports ICS’s efforts by working with ICS educators to plan and deliver professional development opportunities for K-12 social studies educators.
Susan Kardos, Chief Executive Officer
Susan provides strategic leadership to advance ICS’s mission of improving the accuracy of K-12 education on Jews, Judaism, and Jewish history and leads the organization’s growth as an independent national non-profit. She cultivates strong relationships with stakeholders, inspires effective management and development of the ICS team, and drives fundraising efforts. Susan began her career as a middle school teacher and teacher-leader in two independent schools and then, after her doctoral training, as a public education policy researcher and consultant. She then focused exclusively on Jewish education, first from a communal central agency perspective, then at a national education foundation, and then at a large pluralistic Jewish Day School in New York City. Susan earned both Doctorate and Masters degrees in Education Administration, Planning, and Social Policy from Harvard University, and a Bachelors from Brown University.
Lior Klirs, Editorial Director
As Editorial Director, Lior is responsible for leading ICS’s strategy in reviewing instructional materials and standards to ensure accurate representation of Jews, Judaism, and Jewish history. Previously, Lior worked in various capacities in the world of education and publishing, including as an English teacher, state-level English Language arts coordinator, and curriculum and assessment developer. Lior earned a dual BA in English and Jewish Studies from the University of Virginia and a Master of Arts in Teaching secondary English from Duke University.
Erika Lowery, Educator
Erika is in her 27th year in education. Before joining ICS, she taught middle school and high school geography courses and was a Secondary Social Studies Coordinator. She received her Bachelor of Science in Social Studies Education from The Florida State University, was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus in the College of Education in 2020, and a Master of Education Leadership from National Louis University.
Erika facilitates professional learning for the following states: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky
Liz Burns Taormina, Educator
Liz taught for 15 years in independent and religious schools in New York, Connecticut and New Jersey. As chair of an interdisciplinary humanities department, she served as a coach for teachers of social studies, ELA, world languages, fine arts, and religious studies. She holds a BA in Religious Studies from Fairfield University and a Master’s degree from the University of Notre Dame.
Liz facilitates professional learning in New York state.
Keryn Warren, Marketing and Communications Manager
As the Marketing and Communications Manager, Keryn is responsible for brand implementation, design, generating leads, and social media. Prior to her role at ICS, Keryn worked as the Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications at a non-profit that provides training, professional development, and support to Jewish educators. She earned a BA in Asian Studies at SUNY New Paltz, an MA in East Asian Languages and Literature at the University of Oregon, and an MPA with a concentration in Non-Profit Management at Baruch College.
Our Impact
Teachers have participated in workshops
States (plus D.C.) represented by teachers we’ve trained
Of teachers would recommend ICS’s workshops to others
Consulting
ICS offers consultative services to publishers, policymakers, and Jewish community organizations regarding accurate K-12 resources.
Careers
Interested in joining our team?
