Rabbi Hyman earned a BA in Biology at SUNY-Binghamton and an M.A. in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. She has taught Jewish Studies in a variety of settings, helped found a Jewish Family Education program in Rhode Island, and served as Education Director at Congregation Netivot Shalom in Berkeley, CA. While attending the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, Rabbi Hyman served as High Holy Day cantor at Congregation Tiferes B'nai Israel in Warrington, P.A., and as bar/bat mitzvah coordinator, teacher and Jewish family educator at the Germantown Jewish Centre in Philadelphia.

Rabbi Hyman is married to Rabbi Michael Fessler. Rabbis Hyman and Fessler served as co-rabbis of Congregation B'nai Tikvah—Beth Israel in Sewell, NJ from 2004-2014.  has been at Temple Beth-El since 2014.  Rabbis Hyman and Fessler are the proud parents of Ariella, Adora and Tamar.  Rabbi Miriam can be emailed at education@tbeny.org

Karen was born and raised in Long Island.  She moved up to the Hudson Valley after marrying her husband, Dan, in 2001 and they have been members of Temple Beth-El for 20+ years.  Dan and Karen raised two daughters right here at Temple Beth-El.  Karen attended  SUNY Cortland as an undergraduate and  Indiana State University for grad school, with degrees in Physical Education and Athletic Training. Beginning her career as a Certified Athletic Trainer, while her children were young she migrated over to teaching preschoolers.  She began teaching in Temple Beth-El’s religious school in the early 2010’s and continues to teach today. In 2022, she took on the position of Education Assistant at TBE and is now also in charge of our programming at the Temple as well. Karen can be emailed at educationassist@tbeny.org.

Our Education Committee is made up of synagogue members who partner with the staff under our Education Director's leadership. They work to support our school, while continuously evaluating all aspects of our program.

Our Madrichim are made up of post B’nai Mitzvah students from our congregational communities. These talented teens assist our teachers and mentor our students. In addition to their classroom duties, aides provide in-class learning support and service leadership for school tefillah (prayer).