Rabbi Yitzchak Sapochkinsky
Director

Rabbi 'Sapo' is the founder and director of the Conejo Hebrew High School. Whether delving into the intricacies of the Hebrew language or sharing one of his many memorable stories or personal encounters, Rabbi Sapo leaves an indelible impression upon all of his students.

Orit Shwartz
Head of Hebrew Language Dept.

Orit Shwartz’s passion for education is highlighted by her love for her students and the subjects she teaches. She believes that students learn when they feel valued, appreciated and heard. Orit has been teaching both Hebrew and math in Los Angeles and in Israel totaling 32 years, 8 of which have been as a grade level dean at a local Jewish high school. She holds a Bachelor's degree and a teaching credential from Seminar Kibbutzim Tel Aviv. She is skilled in creating and building both Hebrew and math curriculum that is considered innovative, engaging, and effective.

Tali Jackont
Hebrew Language Instructor

Tali Jackont is a warm and dedicated teacher at Conejo Hebrew High School for many years who holds a Bachelors and Masters degree in Education. She helps each student build their confidence in reading, writing, speaking, and understanding Hebrew. Tali brings energy and care to every lesson, offering personalized attention and encouraging each student’s language fluency and connection to Jewish culture and identity. Her classroom is known for being nurturing, engaging, and deeply rooted in both linguistic growth and personal development.

Nurit Milstein
Hebrew Language Instructor

Nurit Milstein is an experienced and credentialed
Hebrew teacher with a reputation for empowering her students to reach their full potential. Her passion for education and the Jewish community have inspired her to lead an annual delegation of students to Israel where they participate in a partnership program with a school in Tel Aviv. Her resourcefulness, hard work and jovial disposition
earned her the Teacher of the Year at VBS Day School.

Mushka Friedman
School Administrator

Mushka Friedman oversees parent communications, student programming, and community engagement for the Hebrew High program. Known for creating a warm, welcoming learning environment, Mushka plays a key role in fostering students’ growth—both in Hebrew language skills and Jewish identity—helping them earn high-school foreign language credits while supporting their personal and social development.

Rabbi Mendy Friedman
Judaic & Classical Text Instructor

Rabbi Mendy brings depth, clarity, and passion to the study of Torah. His vast knowledge of contemporary issues and Judaic concepts, together with his acute manner of connecting to teenagers, has made him a favorite of our students.  With a gift for making ancient texts come alive, Rabbi Mendy engages students in thoughtful discussions that build both knowledge and character. As director of CTeen Conejo, he inspires teens to connect with their heritage in meaningful and relevant ways.