CAA Leadership

Jay Rapoport:

Director

Jay is so excited to be leading the URJ 6 Points Creative Arts Academy team after several decades in Jewish camping! Jay has previously served as the Director of Lifelong Learning at Temple Sholom of Chicago since 2014, and prior to that as the Youth Educator at Congregation Rodeph Sholom in New York City and as Camp Director at Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church, Virginia. He earned his master’s degree in Religious Education (MARE) from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in New York City and a B.A. in Elementary Education and Music from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.  

In 2019 Jay earned the Reform Jewish Educator (RJE) title, reflecting his academic and professional accomplishments. In 2020 he was the recipient of the Yad B’Yad Award from the ARJE recognizing innovative programming and curricula. In 2022 he released his latest album of “Ruach Rock” Jewish music, “Attitude of Gratitude.”

Jay has served as the President of the Chicago Association of Reform Jewish Educators (ChARJE), as well as a faculty member at URJ Camp OSRUI and the Hava Nashira Jewish Music Conference. He is a frequent presenter and performer at URJ Biennial and other conferences.

Jay is a pianist, vocalist and composer of original Jewish music, and is a Featured Artist on Jewish Rock Radio (JRR) and JKids Radio, and a member of JRR Chicago Sings. Jay and his wife Rachel live in Lakeview with their two children, Ruthie and Emet. 

Contact Jay: Jrapoport@urj.org

 

 

Samantha Eichert:

Senior ASsistant Director

Samantha received a BA from the University of Hartford in Judaic Studies and Sociology with a minor in History  and earned her master’s degree in Religious Education (MARE) from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR). Samantha has also completed the Union for Reform Judaism’s Youth Professional 101 Program. 

After graduating from college, Samantha served in several different roles among the New Jersey Jewish communities. Samantha’s recent leadership roles include the Director of Youth Engagement, the Temple Administrator, Assistant Director of Youth Learning and Engagement. Serving first as faculty virtually in 2020, and at CAA in 2021, Samantha fell in love with this community and joined the full-time CAA team in April 2022.  

Contact Samantha: Seichert@urj.org

 

Lisa Rodney:

6 Points Business Manager

Lisa is the 6 Points Business Manager for all three 6 Points Specialty camps located on the East Coast: 6 Points Sports, 6 Points Creative Arts, and 6 Points Sci-Tech! During the summer Lisa is housed out of 6 Points Sports Academy, but helps all three camps year-round!

Lisa’s involvement with the 6 Points Camps began as a Camp Parent when her daughter fell in love with 6 Points Sports Academy a few years ago. The moment a position became available which matched her over 30 years of business, accounting, and management experience, Lisa jumped on it. She is excited to bring her love for and connection with Judaism and children together with her work.

Lisa’s professional career in management began with Flight Service at American Airlines, then on to Office Manager of a Pilates studio, Controller of an Architectural firm and most recently she wore a wide variety of hats at a three-person accounting firm. She is actively involved with the local Jewish Community through three congregations as well as the JCC.

Lisa is originally from Rochester, NY, and has lived in Israel, Greece, Chicago, NYC, and Philadelphia. She currently resides outside of Raleigh, NC with her husband, mother, adult stepson, son, 14 and daughter, 12, two cats, and her chocolate Lab, Lucy. Her passions include learning about other cultures, travel, reading, and hiking. She volunteers regularly and currently serves as the Treasurer for her children’s middle school PTA.

Contact Lisa: Lrodney@urj.org 

 

Shaina Sugar:

Director of Development

When Shaina first learned about 6 Points Sci-Tech, she immediately knew it would be the perfect summer fit for her son and was the first to enroll for Summer 2022! She is thrilled to also send another son to 6 Points Sports Academy. The focus on a particular specialty within the context of a Jewish summer camp drew Shaina in and when the Director of Development position became available, she jumped at the opportunity to be involved in this vibrant camp community.

Shaina is originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin but has lived in the Chicagoland area for much of her life. She spent a year in Israel studying and volunteering and then attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She currently lives in Evanston IL with her husband and 3 boys. For the past 10 years, she has worked on the Development Team for a Midwest summer camp. Shaina is thrilled to bring her knowledge and experience to all three 6 Points Specialty camps.

Contact Shaina: Ssugar@urj.org 

 

Lissie Levitt:

Staff Engagement Coordinator,

6 points specialty camps

Lissie is incredibly excited to be a part of 6 Points Specialty Camps as the Staff Engagement Coordinator. When she was 8 years old, Lissie spent her first summer at camp and immediately fell in love. She has spent every summer at sleepaway camp ever since. Her love for camp evolved simultaneously with her love for Judaism, and she is the alum of several URJ programs such as NFTY-SAR, URJ Kutz Camp, and NFTY Heller High. Lissie attended the George Washington University, where she earned a degree in political science with a minor in Judaic studies. During her time at GWU, she served as a Leadership and Development intern at the Religious Action Center in Washington, D.C. and held leadership positions for various student organizations. Lissie is from Atlanta, GA and currently resides there. In her free time, you can find her cheering on the Atlanta Braves, finding the best gluten-free snacks, or volunteering with the local animal shelter.

Contact Lissie: LLevitt@urj.org

 

Lindsey Fleishman:

marketing Manager,

6 points specialty camps

Lindsey has been a part of the 6 Points community since 2016. She was a camper, CIT, counselor, and CIT Director at 6 Points Sports. Camp is her happy place and one of the reasons she chose to work in the Jewish space as a career. She is also a NFTY-MAR alum and a true advocate of the importance of Jewish youth spaces. Lindsey received her B.S. in Communications from East Carolina University as a member of the Brinkley-Lane Scholars Program and the Honors College. She will also receive her Masters in Strategic Communication in 2024. Lindsey has gained a love for marketing through her work with 6 Points, BBYO, and the Honors College at ECU, allowing her to be creative in youthful environments. While she has lived in Greenville, North Carolina, for the past few years for school, she is originally from Raleigh, making North Carolina her home. Outside of camp, she loves to travel and will always be willing to tell you about her favorite place on earth, Dublin, Ireland. On any given day, she can also be found at a coffee shop trying to find the best latte.

Contact Lindsey: LFleishman@urj.org

 

Rachel B. Handloff:

6 Points Executive Director

Born and raised in Farmington Hills, Michigan, Rachel has been attending summer camp since she was eight years old. She served as a counselor and senior staff member for 15 summers at Camp Tanuga in Northern Michigan. In the summer of 2013, Rachel was the CIT coordinator and Unit Head at 6 Points Sports Academy. Since 2013,  she has spent summers at 6 Points Sports as a Camper Care provider and Director of Jewish Life. For the past thirty years, she has been in the Washington, DC area where she has worked with students in Elementary through High School as a Youth Director, Guidance Counselor, and most recently as the Lower School Principal at Berman Hebrew Academy. Rachel has a BS in Sociology and Judaic Studies from The University of Michigan and a M.S. in Counseling from The Johns Hopkins University. She currently lives in Rockville, MD with her husband Rich. She has two adult daughters, Hannah and Sophie. 

Rachel joined the 6 Points Team in the role of Executive Director for Specialty Camps in February 2023. Camp is Rachel’s happy place and she is thrilled to be able to spend time over the summer at each specialty camp.

 

Jo-Ellen Unger: Founding Director

Jo-Ellen Unger is the founding Director of the URJ 6 Points Creative Arts Academy. Throughout her education and career, Jo-Ellen straddled the worlds of Jewish Education and the Arts. Music was a part of her life from a very young age, as she performed in a variety of concerts in multiple venues. She developed her skills in voice, theatre and dance at the Performing and Visual Arts Center (now New World School of the Arts) in Miami, Florida, the Fine Arts program at Florida State University and the National Shakespeare Conservatory in New York City. She held positions in camping and youth and served as a formal and informal education director in Florida and Maryland, both in the congregational world and Hillel. She is a graduate of Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion, where she earned a Master of Arts in Religious Education. She had the privilege of serving as the 2019 Zeldin Alumni Scholar-in-Residence for the School of Education at HUC-JIR and was named as a 2020 Distinguished Educator by the Association of Reform Jewish Educators.

We love CAA, and it is such a meaningful amazing place. The entire head support staff is so amazing, and everyone on staff who we have met is also amazing. There is no place else like it, and we thank everyone involved for making this camp a reality and so glad we found it for our daughter!