Staff

Aaron Chusid, Executive Director

Aaron joined Tikvat Israel in early 2022. He is an experienced administrator with two decades of work in marketing and communication in the nonprofit sector.

Aaron spent the past 10 years as chief communications officer with the Boy Scouts of America’s National Capital Area Council, where he has led marketing teams, program membership, social media campaigns and media relations. Previously, he spent four years as operations and social media director for a product marketing and architectural technology. He also worked for a year as campus life director with Hillel at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.

Aaron serves on the board of directors at Temple Beth Ami, a Reform congregation in Rockville, and chairs the synagogue’s 50th anniversary steering committee.

He holds a master’s degree in organizational and interpersonal communication and a B.A. in speech communication, both earned at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Aaron resides in Gaithersburg with his wife and young son.

Contact Aaron by e-mail or phone 301-762-7338 ext. 111

Debbie Ungar, Director, ECC

Deborah L. Ungar, an experienced Jewish educator, was named the director of the Tikvat Israel Early Childhood Center in Spring 2021. She comes to TI with 16 years of experience as a director of the Silver Spring Learning Center and 25 years in the field of early childhood education. She also taught kindergarten at Park East Day School in New York City for six years.

Debbie earned her undergraduate degree in early childhood education from Yeshiva University and her master’s degree in education with a specialization in teaching science from Hunter College.

Debbie and her husband Michael have two adult children. She enjoys cooking and hiking and is an avid reader.

Contact Debbie by email or  phone 301-762-7338 ext. 129