Jill Kaplan has devoted 35 years to Jewish education on Long Island, at various times serving as a classroom teacher, Religious School Principal, and as a Family-Education Director. While those decades were quite rewarding, she was looking to shift her energies and so she has spent the last few years focusing on adult education programming at Molloy University's Lifelong Learning, as well as for many local sisterhoods, Hadassah, and other community groups. Now she enjoys combining secular and religious themes into her workshops ranging from American musical theater to colonial history to influential Jewish artists and scientists. 

 

In 2012, Jill began studying with renowned Sofer Neil Yerman, learning the Scribal Arts and the process of restoring Torah Scrolls, and has been working with him since then. This unexpected journey has been rewarding and fulfilling on many levels, whether working on the Torah itself, or presenting workshops on the process of restoration. She is currently the Scribe-in-Residence at Temple Or Elohim – a Community Reform Congregation in Jericho – restoring four of their Torahs.

 
The Kaplan family – Jill, husband Paul, and their children, Emily and Ross – joined Congregation Beth David in 1998, and quickly became involved in the school and on their board. When CBD merged with Temple B’nai Sholom, they came along for the ride. Jill has enjoyed being part of the blending of the two communities into one: Congregation B’nai Sholom Beth David, and is an active member of Sisterhood, as well as Corresponding Secretary on the Executive Board.

 
Although the kids are grown, Jill and Paul still live in Freeport, where they are very involved in community activities: the local soup kitchen, the civic association, and the police community affairs committee. In addition to temple activities, she loves spending Shabbat afternoons and holidays with the residents at Atria Tanglewood and is thrilled to be "Oma" to granddaughter, Maisie.