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Michael joined EWS in 2008. Currently he teaches eleventh and twelfth grade electives which include: Jewish Magic and Mysticism, Jewish Ethics, Modern Jewish Philosophy, Genesis, and Comparative Religion. This year he is also teaching a tenth grade honors class. Michael is a Boston area native who received his undergraduate degree with honors in religious studies from the University of Pennsylvania and his graduate degrees with distinction from the joint program between Columbia University and Union Theological Seminary. He taught Judaism and Comparative Religion at the University of Alberta and served as Hillel Director at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. After leaving Hillel, he became Dean of Jewish Studies at the Milwaukee Jewish Day School; receiving the Milwaukee Association of Jewish Education’s Teacher of the Year award in 1993. While living in Milwaukee he also served part time as Rabbi of Congregation Emanu-El of Waukesha, and during the summers was the Judaism specialist at BBYO’s Chapter Leadership Training Conference in Mukwonago WI. Before coming to Houston, Michael taught 8 years at Gann Academy in Waltham MA where he taught Tanakh and Topics in Jewish Thought as well as serving as a class dean. He also taught at Hebrew College’s Prozdor supplemental high school program and founded its Masoret classes for exceptional students. Michael has taught all areas of Judaism and Comparative Religion. He is the Translator of an ancient Jewish magic text—Sepher Ha-Razim-The Book of the Mysteries, published by the Society of Biblical Literature. In his spare time he is a student of Science Fiction and Fantasy who is trying to figure out how to remain a Red Sox and Packers fan while living in Houston.