Our Staff

Molly Peritore (she/her) – Interim Director of Early Childhood EducationMolly holds a B.A. in Early Childhood Education from The Evergreen State College and a Masters in Early Childhood Education Leadership from American Jewish University. She has been in the field of early childhood education for 19 years, primarily in the Bay Area Jewish early childhood community. Before coming to Temple Sinai, she was a teacher at the JCC Early Childhood Center in San Francisco. For the last six years she has been the ECE Associate Director here at Temple Sinai. She is a fellow of the SF Bay Area Jewish Early Childhood Education Leadership Institute. She is passionate about coaching and mentoring teachers and has shared her knowledge and expertise with colleagues from around the Bay Area. She formally mentored teachers new to the field through the Jewish Federation and Endowment Fund ECE internship program. She finds inspiration in using Jewish values to guide her work with children, staff and families. Outside of school, Molly enjoys watching sports, cooking, and exploring the outdoors with her husband and twin daughters.

Tori Anklam — Gan K'tan Teacher
My name is Tori, and I am so excited to be joining the school and community! I have been in the education field since 2012 and have been teaching preschool since 2018. Outside of work I love just relaxing and watching tons of tv/movies, watching the Warriors win, everything and anything Disney related, and going on walks around the lake.

Irene Ayala — Kochavim Teacher
I am thrilled to bring my passion for education, problem-solving abilities, and communication skills to Temple Sinai! I bring a broad perspective to the classroom thanks to my BA in sociology from Cal State East Bay and my AA in sociology from City College of San Francisco. As a Registered Behavior Technician, I demonstrated active listening and observational skills, ensuring effective treatment plans for clients and their families. My experience as a babysitter developed my organizing and nurturing skills, giving kids a fun and safe atmosphere. I am looking forward to meeting and creating memorable moments with everyone in the community!

Carlota Buada (she/her) – Etzim Teacher
I have been in Early Childhood Education since 2014. This is my fifth year working with the 3s in Etzim at Temple Sinai David Pregerson Preschool. I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Mills College and am currently working on my Masters in Jewish Early Childhood Education at American Jewish University. I love working at Temple Sinai because of the strong community bonds the school has worked so hard to build and maintain. Creating relationships with the children and their families each year is always a joy!  I enjoy hiking and traveling with my husband, Santiago.

Robert Espinosa (he/him) – Gan K’tan Teacher
My name is Robert (Bob) Espinosa and I have been an Early Childhood Educator since 2005 and I am happy to say that I am beginning my ninth year here at Temple Sinai David Pregerson Preschool. It is exciting for me to grow, learn and develop with your children. I love the sense of community at TSDPP and am looking forward to building new relationships with families and strengthening the bonds I've already gained.

Forrest Fleagle (she/they) – Kochavim Teacher
I'm excited to begin my second school year at Temple Sinai preschool. I have a BA in Gender Studies and I have studied Early Childhood Education at Merritt College and Montessori Teacher Education Center. I've also worked as a nanny and after-school science teacher for elementary school students. I began my first preschool teaching job in 2019. I love teaching children about social-emotional skills, science, art, and social justice, and in my free time I like to spend time with my friends, family, and my cat. I also like to spend time outdoors in nature and gardening.  

Keith Gaboury (he/him) – Etzim Teacher
I have worked in early childhood education for over six years in both Massachusetts and California. Prior to joining the Temple Sinai team, I previously worked at Temple Emanu-El preschool in San Francisco for two years. After earning a graduate degree in creative writing (poetry) in Boston, I discovered my love for working with children and haven’t looked back since.

Ivy Herr (they/them) — Shemesh Teacher
I am a born and raised San Franciscan, and passionate about contributing to the lives of the next generation of Bay Area youth. I enjoy arts and crafts of all kinds, particularly making art.

Stacey (she/her) – Keshet Teacher
I am so happy to be a part of the teaching staff here at Temple Sinai David Pregerson Preschool. I have worked with children in many different settings for the past 25 years. I studied Early Childhood Education and Communication Studies at College of Marin and began my teaching journey at an after-school program in Novato. I then went on to manage an Infant and Toddler Program at a large center in Novato. In 2004 I was delighted to open my own large in-home daycare in Novato. After successfully operating my daycare for 7 years while being a foster mom, I decided to move to Oakland. In my spare time I love to bake, swim, go camping with friends, snow skiing and spending time with family and friends.

Alexis Lovelace – Kochavim Teacher
My name is Alexis Lovelace, and I am proud to be instructing your children. In 2020, I decided to pursue a degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE) at Diablo Valley College. I have been teaching ever since. I continue to pursue an education to provide my students with the best experiences possible. Teachers can best support their students when they combine academic resources with personal experiences with young children. The majority of my life has been spent nurturing young children’s development. Babysitting, tutoring, and counseling are all responsibilities I have previously fulfilled before choosing an ECE major. Partaking in these past experiences has encouraged flexibility and accountability when interacting with children and their family support system.

Christine Rocha (she/her) – Keshet Teacher
I earned my A.A. in Early Childhood Education from Merritt College while working in the field over the last 20 years. I first joined Temple Sinai in 2011 as the Club Shelanu head teacher, then moved to Keshet in 2016. I am happy to return to teaching the 3s this year! I live with my husband Isidro, and two sons, Alexis and Antoine, in Oakland. Our family enjoys soccer and camping. In my spare time I also like yoga, swimming and gardening.

Deborah Rose – Gan K’tan Teacher
My name is Deborah Rose. I have been working in Early Childhood Education since 2012. I have worked in many different preschool environments from Gan Israel Preschool in Santa Monica to a play-based outdoor nature preschool in Kensington. I also have spent some time working in elementary school prior to discovering my true passion for working with preschool aged children. Joining young children on their journey of exploration and discovery is a daily joy for me to participate in. Nurturing and facilitating friendships, providing loving support and guidance for children to explore the world around them, and building strong relationships with each child and family are some of the things I look forward to this school year. I am very excited to be joining the Gan K’tan classroom this year. I enjoy taking long walks, reading, watching movies, and flying kites. I also enjoy spending time with my family and curling up on the couch with my two cats.

Desiree Smith (she/her) – Gefen Teacher
I have been an Early Childhood Teacher since 2017. Teaching is my passion, some of my favorite memories have been fun activities with students and new explorations. It is important to me to create a classroom environment where every child feels happy, respected, and safe. Every year I look forward to getting to know each child individually and making connections with families. I love spending time with my family, working out, and seeing new places.

Anthony Rose-Strochlic (he/him) – Etzim Teacher
I am super pumped to be joining the teaching staff at Temple Sinai. This will be my first year and I am super excited. I have been studying Early Childhood Education at Berkeley City College these past few years and am ready to learn more as I start my teaching career at Temple Sinai. I was born in Berkeley but have lived in Oakland my whole life. In my free time, I enjoy doing photography, playing guitar or many other instruments, being with family, cooking, car camping and exploring nature. Whether it’s being a camp counselor, nannying, or babysitting, I have loved every moment of it. Working with young kids is truly a passion of mine and I can’t wait to meet everyone and have a great school year!

Temple Sinai David Pregerson Preschool receives generous support from the Jewish Community Federation Fund.