Russel Neiss, Chief Coding Monkey

Russel M. Neiss is the Academic Director of Technology and Media Services for the Rodeph Sholom Day School in New York City, and moonlights as the Co-Founder and Coding Monkey (Lead Coder) for Not-a-Box Media Lab, a Jewish Education Technology startup.  He has previously worked in the rare book room of the Jewish Theological Seminary, and as a traveling Jewish educator in Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana with the Institute of Southern Jewish Life.  He received his Masters of Library Science with a specialization in digitization and information technologies from Queens College, and his Bachelor's degree in Religious Studies and Jewish Studies from CUNY's Macaulay Honors College at Queens College. Currently, Russel is matriculated in Brooklyn College's Masters program in Educational Leadership, which will lead to national certification as a principal and superintendent.  Russel lives in Brooklyn with his wife Rori Picker Neiss, a consultant in interfaith dialogue and student at Yeshivat Maharat.

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Rabbi Charlie Schwartz, Director/Project Management Ninja

Rabbi Charlie Schwartz serves as the Director of Digital Engagement and Learning for The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) .  In addition to his position at JTS, Charlie is the Rabbinic Advisor for Harvard Hillel’s Student Conservative Minyan and the founding director of Not-a-Box Media Lab. Charlie received rabbinic ordination and a masters degree in education at JTS, where he was a Wexner Graduate Fellow.  Named to the New York Jewish Week's 36 Under 36 as a leader helping to reshape the Jewish community, Charlie is a nationally recognized educator focusing on technology and Israel.  Prior to JTS, Charlie served with distinction as a squad commander in the airborne battalion of the Nahal infantry brigade of the Israel Defense Forces.  A native of Portland, Oregon, Charlie lives in Cambridge, MA with his wife Dr. Andrea Wershof Schwartz, their daughter Maayan, and their sousaphone.

The Aleph-Bet App

A mobile game geared toward early childhood Hebrew literacy.  Made possible by the generous support of The Covenant Foundation.  More information here.

Expected release date: Summer 2012

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Launched in the Spring of 2012 through the generous support of the Jewish New Media Fund, PocketTorah is a mobile and web application that  provides the user the ability to learn the weekly Torah and Haftarah portion anywhere, at any time, on any mobile device or computer for free.

Get more information, use and download the app on the PocketTorah website.

MediaMidrash is an online platform linking multimedia content to innovative curricula, providing Jewish educators the ability to bring art, animation, film and music directly into their classrooms.

Launched in the Summer of 2009. Sold to Behrman House Publishers in 2011.