Andre Ivory
Education Director
Contact Andre Ivory
Andre is a dedicated Jewish Educator with 20 years of service to Jewish communities in Los Angeles, Toronto, Canada, and for the last 10 years here in the Valley of the Sun.
Andre’s love for working in Jewish education has its roots in many summers inspiring youth as an educator at Camp Ramah in Canada, in addition to four years spent as a Kadima / USY Advisor and regional staff member, to youth directorship at Beth Tzedec Congregation in Toronto, Canada and at Or Chadash. He has served the valley of the sun Jewish community as camp director at the East Valley JCC, Program Director and Director of Youth Education at Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley, and an educator with the Bureau of Jewish Education. Andre is committed to deepening lifelong learning in the areas of Jewish holidays, Shabbat, and contemporary Jewish thought and spirituality.
Away from his service to the Jewish community, Andre coaches ice hockey with 23 years of experience behind the bench.
Sarah Bochenek
Youth Director
Contact Sarah Bochenek
Sarah is a Jewish Educator and Youth Director with over 10 years of experience.
Starting as a Religious School Educator in college at Beth El, Margate NJ Sarah moved out to Arizona in 2007 with a BFA in Performing arts and a minor in Judaic Studies. Beginning her Arizona life as a USY Advisor and religious school teacher at Temple Beth Sholom of the East Valley, as well as working retail. Through the years she completed a Master’s degree in Psychology and taught preschool for five years first at the East Valley JCC, and then at the Valley of the Sun JCC, all while continuing at TBS-EV.
In 2019 Sarah and her husband Benjamin welcomed their son Gabriel and enjoy all the joys there are with a toddler running (around) the home.
Marie E. Lewis
Office Administrator
Contact Marie E. Lewis
Marie E. Lewis was born and raised on Chicago’s southeast side. She moved to the Valley of the Sun in the summer of 2020 to live the 2nd half of her life. She is the mother of two, Summer, a graduate of Columbia College of Chicago and a dance director and counselor at Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Chicago; and Jamilah, a third-year journalism major and news editor of the Daily Egyptian at South Illinois University-Carbondale.
Marie received her Associate’s Degree from Lexington College in Hotel Management and has worked at Hilton Chicago and Starcom MediaVest over her 30-year career. In December 2003, she started working at JUF News in Chicago, as an Advertising Assistant. Over her 16 years at the Jewish United Fund (JUF), she has worked as an Administrative Assistant for Community Outreach working with Birthright Israel, MASA, and the Communications Department. In 2014, she was promoted to Publishing Manager of JUF News which included editing the Simchas, What’s Happening (calendar), For A Blessing (obituaries), and the Guide to Jewish Living in Chicago (in print and online). She returned to school to study Communications and Media with a minor in Marketing at National-Louis University.
Marie hopes to use her years working in the Jewish community assisting Congregation Or Tzion.
Pam Carson
Bookkeeper
Contact Pam Carson
Pam Carson started with Congregation Or Tzion in February 2019, as a
bookkeeper through an agency and became an employee in August 2019. She
has been in the accounting field for over 20 years. She enjoys cooking and
walking her dog, Missy. Pam has two sons, Chance Harrison and Shaun Robert
who has 2 daughters, Ryleigh Alexander (3) and Penelope Deane (1) with his
girlfriend Faith Rene. Both her sons run car washes with different companies.
Shaun’s family live in Lawton, Oklahoma and Pam has enjoyed taking the drive
several times in the year to visit her granddaughters.