Dara Winston, Executive Director
Dara Winston
Executive Director
(732) 536-2300 Ext. 101
dwinston@mjcnj.com
A leader with more than two decades of professional experience in the Jewish community, Dara has served as the Executive Director of Marlboro Jewish Center since 2018.
Dara was raised in East Brunswick as an active member of the Conservative Movement. Her experiences as a Camp Ramah alumna, USY President, and graduate of the Prozdor Hebrew High School at the Jewish Theological Seminary ensured that the core Jewish values of education, community and leadership were always central to her identity.
Dara is passionate about the state of Israel, a love that grew after completing her junior year of college at Hebrew University. Immediately following her graduation from college, Dara returned to Israel to volunteer for a year with the Masorti (Conservative) community in Ashkelon. Dara would go on to make Aliyah and spend 12 years organizing programs with the Jewish Agency for Israel.
While in Israel, Dara met and fell in love with the security guard of the Nativ dorms where she was on-staff for the USY college leadership program. They eventually married in Jerusalem, overlooking the Old City.
Dara and Meir returned to the U.S. where Dara worked briefly for the Jewish Federation of Middlesex County, before serving as the administrator of Temple Emanu-El in Edison for nine years. They now live in East Brunswick with their daughters Emmy and Eden, and their dog Leo.
Dara holds a bachelor’s degree in American, Legal and Near Eastern Judaic Studies from Brandeis University, as well as two Masters Degrees; one in Judaic Studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary and one in Social Work from Columbia University.
Dara is thrilled to be a part of the strong and proud community of MJC, and to be a part of the amazing and caring leadership here
Rita Rashotsky, Preschool Director
Rita Rashotsky
Preschool Director
(732) 536-2303 Ext. 100
rrashotsky@mjcnj.com
Parent; Teacher; Director. Rita has held all of those titles during her long relationship with the Marlboro Jewish Center Preschool.
Rita’s path to preschool director was not a conventional one. Rita earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Pace University and a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Pennsylvania before beginning a career teaching in New York City. After a few years, she decided to go to law school in hopes of impacting the lives of others through a legal lens. She completed law school and was admitted to the Bar in both New York and New Jersey.
It was soon after her admission to the Bar that Rita realized her true passion was early childhood education and she made the leap back to her education roots.
A native New Yorker, Rita lives in Morganville with her husband James. Together Rita and James can usually be found supporting their daughter Danika as she competes in dance, and their son Charles, as he pursues his second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, or cuddling with their family puppy, Opal.
Rita is extremely grateful to the Marlboro Jewish Center community for their continued support and trust in this important role.
Karen Lewin, Education Director
Karen Lewin
Education Director
(732) 536-2303 Ext. 113
klewin@mjcnj.com
An experienced and accomplished Jewish educator, Karen has spent the past twenty years creating and implementing dynamic educational, religious, social and cultural programs for Jewish youth of all ages.
Over the course of her career, Karen has served as a day-school teacher, preschool director, youth advisor and Hebrew School principal, including sixteen years as the Education Director at Congregation Beth El in Yardley, Pennsylvania.
A native of the Philadelphia area, Karen is the product of the Conservative movement. Raised at Temple Sinai in Dresher, PA, she is the child of parents whose social lives and volunteer efforts were centered around their synagogue and the greater Jewish Community. She was an active participant in USY in her teen years and attended Camp Ramah in the Poconos as both a camper and employee.
Karen holds a bachelor’s degree in English and Elementary Education from Clark University and a master’s degree in Jewish Education from the Davidson Graduate School of Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary.
Karen met her husband Joe in 2004 and moved to the Princeton area soon after. They are blessed with one son, Charlie, and a wonderful family cat, Wonder.
Karen is thrilled to be a part of the Marlboro Jewish Center family and looks forward to connecting with members of the community and working to create meaningful Jewish educational experiences for the congregation.
