The Jewish Federation Bay Area and the Hellen Diller Family Foundation are honored to announce the 2026 Diller Educator Award Recipients.

These four extraordinary Bay Area educators have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to transforming pre-collegiate Jewish learning – and their impact on our youth will be felt for generations to come. Chosen by a distinguished committee of Jewish community leaders, each recipient will be awarded $10,000 in recognition of their experience, with an additional $2,500 granted to their organization in support of their vital work.

Early Childhood
Rivky Spalter, Lead Teacher
Chai Preschool, San Mateo

Rivky Spalter is an experienced early childhood educator with over fifteen years in Jewish learning environments. She began her career teaching preschool in New York and Toronto before joining Chai Preschool in San Mateo, where she has been a beloved educator for the past decade. In addition to her preschool work, she has taught Sunday Hebrew School and worked at several Jewish day camps. Rivky is passionate about fostering joyful Jewish identity, creating warm and engaging classrooms, and partnering with families to support each child’s growth.

Day School
Rina Mangurten, Educator, Jewish Studies Teacher
Wornick Jewish Day School, Foster City

Rina brings a unique, non-linear path to Jewish education with prior experience in retail management and publishing that informs her leadership and teaching. With over eight years in Jewish education, Rina currently serves as Director of Jewish Studies and a Jewish educator at Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School. She is deeply committed to continuous growth and to enriching the learning and lives of her students and community.

Congregational & Supplementary
Jonathan Bayer, Music Specialist
Congregation Beth Sholom, San Francisco

Jonathan has been a musician and educator in the Bay Area for the past 20 years. He serves as Music Director at Congregation Beth Sholom, where he works with children from toddler classes through b’nai mitzvah preparation. He has played a central role in youth and family education at Congregation Emanu-El, leading youth t’filot and teaching Hebrew songs and brachot to elementary and preschool students. Jonathan is especially known for writing original songs and plays that bring Torah and Jewish holidays to life for young learners.

Experiential & Communal
Kiyomi Gelber, Senior Director of Equity Inclusion and Justice
Camp Tawonga, San Francisco

Kiyomi is a Bay Area-raised Japanese and Jewish-American educator and leader in equity and inclusion. She serves as Senior Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Justice at Camp Tawonga, where she began as a counselor in 2004. Her work spans youth development, experiential education, and equity-focused initiatives across diverse organizations, with a deep commitment to building inclusive and connected communities.