Tikvah Charlotte Welcomes New Director, Lisa Strause Levinson

Each and every Jewish child in our community deserves a quality Jewish education. The religious schools of both Temple Beth El and Temple Israel have a long history of providing outstanding programs and instilling knowledge and a love of Judaism to their students, but not all students were able to find the right fit for our programs. Thanks to a generous allocation from The Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte and the administrative and financial support of Temple Beth El and Temple Israel, a religious school for children with special needs was established in 2005 — Tikvah Charlotte. Tikvah means hope, and it is our hope that every Jewish child will find the key to unlock the door to Jewish learning in this school.

Tikvah Charlotte has been a special place, for very special children, for the last 15 years. The curriculum is designed to meet each child’s specific needs and learning styles. Small teacher-student ratios and individual educational plans ensure success for everyone.

Deborah Hitt has led Tikvah Charlotte with love and dedication for the past ten years, and we thank her for her contributions to the program.

We are thrilled to welcome Lisa Strause Levinson as the new Tikvah Charlotte director. Lisa has recently retired from a 32-year career in education. She began her career in special education, specializing in learning disabilities and behavior disorders. She taught in the field of special education for almost 17 years. Lisa then transitioned to the regular elementary classroom, and after obtaining an M.Ed. in Language and Literacy in 2015, she was a reading interventionist and reading coach, providing support to teachers and administrators. Lisa also grew up in Charlotte and in Temple Israel. Lisa and her husband Lucky have a blended family with five adult children between them. They are members of Temple Beth El. She is passionate about our Jewish community and is an active volunteer in several Jewish agencies at Shalom Park. Lisa brings a rich Jewish background to the position, as well as an excellent pedagogic knowledge of students with special needs. She is committed to the belief that

Tikvah Charlotte is an oasis of love and learning at Shalom Park on Sunday mornings. Children of unaffiliated families with special needs are also welcome at Tikvah Charlotte. Any parent who would like more information about the special needs school or anyone who has an interest in volunteering should email Lisa at tikvahcharlotte1@gmail.com. All inquiries are confidential.