Mother of 7, one of 14 siblings &  hailing from the prestigous Rabbinic Hecht lineage, it is no wonder that this 6th generation American woman has devoted the last 20 years of her life to educating children of all ages.
In 1998, After spending 2 years studying and touring abroad, Devorah graduated  from Beth Rivkah Seminary in Yerres, France with her European Pedagogie degree.  She immediately began teaching full time in Brooklyn and Queens New York, 2nd grade and preschool respectively.
In 2000, she moved to Fort Lauderdale with her husband Rabbi Schneur Kaplan and their young son,  embarking on the mission to share her love for learning and her passion for teaching. She opened a Hebrew school and ran several youth programs that have grown exponentially. She writes her own curriculum incorporating Judaic values and traditions in an innovative and modern way.  Today she proudly boasts over 100 students in her Hebrew school  and tens more in her home-schoolers, mommy n me Bar and Bat mitzvah clubs and myriad of other youth programs in Downtown.
Devorah’s devotion to Judaism and her passion for creative learning is evident in the quality education that her and her husband provide at the DJCC.  With the increased demand in the growing Jewish community Devorah embarked on the mission to open a Preschool.  The Reggio Emilia philosophy; to cultivate within children a lifelong passion for learning and exploration, combined with teaching Jewish values, is what led Devorah Kaplan,  to commit herself to the pedagogy.  She wholeheartedly believes that children who are drawn into learning through positive experiences in a holistic setting develop a love of learning that they will carry with them throughout their lives, and this is not limited to schoolwork.
Among Devorah’s many talents she also speak 3 languages French, Hebrew and English.
She is a licensed water safety instructor, life guard, responding to emergencies and was a  CPR & First Aid instructor & WSIT. She is NY licensed aesthetician, and worked for 4 years as a wig designer for religious women and cancer patients.
Fran Rubio Katz Behavioral Specialist and Teacher Professional Development
Fran Rubio-Katz
Parent & Family Coach | Non-ABA Behavior Consultant | Social-Emotional
Learning Specialist
I am a parent, educator, and founder of Mindful-IshTM guiding schools and
families in Mindfulness-Based Social-Emotional Learning (MBSEL) and responsive
behavior management. I am a thought leader in human potential, and my
niche is to see the best in others, especially children who present with
challenging or concerning behaviors.
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