Staff
Dara Barnat
Head, Division of Languages
Dr. Dara Barnat is a scholar, poet, and lecturer, who specializes in several fields; among them American poetry, Walt Whitman Studies, and academic writing. She holds a Ph.D. from Tel Aviv University School, where she is senior faculty and currently serves as Head of the Division of Languages. Dara’s scholarly book Walt Whitman and the Making of Jewish American Poetry was published by the University of Iowa Press (Iowa Whitman Series) in 2023. Her critical and creative work appears in the Walt Whitman Quarterly Review, the Jewish Book Council, the Oxford Handbook of Walt Whitman, and elsewhere. She has research projects underway in poetry, as well as Writing Studies. Dara teaches in these and other areas, including poetry, creative writing, academic/research writing, and English for the Purposes of International Communication (EPIC).
Mónica Broido
Head of Languages Other Than English (LOTE) and Head of Writing Programs
Mónica Broido is Head of Writing Programs and Head of Languages Other Than English (LOTE) at the Division of Languages at Tel Aviv University. The writing programs include academic and scientific communication for PhD students and CLE (the Center for Language Excellence). She also teaches Spanish for Beginners. In addition, she is a board member of the European Association for the Teaching of Academic Writing (EATAW) and a member of the editorial board of the Journal of English for Purposes of International Communication (JEPIC).
Elana Spector-Cohen
Head of English Programs
espector@tauex.tau.ac.il
Elana Spector-Cohen is Head of English Programs in the Division of Languages, where she teaches English for purposes of international communication. She is also a lecturer in the international MA TESOL program at Tel Aviv University. Her main areas of research are virtual exchange, English-medium instruction and internationalization, curriculum design and material development, and the integration of technology in language learning and teacher education.
Rebecca Hadad Levie
Director of the Center for Language Excellence (CLE)
rebeccale@tauex.tau.ac.il
Rebecca Levie teaches English and Academic Writing in the Division of Languages. She is also the Director of CLE - Center for Language Excellence. Within these roles, Rebecca concentrates on empathy and learning, and effective teaching in EMI courses. Rebecca holds a BA and MA in English Literature from Bar-Ilan University, and a PGCE in Education from the Institute of Education, University of London.
Birenbaum, Daniel (Yiddish)
birnbaumlevi@yahoo.com
Blum, Mira Rivka (Yiddish)
mirarivke@gmail.com
Del Val, Adriana (Spanish)
adrianadelva@tauex.tau.ac.il
Elfassy-Zeltzer, Monique (English)
monikz@tauex.tau.ac.il
Tania Gluzman
Dr. Tania Gluzman is a French teacher at Tel Aviv University's Division of Foreign Languages. She holds a PhD in French Linguistics from Tel Aviv University, where her doctoral research explored the grammaticalization of adjectives in French. With an extensive background in teaching French at various levels—from beginners to advanced courses—Dr. Gluzman has also contributed to pedagogical innovations, including hybrid teaching methods. Her academic work has been featured in international conferences and publications, focusing on topics such as grammaticalization and French didactics.
Noa Halevy (English)
Dr. Noa Halevy is the Assistant Director of the Center for Language Excellence (CLE) at Tel Aviv University. She holds a B.A. in English Literature, an M.A. in Creative Writing, and a Ph.D. in English and American Literature. At Tel Aviv University, she teaches English and Academic Writing courses in the Division of Languages. Dr. Halevy has taught a range of courses in English literature, including fiction and poetry, and has published scholarly articles on the 19th- and 20th-century novel, modern poetry, and postmodern literary theory. She lives in Ra'anana with her husband and three children.
Harel, Maya (English)
mayaharel1@tauex.tau.ac.il
Inbar Kaminsky (English)
Dr. Inbar Kaminsky is the head coordinator of advanced English courses (Mitkadmim B) and teaches mainly EPIC courses. She holds a Ph.D. in English Literature from Tel Aviv University. In addition, she has published several peer-reviewed articles on literature and film as well as short stories.
Meggie Kaplan (English, French)
A language educator with nearly three decades of experience, Meggie Kaplan has taught at various Israeli universities since 1996. At Tel Aviv University’s Division of Languages, she teaches French, English, and Turkish, providing both classroom instruction (Beginners and Post-Advanced French) and personalized individual lessons through the Center for Language Excellence (CLE). She develops curriculum-specific teaching materials and examinations incorporating cultural elements to foster a deeper connection to the language. Holding an MA in Psychology and having a background in music and the arts, Meggie seeks to integrate these interests into language pedagogy. As a multilingual professional, she values a supportive and positive classroom environment, believing it to be conducive to student progress and the successful acquisition of a new language.
Michal Kirschner
michalkir@tauex.tau.ac.il
Michal Kirschner holds a BA and MA in English Linguistics as well as a Teaching Certificate in English as a Foreign Language from the Hebrew University, Jerusalem. She developed course materials and taught many specialized courses for academic purposes at Tel Aviv University for 20 years as well as in other academic institutions. In addition to publishing articles in prominent journals related to language teaching, she developed e-learning and training materials in various commercial high-tech companies. She is also an experienced technical writer and editor for academic publications. Since 2020 she has been back in the Division of Foreign Languages, teaching various courses—such as the PhD Writing Course – as well as individual lessons in CLE.
Tsachit Lapid
lapiot@tauex.tau.ac.il
Dr. Tsachit Lapid is an English instructor in the Division of Languages at Tel-Aviv University. She holds a PhD from the Gender Studies Program at the Interdisciplinary Unit at Bar-Ilan University. Her doctoral thesis and research focus on Israeli community cookbooks as a locus of production of cultural identity and history. She also holds an MA in English Literature from Tel-Aviv University, as well as a Teaching Certificate in English as a Foreign Language.
Elisa Levi Sabattini
elisals@tauex.tau.ac.il
Elisa Levi Sabattini (Ph.D. in Chinese Studies, 2006) studied Sinology, History, and Philosophy in Venice, Padova, Paris, and Beijing. She previously served as Associate Professor of Chinese Philology at L'Orientale University of Naples before relocating to Israel. Currently, at Tel Aviv University, she teaches Italian language, fostering a deep appreciation for Italy’s rich literary and artistic heritage among her students. Her engaging teaching style emphasizes immersive language practice and cultural context, making Italian accessible and enjoyable. In addition to her teaching role, she has a research position at the East Asian Department, where she conducts research on early Chinese thought and history.
She is also affiliated, as a Senior Research Associate, in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Ruhr Universität Bochum. She is a member of the OTP (Officina di Traduzione Permanente) at the University of Milano-Bicocca. Her research focuses on Chinese intellectual history and classical Chinese language. She is author of several articles in peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, translations, and is the co-editor of various books, including the posthumous work of her father, Mario Sabattini (Z”L).
Esther Lopatin (English)
Dr. Esther Lopatin teaches at the Division of Foreign Languages at Tel Aviv University and is fluent in English, German, Arabic, and Hebrew. She is an expert on EU institutions and EU foreign and immigration policy and is frequently interviewed by the media on contemporary European affairs and German–Israeli relations. She received her PhD in Political Science from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in 2004 for which she obtained a fellowship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). From 2005 to 2010, Dr. Lopatin was a Professorial Lecturer in the Department of Political Science at George Washington University (GWU) in Washington, DC and was also a Visiting Scholar at the Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM) at Georgetown University (2005-2007). She was also a Transatlantic Fellow at the German Marshall Fund (GMF) in Washington, DC (2003–2004), where she provided policy advice on immigration and transatlantic cooperation. From 2013 to 2019, Dr. Lopatin served as Director of the Center for European Studies at Reichman University, where she developed and led specialized programs on EU institutions and European integration. Dr. Lopatin was a Visiting Professor at Sciences Po Lille, Sciences Po Bordeaux, Berlin School of Economics and Law, the Royal Scientific Society of Amman, Al-Quds University, Sabancı University (Istanbul), and the University of Houston (Texas).
Marina Mash
Dr Marina Mash holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Linguistics and Philology from Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (Moscow) as well as an MA in Russian as a Foreign Language, and a MA in Spanish Translation Studies. Marina also holds a Specialist degree in English Translation Studies from Lomonosov Moscow State University (Russia). In addition to her experience teaching English, Spanish, and Russian, she has over 10 years of experience in journalism, during which she covered international agendas in Spanish and English.
Malgorzata Matysik Levi (Polish)
Malgorzata Matysik Levi is a Polish language lecturer with over 15 years of experience in teaching Polish as a foreign language. She holds a Master’s degree in Slavic Studies from the University of Wroclaw and has completed postgraduate studies in teaching Polish as a foreign language at the University of Gdansk. She teaches Polish at Tel Aviv University as a NAWA scholarship recipient, working mainly with beginner and intermediate learners. She is multilingual and fluent in English, Hebrew, Russian, and Ukrainian. Her professional interests include artificial intelligence in language education and neuroeducation. She develops interactive, learner-centered materials that integrate language, culture, digital tools, and AI-supported solutions.
Marla Naor
Marla Naor has been teaching English for purposes of international communication in the Division of Languages at Tel Aviv University for over 42 years. In the past she was English coordinator of the Pre-Academic Program, and at present is the Head Coordinator of all the Advanced English B2 courses as well as Coordinator of Besisi A1(Basic level), and Mitkadmim Bet Humanities B2 (Advanced level). She chaired the committee to localize the national CEFR*-aligned Framework for English in Higher Education in Israel to the specific requirements of Tel Aviv University.
*Common European Framework of References for Languages
Office: Webb 207
Marina Niznik
Marinan@tauex.tau.ac.il
Dr. Marina Niznik teaches Russian at Tel Aviv University's School of Foreign Languages. She coordinates the Russian program and is involved in research projects exploring the integration of Russian-speaking immigrants in Israel. Marina has authored and co-authored several textbooks on Russian as a foreign and heritage language. A graduate of Moscow State University, she earned her PhD with a dissertation on teaching Russian to Hebrew speakers. Her post-doctoral research at Bar-Ilan University, supervised by Professor B. Spolsky, examined the experiences of Russian-speaking adolescents in Israel.
Carmen Dimitriu
carmendimitriu06@yahoo.com
Dr. Carmen Dimitriu has a PhD in linguistics, her research is on language and style based on the literary works of Romanian authors. Dr. Dimitriu is also a specialist in teaching Romanian as a foreign language. Her numerous published researches and articles are on the didactics of Romanian as a foreign language and also on contemporary and classical linguistic and literary aspects as well as on aspects of Romanian culture and civilization. She has experience in the field of education management and international projects, so that she is the promoter of important educational projects, of collaboration between educational institutions in Romania and other countries. She has taught Romanian language and literature, Romanian language for foreigners and French language and literature. She is currently a lecturer in Romanian language at Tel Aviv University, as a professor in the Language Division, teaching Romanian language, culture and civilization.
Peled, Doris (German)
6407009
doris@tauex.tau.ac.il
Rubin, Harriet (English)
6408404
hrubin@tauex.tau.ac.il
Ilan Rubin
ilanru@tauex.tau.ac.il
Ilan Rubin received his B.A. in Arabic and Hebrew Language from Tel Aviv University, and his M.A. in Arabic from Bar Ilan University.
He began teaching Modern Standard Arabic and Colloquial ( Spoken ) Arabic at Tel Aviv University in 1993 at the Middle Eastern and African History Department and at the Division of Languages.
For five years he worked as a supervisor of Arabic teaching for the Central Region in Ministry of Education.
Julia Schlam Sal
man
schlam.salman@gmail.com
Dr. Julia Schlam Salman is an English teacher and language teacher educator. In the Division of Languages, she teaches courses for academic and professional reading and writing in English. She also teaches courses on methods and techniques for language teaching in the MA TESOL program. Her research interests include second language acquisition, language learning and teaching, and English language learning in areas of intractable conflict.
Deborah Azaryad Shechter
professional webpage >
Deborah has been a valued member of the Division of Languages since 1985, teaching both English and Turkish with enthusiasm and dedication. Her areas of expertise include test writing, course site design, and materials development. A passionate advocate for positive psychology, she emphasizes its role in promoting both teacher and learner wellbeing to enhance language teaching and learning. Her recent research focuses on teacher wellbeing and the critical role teachers play in supporting student wellbeing and fostering successful language learning. Deborah's professional development workshops, delivered at universities across Austria, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Russia, and Turkey, have garnered high praise from both hosts and participants. She is also a regular presenter at international conferences.
Soloway-Ze'evi, Orit (English)
6408404
solovey@tauex.tau.ac.il
Aviva Soesman
soesman@tauex.tau.ac.il
Dr. Aviva Soesman holds a Ph.D. in English Linguistics from Bar Ilan University; an M.A. in TEFL from Tel Aviv University; and a B.A. in English Linguistics and General History from the Hebrew University. She has taught, designed, and coordinated EAPP courses in the Division of Languages at Tel Aviv University for many years. She is multilingual with proficiency in Dutch, English, Hebrew, German, French, Russian, and more. Aviva’s research interests include bilingualism, second language acquisition, and language teaching. Her current research focus is linguistic codeswitching among typically developing and language-impaired bilingual children.
Sorlovich, Natalie, Dr. (English)
6406411
snatalie@post.tau.ac.il
Antonia Wilmes (German)
Antonia Wilmes teaches German at university level and has extensive experience across all proficiency levels. She has worked at universities in Germany and Israel, and at the Goethe-Institut. She holds a Master’s degree from the University of Hanover in secondary school education in German studies and history and completed the German teacher training program. Her professional interests include gender-sensitive language teaching, theatrical approaches, and continuous language education.
Liora Zalayet
An English teacher and lecturer who holds an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from the Institute of Education, University of London. Specializes in Legal English, Business English, and English for the Exact Sciences. Coordinates the Legal English and Exact Sciences English courses in the Division of Languages. Developed and authored a comprehensive Legal English course for undergraduate law students and has attended numerous international conferences on language teaching in higher education. A recipient of the Rector’s award for Excellence in Teaching for 2021.
Office: Webb building, room 204
