Language Therapy: Iraqi, Tunisian, and Libyan Jewish Heritage with Stephanie Ives

This episode features Stephanie Ives, who shares her experience growing up in Los Angeles with a diverse Middle Eastern Jewish heritage, tracing ancestors from Tunisia, Libya, and Iraq. She discusses the various languages and cultural practices that shaped her and her journey to rediscover and transmit her family’s Arabic and French heritage words to her children, emphasizing the importance of preserving this cultural depth for future generations.

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Stephanie Ives has been Head of School since June 2016. Her work is driven by a passion for inspired education and purposeful Jewish community. Immediately prior to joining Beit Rabban, Stephanie served as the NY/Tri-State Director of the New Israel Fund. She previously founded and ran the Department of Education and Community Engagement at American Jewish World Service and consulted in the Jewish and non-profit sectors, including work with Repair the World and Citizens Schools New York. Before moving to New York, Stephanie lived in Boston where she worked at the law firm Goulston & Storrs, P.C. as an associate in the real estate division. While in Boston, Stephanie founded The Washington Square Minyan, an independent synagogue community. After receiving her J.D. from Boston University School of Law, Stephanie clerked on the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., as well as for Justice Aharon Barak on the Supreme Court of Israel. She is also a proud alum of Teach for America, Stern College for Women, and Midreshet Lindenbaum in Jerusalem. Stephanie lives in Riverdale with her husband Yehuda Kurtzer and their children Noah, Jesse, and Sally.