Dr. Bernice Tabak Kirzner

Dr. Bernice Tabak Kirzner joined Austin Jewish Academy as Head of School in the spring of 2007. She hails from Orange County, California, and had worked for the preceding fifteen years as the founding principal of the much acclaimed Tarbut V'Torah (TVT) Community Day School. Under Dr. Kirzner's leadership, TVT grew from a Lower/Middle School student body of 72 to nearly 400 students. In addition, the school received recognition as a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School of Excellence and become a center of Jewish life in Orange County. Dr. Kirzner holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree and a Master's of Education, both from the University of Pittsburgh. She also holds a Doctorate from the University of California as well as certifications in administration, general education and several learning specialist areas. The immediate connection Dr. Kirzner felt with AJA was a determining factor in her decision to make the move from sunny Orange County, California to even sunnier Austin, Texas. Dr. Kirzner said about the school after her initial visit, "Upon crossing the threshold of AJA, one immediately feels a sense of warmth. Teachers and administrators genuinely care about the students, the classrooms are alive with active learning, people smile at one another and have a friendly word, or story to share...it simply "feels" good." As she begins her fourth year, she is thrilled to have become a part of the Austin Jewish community and an active participant in contributing to its growth and development.