FOUNDER - Executive Director

Norma received her Bachelor of Business Administration at Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. After a successful career in education while simultaneously raising three children, all now residing in Texas, she and her husband Saul now enjoy maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle traveling, volunteering, and spending time with their five grandchildren.

In addition to growing the Machol Houston community, she volunteers her time as a bilingual guide at the Holocaust Museum in Houston and is working on mastering Yiddish. Norma is a certified Zumba Gold instructor.

Board Member

Vanesa was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and moved to Houston in 2001 with her husband Marcelo. They live in Houston with their three children, Nico, Alan, and Emma. Vanesa has been involved in a variety of volunteer activities primarily at Congregation Brith Shalom and JCC.

She studied Public Accountant at the University of Buenos Aires and has worked with many companies on Balance Sheets and P&L’s. In her free time she enjoys reading a good book, watching movies with her family, and hanging out with friends. She loves to travel and explore places she has never visited before.  

Vanesa’s memories of dancing Rikudim go way back to elementary school in Argentina where dances were taught weekly. She has been continually involved in Rikudim related activities and enjoys it immensely! Vanesa says “My passion for Rikudim fills my heart and soul with joy while helps me to keep my body moving and my mind with happiness”.

Board Member

Lois was born and raised in Boston, but has been a Texan for fifty years, first in San Antonio and then in Houston. She and her husband Larry have three married sons and is further blessed with nine wonderful grandchildren.

After completing her degrees in political science and masters degree in education, Lois taught elementary school until her children arrived on the scene. While raising her children she worked as a Bar and Bat Mitzvah tutor at Beth Yeshurun for thirty years. Lois was a member of the first docent class at Holocaust Museum Houston and continues giving tours. She is a passionate member of American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and also manages to “volunteer” with her four young grandsons.

She has always been interested and involved with all things Jewish. However, she never had the opportunity to learn Rikudim before coming to Houston. Thirsty eight years ago she joined a beginner class at Beth Yeshurun and was hooked. According to Lois, “Jewish music and dancing has brought me infinite well-being and joy. Machol Houston is a dream come true. It is so wonderful to be dancing again with this new group of young, happy and dedicated dancers”.

Board Member

Houston has been Gina’s home since 1968. She and her husband Greg have been blessed with two beautiful daughters, a wonderful son in law, and a precious grandson. She graduated from Southern Methodist University in 1982 and began her career in the stock brokerage business, later finding her true calling and joy as a stay-at-home mom. Gina served on several non-profit boards, but her favorite assignment was serving for five years as the president of her congregation’s Sisterhood. We had many ways in which to serve the Jewish community of Houston, but serving on the board of Machol Houston is her opportunity to further her lifelong love and passion for dance as well as preserve and celebrate the traditions of Israel.

Gina's dance classes began when just two and a half years old, and is still dancing today. During her school days and through college she danced in pre-professional ballet companies, as well as having many opportunities to teach and choreograph. After my leaving her business career, she danced, taught, and choreographed on a professional level. Fifteen years ago she was delighted to find an Israeli dance group where she could form lifelong friendships and share with others in her love of dance. She has had opportunities to attend workshops both in Houston and abroad with some of the most accomplished teachers and choreographers, and is excited that Machol Houston offers all of these opportunities to the Jewish community and beyond.

Board Member

After MJ received a Bachelor of Fine Arts, specifically, Music Education with focus in voice and piano, she has continued to live out her artistic skills and passions.

MJ fell in love with Israeli folk dance during the very first dance she learned in 1986, Yosel Yosel, choreographed by Moshiko Itzchak Halevi. She loves the variety of both the music, which draws from cultures from all over the world, and the corresponding dance styles that fit the music. She particularly enjoys the dances that reflect stories, teachings, and prayers from the Torah. As MJ relays, “Those songs and dances feed my soul and spirit and have been a source of comfort and strength for me during difficult times of my life. I find it amazing, also, that I can go almost anywhere in the world and the same dances are done to the same music”.

Israeli folk dance and Machol Houston is an opportunity to exercise her mind and my body and at the same time form enduring friendships. In addition to joining in as a regular participant, she also teaches the beginner Israel dance at Beth Yeshurun as part of Machol Houston. Several of her friendships from Israeli dance extend back to 1986 and now through Machol Houston she is making new friendships that she anticipates being equally enduring.