From Rabbi Rebecca Milder, Founder and Director of the Jewish Enrichment Center:
Whew! It’s been an exciting (and nerve-wracking) year building the Jewish Enrichment Center. What a privilege to be working with such a dedicated, thoughtful, community.
The Jewish Enrichment Center brings together my three professional passions—Jewish education; informal, child-centered learning; and Jewish community-building. My professional life has been dedicated to deep involvement in innovative approaches to Jewish education, including work rebuilding synagogue schools, creating and leading family education initiatives, and as a Jewish environmental and experiential educator. My recent work in a central Jewish educational agency has leant me fresh insight into larger educational challenges facing the Jewish community and the critical importance of collaboration across Jewish institutions.
I’m tremendously excited to be returning to direct work with children and families. I care deeply that families create a meaningful Jewish life, and that families have a home community in which to celebrate and grow Jewishly.
The Jewish Enrichment Center brings together families from many home communities, who return to their communities with renewed enthusiasm. The Enrichment Center embodies a compelling new vision of Jewish engagement for our community’s children. So let’s reimagine the ties among us. Let’s make room for families of all shapes and sizes. We’re all motivated by a dynamic future for our community. Let’s get talking.
It takes a village. Folks in our community and beyond have been exceedingly generous with their time and expertise. Thank you!
- Sarah Abella (Lab, Rodfei)
- Eliot Abrams (U. of Chicago Hillel)
- Batsheva Appel (KAMII)
- Elisa Aranoff (Akiba-Schechter)
- Jessi Allender (City of Chicago)
- Yossi Brackman (Chabad)
- Ethan Bueno de Mesquita (U. of Chicago, Rodfei)
- Barbara Chandler (Chandler Communications)
- Barry Chazan (Spertus)
- Melinda Deegan (Akiba-Schechter, KAMII)
- Hallie Devir (Akiba-Schechter, JUF/JF)
- Ellen Dietrick (T. Beth Shalom Preschool, Needham, MA)
- Gail Dorph (Mandel Teacher Educator Institute)
- Larry Edwards (Rabbi)
- Rafi Esterson (Kesher, Boston, MA)
- Diana Ganger (Rodfei)
- Carla Goldberg (Akiba-Schechter, KAMII)
- Elizabeth Goldwyn (KAMII)
- Shari Granat (KAMII)
- Ed Hamburg (Rodfei)
- Stacey Hamburg (Lab, Rodfei)
- Jessica Hasid (KAMII)
- Alison Toback Hofeld (Akiba-Schechter, Ray School, Rodfei)
- Yael Hoffman (Rodfei)
- Elizabeth Holland (Rodfei)
- Rachel Kane (JCC)
- Miriam Kass (Akiba-Schechter, Rodfei)
- Betsy Dolgin Katz (Educator)
- Elizabeth Kieff (KAMII, Lab)
- Rebecca Klaff (Rodfei)
- Kim Kolody (Rodfei)
- Josh Kramer (JCC)
- Leslie Landman (Akiba-Schechter)
- Caren Levine (Darim Online)
- Dan Libenson (U. of Chicago Hillel, Rodfei)
- Nate Loevy (Nate Loevy Design)
- Sara Segal Loevy (Loevy Consulting, Rodfei)
- Rachel Lubchansky (St. Louis, MO)
- Dan Mass (KAMII)
- Beverly Magencey (Milder Musical Arts, St. Louis, MO)
- Julie Milder (Chicago)
- Josh Miller (Jim Joseph Foundation)
- Robert Nevel (KAMII)
- Beth Niestat (Akiba-Schechter, Rodfei)
- Harry Osoff (1537 News)
- Tammy Polonsky (Lab, Rodfei)
- Rachel Rosenberg (Rodfei)
- Miriam Schiller (Akiba-Schechter)
- Jonathan Silverman (Ancona, Rodfei)
- Susan Stodolsky (U. of Chicago)
- Linda Szmulewitz (Akiba-Schechter, Rodfei)
- Terren Wein (Akiba-Schechter, Rodfei)
- Rebecca Feinstein Winitzer (Akiba-Schechter)
- Bonnie Wishne (Ancona, KAMII)
