The Jewish Family Experience offers positive, meaningful, and accessible Jewish experiences to families of all backgrounds and affiliations across the Northshore.
Our Programs
About JFE
The Jewish Family Experience offers positive, meaningful, and accessible Jewish experiences to families of all backgrounds and affiliations across the Northshore. Our Hebrew school offers a dynamic, innovative, once-a-week Jewish learning experience for children and their families. At JFE, your child and family will love coming!!!
Starting its 11th year in Fall 2022!
Classes meet once a week on a Sundays from 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM at the Bernard Weinger JCC in Northbrook.
We offer a weekly Hebrew school experience, bar and bat mitzvah preparation and celebration, parent social and education experiences, teen programs, and trips for adults to Israel. These programs empower local families to strengthen their Jewish identities, gain a better understanding of Jewish values and traditions, and feel a stronger connection to Jewish community.
OUR SERVICES
Programs
Hebrew School
For students entering K-7th grade
Parent Learning Opportunities
Weekly classes on Sunday and other opportunities!
Family Holiday Workshops
Families come together to learn and create something special for each holiday.
Bar/Bat Mitzvah Clubs
Meet Our Staff
Mashi Polstein
Director
Mashi is a passionate educator whose use of drama and contemporary expressive technique has inspired students the world over. Under the auspices of NCSY Canada, Mashi founded and directed Toronto’s Torah High: For the Arts, a groundbreaking initiative that combines traditional Jewish learning with a progressive arts-based education. While studying theater and psychology at York University, Mashi began developing a drama-infused curriculum that would eventually be used as a medium to
teach an accredited Jewish Ethics and Values Course. After getting married and moving to Israel, she continued to teach drama at Emunah V’omanut, an arts-based seminary in Jerusalem.
Mashi advocates for the use of arts in the classroom to create exciting, dynamic, and impactful lessons. She aspires to help students develop and nurture their creative sides and to use their gifts to impact the world for the better. Mashi, along with her husband Yehuda, are inspired and enthusiastic educators who have been involved in Jewish education and communal work for the past 15 years. In 2015 the Polstein’s were awarded the Evan Goldberg-Mailing Innovation in Education in recognition of their efforts.
In 2017 Mashi Polstein was recognized as one of the 36 under 36 by the JUF of Chicago for her work at JFE.
Email at mashi@jewishfamilyexp.org
Alise Gold
Educational Director and Bnei Mitzvah Coordinator
Alise received her BA in Judaic Studies from Stern College and her Masters Degree in Jewish Education from the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration. She taught elementary and middle school in New Jersey for three years before moving to Chicago. Alise taught middle school at Akiba Schechter Jewish Day School in Hyde Park for 8 years and is currently in her fifth year with JFE.
Email: alise@jewishfamilyexp.org
