Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
Rabbi Cece started working at our synagogue when I was a freshman in high school, four years ago. I had been a madricha and attending our teen program for a year before she arrived, and once she took over the education director position, I saw changes immediately. She connected so well with kids of all ages, from preschoolers to high school seniors. She made all of our lessons more engaging. I finally started to learn about the parts of Judaism that I cared about as a modern teenager. The students of the Hebrew school were educated from a fresh, new perspective, where fun and learning can coexist. Because of Rabbi Cece, once a month, instrumentalist members of the synagogue join together with the Hebrew school students to sings songs and have a great time all around. When I work with the students every Sunday, I can see how their enthusiasm for learning has grown exponentially since Rabbi Cece arrived.
— Elana Neher
+ 7 other nominations
Why I became the Forward’s Editor-in-Chief
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