NILI ISENBERG

Judaic studies teacher Mrs. Nili Isenberg brings her deep knowledge of history, culture and heritage to Pressman Academy scholars every day. Also serving as the kindergarten through eighth grade Judaic studies curriculum coordinator, she leads department meetings; contributes to building T’fillah, Parasha, Torah, and holiday curriculum; helps lead programs like FestiNaKH, Moot Beit Din, and Zman Kodesh; observes classes; and mentors new teachers.  

In addition to teaching seventh grade Rabbinics and eighth grade TaNaKH, Mrs. Isenberg’s seventh grade Mishna class learns about Jewish law (halachot) relating to major life cycle events like sitting shiva, the laws of marriage, and the rules of a bris. She brings in guest speakers of diverse backgrounds, personal experiences and traditions to show students the many facets of Jewish observance. Mrs. Isenberg’s unit on the Shoah immerses eighth graders in field trips, Holocaust survivor stories, and a Yom HaShoah Tekes (ceremony) they produce for third through fifth graders. She also leads students in planting daffodils to honor children lost during the Holocaust through The Daffodil Project. Mrs. Isenberg holds a bachelor’s in religion and art history from Boston University, a master’s in art history from Johns Hopkins University, and a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) from American Jewish University. 

Before becoming a classroom teacher at Pressman, Mrs. Isenberg spent years educating others about the Holocaust at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York, and spent her formative childhood years living in Israel. Now, these experiences shape what she seeks to instill in her students: “I hope that students understand that Judaism brings meaning to life in so many ways, and that being a part of the Jewish community is a precious gift to appreciate and embrace.”