JCC Chicago proudly congratulates seven Early Childhood educators or Social Services team members that have gone above and beyond in their roles on behalf of the children and families they serve.

Winners were selected from 62 Early Childhood community nominations based on the seven lenses of Sheva—an approach that recognizes that in order to offer excellence, you must hire and support excellence in your educators. With Sheva, learning is a team effort between staff, children and their families.

Eden Mutchnik, JCC Chicago Early Childhood at Am Shalom
Masa: teacher focuses on process vs. product and makes the learning visible

“An advocate of the Reggio Emilia approach to education, Eden completely customizes all her lesson plans to meet the needs of her students – and lets the children’s interests guide her planning. If the children are gravitating toward dinosaurs during free play and discussion, she will work that into her lesson plans for the week. My two sons both had Eden as a teacher yet they had completely unique experiences in her classroom. When the pandemic hit, Eden quickly pivoted and created an entire outdoor classroom, allowing the children to experience nature while keeping everyone safe. Eden exposes the children to critical thinking and fosters socio emotional development – promoting collaborative play and self-exploration. She encourages the children to embrace their unique qualities and establish a sense of confidence in themselves. Eden is providing a wonderful, nurturing foundation for our children that will set them up for success in life.”

Rivka Pike, Bernard Horwich JCC
Tzelem Elohim: teacher supports the understanding that children are capable and full of potential

“Morah Rivka is the warmest and most passionate teacher I have ever met. I have a son who many teachers perceive as more challenging and she does everything she could to see the positive and his potential. She understands children’s needs and sees what they can become with love and guidance. Whether challenging or fun, the teacher enjoys the student and helps uplift the child daily.”

Chi Tatsumi, Florence G. Heller JCC
B’rit: teacher fosters a sense of belonging and commitment to building community

“Chi is an amazing educator who uses current events to engage with her classes and creates an environment of acceptance and playfulness. As an LGBTQ family at the J, Chi was incredibly inclusive (Pride march in June around the neighborhood, amongst other things) and cultivated a sense of belonging for our family. She truly loves the children she works with and is so incredibly thoughtful, innovative, and intentional with her curriculum.”

Julie Mednick-Simmons, ‘Z’ Frank Apachi
K’dushah: teacher uses the environment as inspiration for inquiry

“One great example – the kids thought the fertilizer was doggy poop, so Ms. Julie decided to have the head of landscaping come in as a ‘special guest’ to explain what it is and the process. Our kids love Mr. Noey and still talk about him as the special guest. They go on nature walks to explore the changing of seasons and then learn about that within the classroom. What she teaches them is certainly brought home and makes our mouths drop open in amazement!”

Suzi Lipka, Bernard Weinger JCC
Hit’orerut: teacher reinvents the familiar and finds beauty in the world around them

“Suzi has a loving demeanor and takes personal interest in each child. She helps students find their strengths and encourages them along the way. We are amazed every week at the creative ideas she brings to the classroom to foster her students’ development. She always incorporates nature into their discussion and appreciation of the outdoors.”

Timothy Avant, JCC Chicago Early Childhood at Beth Emet
D’rash: teacher acts as a researcher, learning and exploring alongside the children

“Tim does a really good job engaging with the children. He finds a way to be both thoughtful and fun at the same time. But, it is difficult to pin just one of the above lenses on him. He is also a classroom community builder who connects with our child in a meaningful way.”

Ruth Hoffenberg, Jacob Duman Early Childhood Center
Tikkun Olam: teacher advocates for children and education to make a meaningful difference

“Miss Ruth exceeded our expectations not only by creating new experiences in the classroom, but by inspiring our child to learn and take these experiences home. Our daughter always shared what she was doing in class and made her school community part of our lives. She has thrived getting to know the other students and building relationships with her classmates. Ruth has been instrumental in making sure the children all get to know one another (family photos on the wall, Shabbat bag, etc).”