Alissa Zeffren
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Alissa Zeffren is a Jewish History teacher at Ida
Crown Jewish Academy. In addition to being a well-known and loved teacher in her
community, Alissa makes it her mission to inform and educate others.
In
2019, she brought a national program, Student to Student, to Chicago. The
program was created as an opportunity for Jewish high school students to present
to other teens in high schools with low to no Jewish populations about their
lives as Jews. The goal of the program is to create positive
face-to-face interactions between Jewish and non-Jewish teens and dispel
antisemitic stereotypes. Alissa has successfully implemented this program over
the last three years. Next year, the program plans to expand to 18 high schools
in the area, reaching nearly 2,000 high school students.
When she's not
busy with school, you can find Alissa practicing yoga, running, or having a
dance party in the kitchen with her three children.
PRONOUNS:
She, Her, Hers
AGE:
36
PRIMARY GIG:
Jewish History and Tanach Teacher and Student Activities Coordinator at Ida
Crown Jewish Academy; Program Coordinator for Student to Student, a program of
Ida Crown Jewish Academy (with support from JUF)
ON THE SIDE:
Doctoral student in
Jewish Education (Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and
Administration, Yeshiva University)
DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN 10 WORDS OR LESS:
Passionate, invested, driven, hard-working, enthusiastic
YOUR BEST PIECE OF ADVICE:
Famous Education Quote:
"Students don't care how much you know, until they know how much you
care."
HOW YOU JEW IN CHICAGO:
How do I NOT Jew in Chicago?! From my job as a teacher,
activities coordinator, Student to Student coordinator, and volunteer board
member roles in the Chicago Jewish Historical Society and Kehillat Chovevei
Tzion, I am deeply committed to giving back to the Jewish community and
fostering Jewish leadership among my students both in Ida Crown and the Student
to Student program.