2026 Award Winners
Mazel tov to all the educators on these awards!
Click to learn more about the awards.
Lifetime Impact Award
Devorah Shmotkin
Lubavitch of Wisconsin
CJL Levy Family Jewish Educator of the Year Award
Sara Perlman
Yeshiva Elementary School
Jerry Benjamin Inspiration Award for Informal Education
Elsie Crawford
Repairing Together
Gill Incentive for Teachers (GIFT Award)
Roger Carp
Congregation Shalom
Karin Damico
Milwaukee Jewish Day School
Mara Kleiman
Milwaukee Jewish Day School
Chai Award
Leah Munitz
Mequon Jewish Preschool
Madaline Wienke
Congregation Shalom
Lisa Vondra
Congregation Sinai
Karin Damico
Milwaukee Jewish Day School
Linsey Kimmel
Milwaukee Jewish Day School
Teacher Impact and School Support Award
Bader Hillel Academy
Ellie Retzke, Teacher Impact Award
Selena Cordes, School Support Award
Bader Hillel High
Dr. Susan Bornstein-Forst, Teacher Impact Award
Ilana Bassman, School Support Award
Congregation Beth Israel Ner Tamid
Nadine Siegman, Teacher Impact Award
Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun
Sarah Yonas, Teacher Impact Award
Kelley Wichman, School Support Award
Congregation Emanu-El of Waukesha
Shirley Forer, School Support Award
Congregation Shalom
Jack Redfern, Teacher Impact Award
Missy Meier, School Support Award
Congregation Sinai Youth Education Program
Shlomit Germanski, Teacher Impact Award
Sarah Siegel, School Support Award
Gan Ami Early Childhood Education – Mequon
Isabella Roberts, Teacher Impact Award
Brett Engel, School Support Award
Gan Ami Early Childhood Education – Whitefish Bay
Jennifer Halaska, Teacher Impact Award
Melissa Spanjar, School Support Award
Jewish Beginnings Lubavitch Preschool
Erica Fishbach, Teacher Impact Award
Abby Bar-Lev Wiley, School Support Award
Mequon Jewish Preschool
Bria Studelska, Teacher Impact Award
Dr. Marc Eiseman, School Support Award
Milwaukee Community Hebrew School
Susan Linton, Teacher Impact Award
Kayla Schapiro, School Support Award
Milwaukee Jewish Day School
Jody Lansing, Teacher Impact Award
Lisa Kulakow, School Support Award
Pelz Hebrew School
Chana Rapoport, Teacher Impact Award
Chana Sasonkin, School Support Award
Torah Academy of Milwaukee
Rabbi Yosef Schlussel, Teacher Impact Award
Dr. Mary Duarte, School Support Award
Torah Tots Preschool
India Pretorius, Teacher Impact Award
Dr. Diane McGeen, School Support Award
Yeshiva Elementary School
Sara Rennicke, Teacher Impact Award
Aaron Heffernan, School Support Award
