Lena Kushnir describes her new job as head of school at Solomon Schechter Day School of Metropolitan Chicago as “training the next generation of mensches,” a Yiddish word for a person who is “respectful, empathetic and cares about the impact on others in the community.”
A onetime administrator, teacher and student at the school, Kushnir stepped into her new role on Jan. 1 after spending the previous 18 months as a consultant and mindfulness coach in both education and the private sector.
“I feel like I was called back home,” said Kushnir, a Deerfield resident and Solomon Schechter parent. “I am delighted to return and lead the school on its mission.”
Solomon Schechter is a private school of 486 students educating preschoolers at the Ginsburg Early Childhood Center in Skokie as well as kindergarten through eighth grade students at the Solomon Schechter Day School in Northbrook, according to Erin Kuhn-Krueger, the director of marketing and communications.
Kushnir’s said her first introduction to Solomon Schechter came as an elementary and middle school student finishing eighth grade in 1988. After four years of high school, she went to the University of Michigan earning degrees in education and organizational behavior.
After completing her undergraduate education, Kushnir said she started teaching third grade at Schechter before becoming director of education and then principal. She left to work as a consultant and coach in June 2016.
In Kushnir’s last year as principal, Solomon Schechter was recognized as a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. That year it was the only Jewish day school honored among the 50 private and 279 public schools in the group, according to Kuhn-Krueger.
Before starting her role as head of school, Kushnir said she spent time studying pictures of the students new to the school since her time there. She wanted to be able to greet each student by name on her first day.
“That really made an impression on each of my sons,” said Brian Hoffman, president of the school’s board of directors. “That’s just one example of her leadership.”
Just as Kushnir sees the school’s role as “training the next generation of mensches,” Hoffman said developing the traits of respect, empathy and working for the betterment of the community is one of the reasons he sends his children there.
“We call it menschlichkeit and the school is able to bring that value to children in a way public schools can’t,” Hoffman said.
Training in both secular subjects like math, English language arts, science and social studies as well as Jewish studies, Hebrew, Bible and rabbinic text is key to the academic curriculum, according to Kushnir.
“Social emotional will be a top priority,” Kushnir said. “This is part of Jewish values and Jewish learning. We want our students to stand up for each other.”
Jennifer Zukerman, a 1986 graduate of Solomon Schechter and the parent of three current students, said she sees how her children and their friends care about their classmates try to help each other.
“If one kid is having trouble the kids know it and try to do something about it,” said Zukerman, a Northbrook resident. “I heard a conversation with fifth graders where they said (a student) was getting picked on and they were trying to figure out how to prevent it.”
Steve Sadin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
