Meet the Polsteins!
Mashi and Yehuda Polstein are inspired and enthusiastic educators who have been involved in Jewish education and communal work for the past 15 years. In 2015 the Polstein's were awarded the Evan Goldberg-Mailing Innovation in Education in recognition of their efforts. In 2017 Mashi Polstein was recognized as one of the 36 under 36 by the JUF of Chicago for her work at JFE. The Polstein's live in Northbrook with their children; Eliyahu, Shuey, Sara Baila, and Akiva.
Mashi Polstein, Director
Mashi is a passionate educator whose use of drama and contemporary expressive technique has inspired students the world over. Under the auspices of NCSY Canada, Mashi founded and directed Toronto’s Torah High: For the Arts, a groundbreaking initiative that combines traditional Jewish learning with a progressive arts-based education. While studying theater and psychology at York University, Mashi began developing a drama infused curriculum that would eventually be used as a medium to teach an accredited Jewish Ethics and Values Course. After getting married and moving to Israel, she continued to teach drama at Emunah V’omanut, an arts-based seminary in Jerusalem. Mashi advocates for the use of arts in the classroom to create exciting, dynamic, and impactful lessons. She aspires to help students develop and nurture their creative sides and to use their gifts to impact the world for the better. Mashi is the Director of JFE.
Email at mashi@jewishfamilyexp.org
Email at mashi@jewishfamilyexp.org
Rabbi Yehuda Polstein, Director Of Jewish Life
Rabbi Yehuda Polstein is a veteran teen advocate and has been involved in Jewish youth programming for over 15 years. He attended Hebrew Theological College in Skokie and received his Rabbinic ordination in Jerusalem. Yehuda served as a Chaplain at Northwestern University and as the Director of North Shore NCSY and MIE Torah High: The Melvin I. Eisenberg Institute for Judaic Studies. He has volunteered for BBYO and many other teen programs including Ta'am Yisrael, the JUF's 8th grade Israel experience. In 2012, with the support and vision of Associated Talmud Torahs Chicago (ATT) Yehuda and his wife Mashi founded JFE (Jewish Family Experience) a family-center Hebrew school in Deerfield.
Yehuda is currently the Director of Community Engagement for Chicago Jewish Funerals.
Email at yehuda@jewishfamilyexp.org
Yehuda is currently the Director of Community Engagement for Chicago Jewish Funerals.
Email at yehuda@jewishfamilyexp.org