About Senesh

The Senesh School in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn is an open and inclusive Jewish day school where students from kindergarten through eighth grade grow into ever more curious, kind, and confident people.

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What we stand for

Learn with joy.
Learn with joy.

We cultivate intellectual curiosity in a rigorous and joyful academic environment that teaches the whole child.

Live with conviction.
Live with conviction.

Students are guided by Jewish values and challenged to be agents of change toward a more just world.

Find your community.
Find your community.

Students, parents, and staff together create a welcoming and vibrant home at Senesh, offering a place of belonging for diverse Jewish families.

About Us

Our Vision, Mission and Values
We envision a world shaped by Senesh alumni who lead with a strong sense of self, a connection to community, and a commitment to doing good in the world.
Rooted in Jewish values and wisdom, we foster a love of learning guided by intellectual curiosity and social responsibility in a vibrant and inclusive K-8 independent school community.

Our Values

Kindness
Kindness

Chesed – חסד

We treat each other with respect and strive to demonstrate compassion and empathy.

Openness
Openness

Elu v’Elu – אלו ואלו

We seek to understand and welcome diverse ideas and perspectives.

Belonging
Belonging

Shayachut – שייכות

We seek to understand and welcome diverse ideas and perspectives.

Responsibility
Responsibility

Areivut – ערבות

We seek to understand and welcome diverse ideas and perspectives.

Perserverance
Perserverance

Hatmadah – התמדה

We approach learning as a continuous journey and persist through challenges.

Message from Nicole Nash, Head of School

Welcome to Senesh. I’m so glad you’re here. It’s been my privilege to serve this community as Head of School for the last 30 years. Read the full letter to discover how we empower our students to learn with joy, live with conviction, and find their community.

Read Letter
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Who is Hannah Senesh?
One needs something to believe in, something for which one can have whole-hearted enthusiasm. One needs to feel that one's life has meaning, that one is needed in this world. Hannah Senesh

Hannah Senesh was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1921. The daughter of a journalist, she hoped to become a writer. The rise of antisemitism in Hungary during the 1930’s overshadowed her adolescent life. Senesh believed that there was no future for Jewish youth in Hungary and so she became a pioneering Zionist. While learning Hebrew and attending agricultural school in Palestine, she continued to write diary entries, poetry, letters and plays. Senesh was committed to cultivating a land for the Jewish people.

In 1943, upon learning about plans for a rescue mission into Europe, Senesh volunteered to become a paratrooper with the British Air Force. After crossing the border into Hungary, Senesh was captured and tortured. She was executed by a firing squad in Budapest, Hungary on November 7, 1944, at the young age of 23.

Hannah Senesh responded to hatred, danger, and her eventual torture with courage and with total faith that ultimately justice would be served. The bravery, vitality, determination and righteousness of Hannah Senesh—and her belief that one person can make a difference—inspire us every day. We are proud that our school bears her name.

Faculty, Staff & Board of Trustees

Albert Einstein once said, “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” At Senesh, our teachers artfully awaken students’ curiosity, promoting creative thinking and supporting thoughtful inquiry.

Senesh teachers come from across the country and around the world, bringing a wealth of knowledge and a variety of perspectives. All of our teachers are professionals with degrees in education or related disciplines. Many are graduates of Teacher’s College, Columbia University, Bank Street College of Education, Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies—some of the most innovative and substantive programs in the field.

Nicole Nash

Head of School

B.A. University of Rochester

M.S.Ed. Bank Street College of Education

Sara Keen

Lower School Director

B.Sc. University of Manchester

Q.T.S. Institute of Education, London

N.P.Q.H. National College for School Leadership

M.A. Middlesex University (in progress)

Tracey Schreier

Middle School Director

B.A. University of the Witwatersrand

M.A. University of New South Wales

Karen Stein

Director of Development

B.A. University at Albany, SUNY Albany

M.A. William Davidson Graduate School of Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary

Dana Goldberg

Director of Enrollment

B.A. Colgate University

M.A. New York University

Ph.D. New York University

C. Siobhan Balazs

Director of Marketing and Communications

B.A. Bard College

Jamie Maxner

Director of Strategic Partnerships 
& Community Engagement

B.S. Cornell University

Nathalie Cabot

Director of Operations

B.A. Touro College

Shai Carmel

Business Manager

B.S. University at Albany, SUNY Albany

M.B.A. University at Albany, SUNY Albany

Careers at Senesh

Rooted in Jewish values and wisdom, we seek faculty and staff who will foster a love of learning guided by intellectual curiosity and social responsibility in our vibrant and inclusive K-8 independent school community.

Thank you for your interest in employment opportunities with Senesh. New positions will be posted here as they become available.

Diversity, Belonging, & Community

In 1995, a small group of visionary parents had their dream become reality and “a school grew in Brooklyn” — a little day school committed to building an open and inclusive Jewish community. That first year, our school had 14 students in the first and second grades.

Now, nearly 30 years later, our community has grown but our commitment remains steadfast: We strive to provide an unparalleled, modern academic home that is reflective of the rich mosaic of Jewish life. We are committed to intentionally building this mosaic with our students, faculty, administration, and families through their diversity across ethnicity, race, nationality, Jewish identity and practice, interfaith family composition, sexual orientation, gender identity, life experiences, socio-economic status, perspectives and worldviews. We value the dignity and self-worth of each member of our community.

We believe in ensuring that our students are prepared to be global citizens who can be productive agents of change toward a more just world. Our core Jewish value of Belonging/Shayachut guides our work in building empathy and valuing difference. We live this value daily at Senesh in our curriculum, programming, admissions, hiring, professional development, and dialogue with our broader community. It is integral to our ongoing journey/Masa as a school to embrace the complex conversation of diversity in the 21st century, which we believe will continue to make our school community even more vibrant and strong.

Learn more about the Senesh Experience
A student body reflective of our whole Jewish community

Senesh admits students of any race, color, nationality, ethnic origin, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation. As part of our efforts to expand our student body to represent the diversity of the Jewish community, we establish outreach efforts and grants focused on underrepresented groups. One current initiative is our Lower School Grants for Jews of Color. We are also committed to reflecting the socioeconomic diversity of the Jewish community by offering tuition assistance to Senesh families. Today, more than half of our families receive some tuition assistance.

Parents in Action

Senesh parents, teachers, and staff work together in true partnership to create an exceptional educational experience where students flourish. Our Parent Association (PA) offers a wide range of opportunities for parents to contribute their time, knowledge, resources, or participation and make a difference in our school community.

Some examples include:
  • Volunteer to be a class parent
  • Provide support for families during difficult times
  • Assist in school with holidays and events
  • Plan family social action outings
  • Plan community outings
  • Help come up with creative new ideas for involvement
Parent Handbook

Learn more about the Senesh Experience

The Senesh Experience