News

Incubator Projects Broaden Jewish Engagement for Jews of Color Announcement Featuring Camp Kulanu@Senesh in the Jews of Color Initiative Newsletter, Galim The Jews of Color Initiative is thrilled to announce the New York Incubator’s second ever cohort! The Incubator, supported by the UJA-Federation New York, is one of  two premier programs in JoCI’s New York Hub. The Incubator helps leaders develop and scale their JoC-centered projects by combining a cohort model with individualized support. Leaders in the Incubator participate in a series of learning sessions and expand their network of JoC colleagues, who each bring their projects and experiences to... Read More

Prizmah sat down with dozens of Jewish day school alumni from a variety of geographic, denominational, and professional backgrounds to reflect on their day school experiences and speak to the critical values of Jewish day school education for our future, including Senesh’s very own Board Chair Melissa Kushner. Watch her incredible video below:

DEIB: Building a School Culture of Belonging PRIZMAH Blog Post Written by Senesh Head of School Nicole Nash Hannah Senesh Community Day School in Brooklyn has been engaged in diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) work since we were founded nearly three decades ago. Over the past five years, our work has accelerated as we have put a stake in the ground by forming a diversity committee, formally articulating a diversity statement, and incorporating DEIB as a priority in our strategic roadmap. A core value of our school is “Belonging/Shayachut: We create a culture that honors the dignity and self-worth... Read More

We Have a Future in This Sector: Q&A with Leadership Fellows Interview Featuring Senesh JOCI Fellows in the Jews of Color Initiative Newsletter, Galim We Have a Future in This Sector: Q&A with Leadership Fellows Almost 7 months into our New York Hub’s Leadership Fellowship, our Fellows are reflecting on their experiences and learning with new perspective. They have completed their first placements—temporary positions at Jewish nonprofits in New York City—and have already begun their second placements at different Jewish nonprofit organizations. Amidst their busy calendars, we asked the Fellows to pause and think back to their accomplishments, learning, and... Read More

The New Class: Interviews with the 2021 Covenant Grantees in The Covenant Foundation’s online journal, Sight Line.  Hannah Senesh Community Day School – To create a culture of belonging for Jews of Color by developing curricula, community programming, and a multicultural camp through the lens of equity and inclusion. What sparked the idea for this grant project? “Community” is more than our name—it’s our identity. Since 1995, Senesh has been committed to creating a community that reflects the evolving Jewish world where all Jews feel a sense of belonging. This work has matured as we’ve deepened relationships and intentionally worked to... Read More

We are thrilled to share that Hannah Senesh Community Day School is a recipient of a Signature Grant from the Covenant Foundation of $135,000 over the next three years. This grant will fund our initiative: Jews of Color Engagement, Within and Beyond Our Walls, which aims to create a culture of belonging for Jews of Color by developing curricula, community programming, and a multicultural camp through the lens of equity and inclusion.    Senesh is again in the company of 302 other Signature Grantees and 94 Ignition Grantees that have received Covenant Grants during the past 30 years. (We had been a recipient... Read More

  Check out Senesh Head of School Nicole Nash on The Jewish Education Project’s podcast, Adapting: The Future of Jewish Education! Nicole and The Jewish Education Project CEO and Senesh Parent and Board Member David Bryfman discussed the amazing work Senesh teachers and staff have done throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. She also shared some fascinating ideas about the future of Jewish day schools. “Educators, school leadership, and parents and students have become more comfortable with this idea of being flexible, adapting, and thinking out of the box. I think that is going to stay.” —Nicole Nash It’s a great listen for anyone who loves Senesh and feels passionately about... Read More

Hannah Senesh Community Day School has been granted accreditation by the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) (Brooklyn, June 15, 2021) – Nicole Nash, Head of School, announced today that Hannah Senesh Community Day School was recommended for accreditation by the NYSAIS Commission on Accreditation and approved by the NYSAIS Board of Trustees at their meeting.  The New York State Association of Independent Schools is authorized by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York, “to evaluate and accredit nursery schools, kindergartens, elementary and secondary schools operating within the State of New York... Read More

by Nicole Nash and Judy Schoenberg HaYidion: The Prizmah Journal on Leading Together The Head and Board Chair Partnership: Recipe for Success A conversation with Hannah Senesh Community Day School’s head of school Nicole Nash and board chair Judy Schoenberg. There’s no question this year was hard on Jewish day schools. In challenging times, leadership is put to the test, and the quality of the board-head partnership has the potential to either promote resilience or compromise the school’s health. The two of us are notorious for hosting board conversations in the form of periodic “fireside chats” as a way to... Read More

Culinary Historian and Writer Michael Twitty on Black and Jewish Food Traditions Please join us on May 3, 2021 at 8:00pm for a virtual conversation with two-time James Beard Award-winning culinary historian and food writer Michael Twitty moderated by WNYC and NPR Journalist Matt Katz. Mr. Twitty will discuss what food tells us about our lives and our histories, reflecting on the culinary intersections of Black and Jewish food traditions and on his own Black, Jewish, and gay identities. As a special treat, Mr. Twitty will explore a Senesh family recipe and share some of the historical context for it. To submit a family recipe,... Read More