At Yeshiva Elementary School, Sara Perlman has a passion for teaching | Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle

At Yeshiva Elementary School, Sara Perlman has a passion for teaching 

“A mom by love, a teacher by passion, and a baker by hobby.” That’s how Sara Perlman, a Milwaukee native and Jewish educator for more than 20 years, describes herself in a nutshell. 

Perlman has spent the past 18 years teaching Judaic studies to fifth-grade girls at Yeshiva Elementary School on Milwaukee’s West Side. Throughout her career, she’s also taught at Torah Academy Milwaukee and had a brief teaching stint in Boca Raton, Florida. Though she’s taught students of all ages, she says fifth grade is her passion: “They’re at such a unique stage. They’re still young enough to appreciate things like singing and stickers, but old enough to be independent and take on responsibilities.” 

Perlman’s educational journey began at Hillel Academy. Her parents were among the families who helped bring Rabbi Abraham Twerski’s vision of a new school to life when they opened Yeshiva Elementary School in 1988. After graduating from YES, Perlman attended Hanna Sacks Bais Yaakov in Chicago for high school. During eleventh-grade, she was accepted for early admission to Gateshead Jewish Teachers Training College for girls in England. “They had such a unique approach to teaching,” she recalled. “Their focus was on training educators, which made it a fantastic fit for me. It was an incredible educational experience that I’m so grateful my parents allowed me to pursue.” 

Perlman is a lifelong learner. She has attended a number of conferences and is always seeking new methods to improve her teaching, she said. Perlman credits YES for being supportive of her ongoing growth. For example, one year, she noticed some of her girls were struggling academically, so she introduced a hand-sewing elective. “It gave girls who might not excel in other areas a chance to shine,” she said. “They get to work together and help each other, and they see how much they depend on one another.” The school has supported her in keeping the elective a part of the fifth-grade curriculum. 

“When these girls come into my classroom, they become mine,” she said. “I share them with their parents, and I follow their successes as they grow older. That’s something I learned from my own mom: to be there for the kids, to help, and to push them to do their best.”  

Perlman’s love for education was inspired by her mother, who worked as a speech pathologist in public schools for decades and played an active role in helping establish Yeshiva Elementary. “My mom is my inspiration for everything,” Perlman said. “She’s almost 74, but you’d never know it! She’s always out and about, volunteering in the community, and helping with her local grandchildren.” Perlman’s mother was a leader for the parents association and the Board of Education when the school first opened, she recalled. Perlman followed in her footsteps, with a deep love for both education and staying busy. 

Perlman lives on Milwaukee’s West Side with her husband, Dovid — whom she calls “the love of her life” — and six of their eight children. The Perlmans have four boys and four girls, ranging in age from 3.5 to 21. Two of Perlman’s daughters are already working in education, continuing on the family tradition. Perlman is also very close with her siblings, most of whom live in the Midwest. Her sister, in fact, lives just a few doors down! When asked what she loves most about living in Milwaukee, Perlman responded with a smile, “Summer! I love summer in Milwaukee. As much as I enjoy teaching, there’s nothing better than having my kids home from school and spending time outdoors in the sunshine for rejuvenation—hiking, exploring the parks, and just enjoying all the beauty Hashem has created.” 

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MEET AN EDUCATOR 
Writer Nicole Boico is the associate director of the Coalition for Jewish Learning of Milwaukee Jewish Federation. This regular feature, from the Coalition for Jewish Learning, is to celebrate local educators. To suggest someone for coverage, contact Boico at NicoleB@MilwaukeeJewish.org