Our featured educator this month, Rebecca Fine, teaches first through third grade at Congregation Beth Israel Ner Tamid on Sundays. Her students engage with Torah, Jewish traditions, and culture through hevruta, art and music. This is Fine’s first year teaching young children, although she holds a degree in early childhood education.
Growing up in Round Lake, Illinois, Fine was raised by immigrant parents who came to the U.S. from the Soviet Union with hopes of providing a better life for their children. Due to restrictions on practicing Judaism in the Soviet Union, Fine did not attend synagogue or Hebrew school, nor did she fully understand the significance of Jewish holidays, she said. While she knew she was Jewish, that was about the extent of her knowledge.
After graduating from Northern Illinois University, she did a gap year in Israel through the MASA Israel Teaching Fellows program, at the suggestion of her mother. Fine spent 10 months discovering Israel and deepening her connection to her Jewish roots. “It was completely life changing. My Jewish journey really spiraled from there. I started learning more about Judaism, and I got to explore Israel,” Fine recalls.
She stayed in Israel for four years, during which she immersed herself in the culture, worked with Birthright, and truly found her home. Fine had planned to visit the U.S. in February 2020, as her sister had recently moved to Milwaukee and her parents were in the process of relocating as well. Shortly after landing in Milwaukee, she went on a date with Kevin Fine (now her husband), and they immediately hit it off. By their third date, the Covid-19 lockdown was announced, and by the time it lifted, they were engaged. They decided to stay in Milwaukee to settle down and start a family.
Determined to continue the type of work she was doing in Israel, Fine joined StandWithUs in 2021. StandWithUs is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating people about Israel and combating antisemitism. She started as a Regional Manager for the Midwest and is now the Associate Director of Campus Education. “I fell in love with the work there immediately!” she said. Her work focuses on empowering staff and students to effectively advocate for Israel and the Jewish people. She is in charge of educating the Campus Regional Managers, equipping them with the tools, knowledge and confidence to mentor students across North America. This includes developing training programs, creating engaging educational content, and providing support to address campus challenges.
While Fine is passionate about Israel education, recent events—especially since Oct. 7—have made her work heavier. “I was looking for something that would feed my Jewish soul and bring real joy to my life,” she shared. Around the same time, her husband, who had been teaching at CBINT on Sundays, decided to take some time off from his role to focus on his passion for curriculum writing and teacher development. Fine stepped in to take over his class this past fall, and she has been thriving ever since.
Teaching young children has brought Fine immense joy. “There is so much joy in teaching the littles about Judaism. I love watching the gears turn in their heads and seeing when they can make connections and understand the meaning behind what they do for the holidays and Shabbat dinners. I know everything isn’t going to stick, but seeing the things that do—that’s really special,” she said.
Fine lives in Glendale with her husband and dog, and they are expecting their first baby in March. In her free time, Fine enjoys spending time with her family, especially now that everyone is nearby. She also loves exploring nature trails around Milwaukee and discovering new things about the city.
“Even after four years,” she said, “I still find so many exciting things about Milwaukee.”
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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.
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