Sara Abrams moved to Bayside from Green Bay with her parents and brother, Ross, when she was just 4 years old. Being new to the area and having so many synagogues close by, the family decided to go (as Abrams likes to say) “shul shopping.” They ultimately landed at The Shul in Bayside, where the community felt like family.
Abrams began her educational journey at Jewish Beginnings and later attended Bader Hillel Academy. After a few years, her parents decided they preferred a public school education, so she transitioned out of Bader Hillel Academy but continued her Jewish education at Milwaukee Community Hebrew School. Then, at 12, just after becoming a bat mitzvah, the then–education director, Avremi Shapiro, approached her with a question that would end up shaping much of her future: Would she be interested in teaching? He clearly saw something in her — an instinctive teaching ability — long before she recognized it herself. Abrams began teaching at MCHS soon after and continued all the way through her graduation from Nicolet High School. Afterward, she decided to attend college, with the first of her four years in Israel.
When COVID-19 hit, Abrams returned home to figure out her next steps. During that time, she worked at Bader Hillel High as a dorm counselor and later as an assistant in Dr. Susan Forst’s classroom. After about a year, she felt ready to branch out and try teaching in New York. In Brooklyn, she taught ninth grade global history and tenth grade geometry at Bnos Menachem. From there, she moved to Beth Rivkah, also in Brooklyn, where she taught Algebra 1 to approximately 160 girls across five periods. “It was a lot of fun. I really loved it,” she said. “I made really strong connections with the girls. Even when I wasn’t teaching, many of them would come hang out in my classroom with me in their free time.”
Abrams prides herself on building strong relationships with her students and has discovered that this is the true secret to good teaching. Today, Abrams teaches Hebrew to 4th–6th grade students at Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun. Her philosophy hasn’t changed. “I love my kids – I love them so much. They’re so cute!” she said with a giggle. Her class is small, around ten students, but her approach is consistent regardless of age or group size. “If you treat students like humans, with kindness and love, they’re going to like you more, respect you more, listen to you more, and put in more work. It’s a reciprocal relationship, and I try to build that everywhere I teach. I think it shows!”
She noted that she has never struggled much with classroom management which she credits to simply being herself. “I try to be as authentically myself as possible, which goes a long way,” she said. “If you’re relatable, kids appreciate that.”
When Abrams isn’t teaching at Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun, she spends most of her time studying to become a Certified Public Accountant. In the little free time she has, she enjoys experimenting with baking, and she loves being in nature, especially listening to the rain or music whenever she has the chance.
When asked why she became a teacher, she said, “It was an accident, just a natural progression. I never really thought about it, but I also really enjoy it.” And perhaps that’s the best way to describe her journey: a path she didn’t plan, but one that fits her perfectly – for now.
* * *
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.
Loading ...