Where did you grow up?
Highland Park
What did you do Jewish growing up?
I grew up having Shabbat dinner with my family. My
grandparents usually hosted Shabbat, so three generations of our family got together each week. Some of my best family memories are at that dinner table! I also went to the JCC for preschool and summer camp and NSCI for Hebrew school and my bat mitzvah.
What do you do Jewish now?
My family still has Shabbat dinner together, and I have also
started having Shabbat dinners with my friends as well!
What Jewish organizations are you involved with? I am very involved with the JUF! I try to attend as many events as I can.
Where did you go to school?
Northwestern University! Go Wildcats!
What do you do for fun/to relax?
I love to work out and play tennis and basketball.
In non-pandemic times, what is your favorite Jewish Chicago event?
The JUF Big Event! I am a huge comedy fan and love seeing the incredible comedians that perform.
What do you for work?
I teach second grade in Chicago, and I recently launched Pup Quiz®, a K-5 educational company providing hands-on math materials to help teachers, parents, and students!
How has that changed during COVID?
Pup Quiz® was initially created to be a classroom tool to help teachers differentiate instruction, offset screen time, and increase students’ social and emotional learning. During the pandemic, the primary focus shifted to assisting parents and students at home, so I started helping families navigate remote learning with the Pup Quiz® resources!
However, when I learned that there were millions of kids across the country and over a hundred thousand kids in the Chicago area that didn’t have access to e-learning during the
pandemic, my priority was to get educational materials to these children. I have been coordinating Pup Quiz® math kit donations and deliveries to families in need in addition to
selling math kits to parents and schools. Since the pandemic began, over one thousand children are now using Pup Quiz.
How do you stay motivated during the Pandemic?
I am lucky to work with 28 amazing second
graders every day. Seeing my students’ smiling faces and excitement to learn motivates me to
make virtual school as amazing as possible. I feel an obligation to make school fun for these
children, so I always bring positive energy to the class and try to find creative ways to teach.
Favorite takeout spot during the Pandemic?
Spirit Elephant! They have amazing vegetarian
dishes!
Best virtual resource for people working from home?
I highly recommend Jackbox games for
team building! Since we don’t get to see our coworkers, this is a great way to socialize with everyone.
When the Tribe Gathers, we wear masks!
More About Pup Quiz®
Read More on WGN TV
Nominate a Jewish Person of the Week
Find all the Jewish Chicago Events on the ChiTribe Calendar
