This school year has been one of firsts, of challenges and opportunities, for schools everywhere. At Bruriah, not only is this a new year in new times, but it has also brought a new face: Bruriah’s new principal, Esther Eisenman. Unlike some of the other changes of 5781, however, Mrs. Eisenman has brought to the school a sense of passion and warmth that infuses the school with optimism and excitement.
Transitioning into freshman year is always hard, and has been especially complicated during a pandemic. Freshman Shana Markowitz of Bergenfield said, “When I walked in on the first day of school, Mrs. Eisenman welcomed me with open arms. One of the first things she told us was ‘Don’t worry, I’m new also,’ and that made me feel comfortable.”
These positive feelings are shared across the board. As sophomore Molly Burg from Passaic said, “Mrs. Eisenman really shows how much she cares about the girls by treating us like family.”
Bruriah girls shared that having a female role model in the principal position is very inspiring. Mrs. Eisenman davens with the students each morning and often shares relevant divrei Torah to give them chizuk throughout their school day. Students appreciate that Mrs. Eisenman is bright, has a great sense of humor—and a great sense of style!
G.O. President Esther Sebbag, a senior from Passaic, shared, “I’m happy that I have such an amazing role model to look up to and give me guidance whenever I need it. She is truly an amazing mechanechet and I can’t wait to work with her in the months to come.”
Currently, Mrs. Eisenman is teaching an 11th grade academic elective entitled “Kedushat Eretz Yisrael.” The course is a b’iyun study of the history of the Jewish people’s connection to their land, starting all the way back with Avraham and leading to modern-day Zionism.
“The way Mrs. Eisenman describes the significance of Eretz Yisrael makes her passion for the Land of Israel so obvious. She demonstrates to us how important it is to truly believe that Israel is ours, in both a political and spiritual way,” explained Shayna Swartz, a junior from Newtown, Pennsylvania. “It is so inspiring for me to come to her class each week and be reminded of how important Eretz Yisrael is for the Jewish people. I hope to continue being strengthened in my connection to the Land by her powerful words and merit to live in Israel very soon.”
Aside from getting to know students in an academic setting, the girls have noticed how she is trying to really acclimate into the Bruriah atmosphere by dancing (physically distant) with them in the hallways, schmoozing with students and teachers and creating forums for students’ voices to be heard.
While it is only October, Mrs. Eisenman has already hosted multiple Zoom Town Hall sessions with both students and parents. Initially, the meetings were to discuss the students’ favorite aspects of Bruriah and what was important for Mrs. Eisenman to know before she began her role as principal. Now, Mrs. Eisenman uses these Zoom meetings as a forum for dialogue with the students about different topics, like new Coronavirus protocols. The students have expressed how much they appreciate these Town Hall meetings, as it gives them an opportunity to voice their opinions and give feedback to the school. Aside from the formal sessions, students have taken advantage of the open invitation to meet with Mrs. Eisenman one-on-one for more casual conversations about initiatives they would like to start in the school.
Teachers have had similar positive experiences with Mrs. Eisenman. Rabbi Zev Goldberg, 11th grade rebbe and Torah Sh’baal Peh chair said, “Although it has only been a few weeks, Mrs. Eisenman’s presence can already be felt in the hallways of Bruriah. She is clearly passionate about Jewish education and cares deeply about the needs of each student and every staff member. I am excited to see how Mrs. Eisenman brings Bruriah to new heights.”
Mrs. Eisenman has shared her own enthusiasm for the opportunities this year will bring for the growth of each Bruriah student, and the school at large. She has been met everywhere by students who are excited to learn, and teachers who love to nurture that process.
When asked what her favorite part of Bruriah so far, Mrs. Eisenman said, “Hands down, the davening at Bruriah is amazing.” As Bruriah students, we can attest that the atmosphere during tefillah is truly special; Bruriah davening can’t be experienced anywhere else. Additionally, Mrs. Eisenman loves walking the hallways and seeing the tagline “At Bruriah I Can” come to life, every positive interaction is proof that at Bruriah, you really can do anything.
Students feel comfortable visiting Mrs. Eisenman’s office, and every student that she has gotten to know has validated her initial impressions of an engaged, welcoming student body. Mrs. Eisenman shared that a highlight of her day has been when students come in and discuss new initiatives and goals for the coming year. Mrs. Eisenman is in awe of the potential that each student’s future holds, which she sees in their constant striving for excellence in both knowledge and personal values, and looks forward to getting to know everyone better, to help them maximize their potential.
“It has been a pleasure getting to know all of the different learners and their diverse needs for the current school year and beyond,” she told us.
Mrs. Eisenman plans on working with Dena Lichtman, director of programming, to develop grade-wide programs to connect further with each student. She also encourages any student or group of students to have lunch with her, to share their goals and visions for Bruriah, and to explore the school’s bright future and potential together.
Together with the teachers and students, Mrs. Eisenman shares that she is “looking forward to building on the legacy of the legendary past to help Bruriah and its valuable students achieve a bright future.”
Shira Pfeiffer and Tali Finkelstein are Bruriah juniors from Bergen County.
