Epstein Hillel School has hired Rebecca Karen as its director of Enrollment and Community Outreach. In this role, Rebecca will provide leadership, vision, and strategy to continue to grow the school. She will connect with prospective and incoming families and maintain meaningful, collaborative relationships with community partners throughout the North Shore. Rebecca will also spearhead many annual EHS events, including the Fall Festival, the Day of Service, Community STEM Night, and much more.
“I’m thrilled to have Rebecca join our team,” said Head of School Amy Gold. “She has great instincts and creative approaches to recruitment, relationship-building, and community programming. She brings with her a deep understanding of, and passion for, Jewish day schools.”
Originally from Sharon, Rebecca earned her undergraduate degree at Brandeis University and a Master of Education from Lesley University. She is an educator who has worked in numerous Jewish organizations and educational settings for the past 25 years. She taught students of varying ages in grades K-8 at the Rashi School in Dedham, and at Carmel Academy (formerly Westchester Fairfield Hebrew Academy) in Greenwich, CT, where in addition to teaching, she also wrote general studies and Jewish studies curricula for third and sixth grades and served as admissions coordinator.
“I was one of the first points of contact for families as they entered their Jewish day school journey,” Rebecca said. “I love helping families navigate the process of admissions and connect with the school community. I love sharing with parents how a day school is welcoming and filled with new, innovative ways of teaching general and Judaic studies.”
For the past 15 years, Rebecca has worked in various roles at Temple Isaiah in Lexington. She taught grades K-7, served as grade coordinator, and wrote extensive Hebrew and Judaic Studies curricula for all grade levels. Additionally, she planned and implemented programs, events, and weekend-long retreats for the many synagogue families.
In recent years, Rebecca spent three summers as assistant director of JCC Camp Kingswood in Bridgton, ME. In that capacity, she worked with families from all over the East Coast and staff from the U.S. and abroad. Together with her staff and the leadership team, she created an inclusive, fun-filled summer home for hundreds of children.
“The heart of that work was establishing the relationships with parents and their children through conversations, tours, and programs,” said Rebecca. “These interactions lead to participants’ lifelong friendships and a sense of community. It was an honor to be able to guide families through that experience.”
Rebecca knows that a similar experience awaits her at Epstein Hillel School. “I am overjoyed to join the Epstein Hillel community and be a part of an innovative, nurturing place for children to cultivate their minds and become kind, creative, valuable, members of the community with strong Jewish identities. I look forward to working with the hardworking and talented staff as together we build strong relationships with those in our community and enhance and enrich the growth of this special school.”
Rebecca lives in Bedford, where she and her husband have raised three children – Evan, Matthew, and Brooke – and a dog, Maddie. In her free time Rebecca enjoys the outdoors: walking, biking, swimming, skiing, creating and maintaining gardens, and relaxing at the beach with a good book.
