For more than 55 years, Diane B. has had a clear goal for her students at Temple Emanu-El’s Religious School: “I want to make sure they really love Judaism,” she said.
Since Diane began teaching at Temple Emanu-El in the late 1960s, she has viewed her time with students as a special opportunity to spark a passion for Jewish life. Whether creating edible menorahs or hosting a Tu B’Shevat seder, Diane strives to make her classroom a place filled with warmth, smiles, and compassion. It’s why Director of Lifelong Learning Emeritus Saul Kaiserman referred to Diane’s classroom as “the happy place.”
“I want them to have fun while learning about Judaism and feeling a connection to Judaism,” Diane said. “I look at each child as an individual. They all have different learning styles. We need to make sure each child is engaged and that they enjoy and love what they are learning.”
Diane is the third generation of her family to be part of Temple Emanu-El. Her grandparents and mother were members of Beth-El and joined Emanu-El after the congregations merged. Diane’s mother was part of the first combined Beth-El and Emanu-El confirmation class, and Diane’s children attended religious school at Emanu-El. The synagogue has been a constant presence throughout her life.
Diane’s love for early childhood education began during her years as a student at Temple Emanu-El’s religious school. The school’s faculty ignited her passion for Jewish life, culture, and tradition. As a young student, an interaction with then–senior rabbi Dr. Julius Mark made her feel at home in the school.
“My mother was late picking me up, and I was standing at the door crying. Dr. Mark came over to me, and he knew my parents really well. He said, ‘Diane, I am going to stand and wait with you.’ It just showed me that rabbis were real, warm, loving people as well,” Diane said.
After confirmation and throughout high school, Diane continued her involvement with the religious school, helping out in the kindergarten classroom. The experience solidified her desire to pursue a career in education. After she graduated from college, religious school principal Leonard Harrison, who had been Diane’s seventh-grade teacher, hired her as a faculty member.
A half century later, Diane has taught scores of students in pre-K, kindergarten, and first and second grade. She has also taught the parents of many of her students. Following her students’ trajectories and successes is one of her great joys. For Diane, nothing compares to watching her students develop into community leaders at Temple Emanu-El.
“Many of the students in A-TEEM [Temple Emanu-El’s teen leadership program] were in my class,” she said. “The fact that they have made the commitment to stay on after bar and bat mitzvah shows me they gained this love of Judaism and want to continue to be part of it. Now they are coming in on Sunday mornings just like I did when they didn’t have to. That warms my heart and fills me with pride. When I see them interacting with the five-year-olds—and I remember them being five-year-olds in my class—it is quite something.”
