Temple Shalom

Susan Zemsky came to Temple Shalom as Executive Director in 2003, bringing to our family the benefit of over 20 years experience in Jewish congregational and communal leadership.

Prior to joining our staff, she was executive director at nearby Tifereth Israel Congregation. Before that, she managed special projects at the Board of Jewish Education of Greater Washington. She is also currently Vice President of Kehila Chadasha, a 90 family chavurah that is part of the Jewish Renewal movement.

As director of Children and Family Services for the Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, Susan created and implemented a full range of after-school, vacation and snow closing programs and Center wide holiday festivals. She was instrumental in building pro-family programs responsive to diverse family needs and configurations, such as the highly successful Jewish Single Parent Connection.

"Creating and developing family friendly programs for children that put them in a safe and fun Jewish environment while their parents were working is something that I am especially proud of," says Susan.

Email Susan: szemsky@templeshalom.net.

Lisa Pressman came to Temple Shalom in 2007 and brings 21 years of Jewish educational experience, a deep passion for Judaism and a love of teaching children and adults to her position as Director of Education. Lisa is dedicated to creating a warm, rich Jewish environment that connects children and adults to the breadth and width of Jewish ideas, traditions and rituals. “Parents are our partners in their child’s Jewish education,” says Lisa and so she has created our “Classroom Connections” webpage and weekly emails from teachers to keep parents abreast of their child’s studies.

Previously, Lisa has honed her skills as a Program Director, Family Educator and Director of Education in synagogues in Cleveland, Boston and Westport, Connecticut. She is an active member of the Education Director’s Council of Greater Washington and has been a lead teacher for the Greater Washington Professional Education Day Kallah.

After receiving her B.S. in Education, Lisa worked with gifted and behaviorally challenged children in Cleveland, Ohio. Her love of teaching, combined with her passion for Judaism, led her to the Cleveland Fellows Program at the Siegel College for Jewish Studies in Beachwood, Ohio where she earned her Master’s of Judaic Studies with a minor in Jewish Education.

Email Lisa: lpressman@templeshalom.net