Honoring Sharon Freundel: A Career of God‑Centered, Student‑Centered Impact

“A super sharp mind…with a relatable connection, warm smile and a compassionate embrace.”
“A true artist who knows how to use the tools at her disposal to bring out the best in all of us.”
“A fellow change‑maker and gifted educator.”

Across the 26th floor of the TK Elevator (TKE) Innovation and Qualification Center, with its panoramic views of Atlanta’s skyline, these phrases kept returning, each time tracing the same contours: Sharon Freundel, a teacher, guide, and partner whose presence has shaped not only JEIC, but the people who work alongside her. Mayberg Foundation and JEIC leadership, together with peers and colleagues from across the field, gathered to honor Sharon upon her retirement as JEIC’s Managing Director, celebrating a remarkable career dedicated to Jewish education and the future of the Jewish people.

The evening featured moving tributes from Mayberg Foundation President and Trustee Manette Mayberg, Executive Director Todd Sukol, and JEIC Founding Director Rabbi Shmuel Feld. Manette described Sharon as “a Jewish educator who found her calling at a young age and for the last 50 years, role modeled and transmitted how to live a God centered life in modernity.” She continued, “Students adore [Sharon] because she has a compelling combination of a super sharp mind that guides deep and meaningful textual study with a relatable connection, warm smile and a compassionate embrace.” About her own family's three decades-long connection, she shared, “When we talk about moral clarity, Sharon Freundel walks that walk and has for as long as I’ve known her.”

Todd highlighted the essential role Sharon played in grounding JEIC’s ambitious vision in strong execution. He observed, “In organizations like JEIC…there are moments when bold visions need to be coupled with disciplined, practical grounding.…Creativity needs credibility. Unbridled energy needs direction.” Sharon, he emphasized, brought exactly that—“enormous measures of professionalism, structure, and reputability to JEIC at a critical time.” He added that “she helped ensure that what we were building wasn’t just bold—but also coherent, credible, and worthy of the educators, institutions, and young people JEIC aims to serve.” Beyond systems and strategy, Todd underscored Sharon’s relational impact: “The relationships Sharon carries, and the respect she commands, have been an enormous asset to JEIC and to all of us.”

Rabbi Feld offered a deeply personal reflection on partnership and influence. He explained the idea that “a person is shaped by their actions,” and expanded this further, “that a person is also shaped by the people they stand next to, day after day, year after year.” Reflecting on their eight years working together, he described Sharon’s defining qualities: “Her consistency wasn’t loud, but it was unwavering. Values weren’t something Sharon spoke about occasionally—they were the baseline.” He concluded with gratitude for her personal impact: “Working alongside someone like that doesn’t just shape the work. It shapes the workmate. It certainly shaped me.”

As part of the tribute, we invited colleagues and partners to share their reflections on Sharon’s impact using Project Zero’s Color, Symbol, Image (CSI) thinking routine—including Shelley Fogelson, Manager of Day School Partnerships at the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta; Paul Bernstein, Chief Executive Officer of Prizmah; Orit Kent, Founder and Co‑director of Pedagogy of Partnership; David Farbman, Project Director of The DEEP Consortium; Arnee Winshall, Founding Board President of Hebrew at the Center and Board Member of JEIC; and others across the field. Their reflections captured not only Sharon’s skill, warmth, and vision, but also her unwavering commitment to Jewish education. (View their reflections in slideshow at right)

Together, these voices honored not only Sharon’s extraordinary career, but the enduring mark she has left on the Mayberg Foundation, JEIC, and the broader Jewish educational landscape.