This month, I had the honor of interviewing my mother, Mandy Wienke, school administrator and educator at Congregation Shalom for the past 24 years. When you first step foot into Mandy Wienke’s office, you can’t help but notice the many graduation pictures of past students that line the eastern wall. While there are many photographs, they represent only a fraction of the individuals my mother has impacted during her tenure at Shalom.
My mother began her career at Congregation Shalom as an administrative assistant to the director of lifelong learning in 2001. She never would have imagined that her role would evolve as it did. When she was hired, the then administrative assistant worked Monday through Friday, but not during Sunday School. My mom never understood why she shouldn’t be there on Sundays. She explained, “After all, that’s when the teachers and students I was hired to support are in the building, and I should be there too.” So about six months into her position, she began working on Sundays with the students. After a few years of working on Sundays, my mother began building strong relationships with the students. Rabbi Roxanne Shapiro, the then-director of lifelong learning, took notice. She asked my mom if she wanted to step up and work more closely with the madrichim and help run their program. Madrichim are teen leaders that assist the teachers in the classroom. She gladly took on this role and led the madrichim with pride.
After watching the success Wienke had working with the madrichim program, the rabbi thought she might enjoy working more with the students and asked her if she would like to teach eighth and ninth grade on Sundays as well. My mom was so excited! She was finally going to be able to teach, something she had wanted to do her whole life. Since she was a little girl, she dreamed of being a high school history teacher, but life got in the way and she was never able to finish her teaching degree. “When I was asked to teach at Shalom I was just ecstatic,” she said. “God was giving me a chance to do something I really loved.” My mom is known throughout the building for her dedication to her students and her ability to create a safe and supportive learning environment. During her years there, she taught a variety of subjects, including comparative religion, modern antisemitism and racism, Shoah studies, Jewish comedy, and more.
My mother wore many hats at Shalom, and in 2010, she earned the title of school administrator. “I love that I’ve been given the chance to grow in this position and turn it into something that is really mine,” my mom expressed about the transformation of her role at Shalom.
She wants people to know that she loves teaching and learning about Jewish studies. She is thankful for all she has learned from the amazing educators at Shalom throughout the years, but is even more grateful for all of the knowledge she has acquired from her students. Students who stay in touch with her come back sometimes to say hello. On May 31, 2024, my mom officially retired from her school administrator position, but that certainly won’t keep her away! She looks forward to returning to teach sixth grade on Sundays in the fall, and I am very excited that I get to teach with her. My kids are also excited that they will still get to see bubbe at Sunday school.
My mother lives in Brown Deer with her husband Lonny and their three dogs. She has two daughters (me and my sister, Lisa) and four grandchildren: Molly, Declan, Mila and Moses. In her free time, she loves to explore new breakfast restaurants, play bingo and spend time with her family. While she is looking forward to retirement, she knows it’s going to feel bittersweet, as Shalom has been a second home for almost 24 years. My mother isn’t certain what retirement will bring, but she is looking forward to relearning how to play the saxophone, exploring arts and crafts, and spending more time with her grandchildren.
Even in her last few weeks of employment, there were still a number of teachers and madrichim gathered in my mom’s office at the end of a school day. They might be asking for advice, telling a story, thinking through something that happened that day, or just popping in for a hug. Each time I would walk by her office, I always felt so proud that so many of the teachers and students just wanted to talk to her. I know I speak for many of the staff and students of Shalom when I say she will be sorely missed and her lack of daily presence will certainly be felt throughout the school. Mazel tov on retirement, momma! I can’t wait to see what this next chapter brings.
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Writer Nicole Boico is the associate director of the Coalition for Jewish Learning of Milwaukee Jewish Federation. This regular feature, from the Coalition for Jewish Learning, is to celebrate local educators. To suggest someone for coverage, contact Boico at NicoleB@MilwaukeeJewish.org.
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