Shelley Rissien

Shelley Rissien is Lecturer and Hebrew Language Coordinator in the Jewish Studies Program at the University of Kansas. With over 20 years of instructional experience, she specializes in Hebrew language pedagogy and cultural education.

Her teaching philosophy emphasizes the interconnections between language mastery and cultural literacy. She develops curriculum integrating classical Hebrew texts with modern linguistic approaches, with particular focus on:

• Hebrew grammar and syntax acquisition
• Biblical exegesis through language study
• Historical evolution of Hebrew
• Jewish educational traditions

As Principal of Kehilath Israel Synagogue School for 20 years and Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy for 5 years, she received eight Teacher of the Year awards for innovative pedagogy. Her current work emphasizes digital resources for Hebrew instruction and interdisciplinary connections between language, philosophy, and history.