[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 197 (Thursday, November 19, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1059]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING SOPHIE HOMONOFF AS IOWAN OF THE WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CYNTHIA AXNE

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 19, 2020

  Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of 
Representatives to join me in recognizing Sophie Homonoff, Director of 
Education at the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines, as our Iowan 
of the Week for the week of October 2, 2020.
  Sophie is a mother, a lifelong teacher, and loves working with 
children. Originally from Des Moines, Sophie once attended the schools 
she now leads. When she and her family moved back to the area in 2012, 
she dedicated herself to volunteering at the Federation and eventually 
became its leader on their educational efforts. She recognized what a 
Jewish education had given to her as a kid and wanted to give that 
experience to others.
  Like most educators, Sophie juggles an incredible amount at work. She 
oversees Gan Shalom Preschool which serves young children from local 
Jewish and non-Jewish families five days per week. She runs the 
religious school, Beit Sefer Shalom, for pre-kindergarten through 12th 
grade students. Sophie's team also offers two summer camps--one for 
little kids and one catered to school-aged children--so they have 
somewhere fun, safe, and engaging to spend time outside the classroom. 
Through their collective efforts, Sophie and her team serve more than 
200 children each year.
  In addition to schools and camps, Sophie directs several programs to 
help young Iowans further grow in their faith and foster greater 
understanding in the community. Nearly eight years ago she launched the 
Madrichim program, a teenage leadership opportunity for 7th through 
12th graders to serve as paid student aids, which grew to two dozen 
participants last year. Madrichim gain a stronger sense of identity and 
responsibility, learn as they teach and mentor younger children and 
those with special needs, and deepen ties within their congregation.
  A more recent addition is the Student-to-Student pilot project, where 
high school students from the Federation visit another high school, 
middle school, or religious institution classroom to educate others 
about Judaism in a 45-minute session. With same-aged peers speaking to 
one another about their experiences and asking questions in a safe 
environment, Sophie has found the program to increase knowledge and 
awareness while decreasing stereotypes and prejudice. She and her 
students are working on a video version of the program with Zoom Q&A so 
it may continue during the pandemic and expand to schools outside of 
central Iowa.
  This year COVID-19 has presented one significant challenge after 
another for families and schools. Sophie has guided her team through 
various adaptations in recent months so classroom and extracurricular 
activities can continue in a safe, effective manner for as many 
students as possible. They started summer camp online and eventually 
transitioned the entire program outdoors, rotating participants so kids 
could gather and play safely. For students engaged in online learning 
while their parents are at work, the Federation's education staff 
welcomed them to the facility to help them through the school day. They 
provide snacks, lunches, and care from teachers to navigate virtual 
education. When they get breaks the students can play outside and see 
friends, so they don't feel as isolated. Sophie's team also added an 
online component to the religious school to make sure no children fell 
behind. They're providing families balance and security when so much 
feels uncertain.
  I greatly admire people like Sophie who invest so thoughtfully in our 
children and our communities. Her leadership and hard work are creating 
strong ties across Des Moines during a time when we all must work 
together to build a more tolerant, inclusive, and empathetic future for 
all our neighbors. If you ask her what her focus is, Sophie will tell 
you it's to follow the Federation's mission of supporting and 
connecting the community and to make sure everyone is taken care of. 
You can see that focus in everything she does. Those who know Sophie 
say she doesn't receive nearly enough recognition for all the hard work 
she puts in to make the community stronger. It's my honor to celebrate 
her many contributions and name her our Iowan of the Week.