• Thought Leadership on Planning Ahead

• Upcoming Programming

• Send Us Your Teacher Appreciation Videos for the #jdsteachersinspire Campaign

• Development Survey Closing Today

• Prizmah Associate Spotlight

• Jewish Day School Perspectives and News

• Mazel Tov Moments

unexpected challenges can often be opportunities to spur innovation, and this last year has certainly seen many of those. In an effort to build on these challenges that became opportunities, Prizmah is supporting the Jewish day school field with programs related to “leveling up” and scenario planning to enable schools to capitalize on the COVID-19 “silver linings.” You can read more about this work below.

When we carve out time and enlist colleagues and experts, the outcomes are truly transformational. May the month ahead bring us all moments of pause, reflection and imagination to ensure Jewish day schools and communities continue to thrive. 

Paul Bernstein, CEO
Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools

Maybe this idea isn’t so much of an idea, but a nagging in your heart that tells you that you are in the right place and the right time and that now is when you could address an issue if you put your mind to it. More...

The Leveling Up Experience, Interview with Fannet Nater (Director of Admissions, Robert M. Beren Academy), Jill Cross (Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Bornblum Jewish Community School), and Daniel R. Weiss (Head of School, Bornblum Jewish Community School)

Leveling Up has allowed us to think about how to better encourage and initiate grassroots change through teacher leadership. At the heart of this is harnessing teacher voices to propel real and innovative change that can last beyond this school year. More...

Inhabiting the Day School Future, Interview with Ariella Weitzman (Board Member, Hebrew Academy), Benjamin Cohen (Head of School, Bialik Hebrew Day School), & Rebecca Lurie (Head of School, Solomon Schechter Day School, Newton)

The realization that we are not necessarily limited by the walls of our school building during traditional school hours is a profound one. We can reach out to student populations we had not previously reached; strengthen our connections with parents, grandparents and other stakeholders; and enrich the curriculum through connections with myriad sources, including other schools and institutions, both Jewish and secular. More...

Learn more about the work and findings of the scenario planning project and the strategic ventures that are being developed to strengthen the day school field.

• "Drawing Strength from Prior Crises" by Cheryl Maayan and Michael Rubin

• Community Collaborations Under Covid by Amy Gold, Sarah Shulkind, Zivya Feifel Mosbacher

• "The Resourcefulness of a Community Under Distress" by Dan Ahlstrom and Sharon Pollin

We want to show how YOUR school and community celebrated our heroic educators this year! Please send pictures and videos of your teacher appreciation efforts, as well as any videos from students or parents talking about the impact of teachers on their lives, to [email protected].

Learn more about the campaign, check out the Top 10 Ways For Communities to Say Thank You to Jewish Day School Educators, and look for an exciting finale of the #dynamicdayschools #jdsteachersinspire campaign soon!

Prizmah is conducting a survey on recent development trends related to annual fundraising, endowment, budgeting, and volunteer engagement under Covid. The survey will take about 10-15 minutes to complete and will remain open until Friday, February 5. We kindly request that one professional from each school, preferably a development professional, complete this survey; please forward the link. Click here to begin the survey. The results will be tabulated in a forthcoming report.

Prizmah Associates are organizations and companies working to advance the field of Jewish day schools and yeshivas. Annual benefits for associates include: access to the Prizmah school directory, highlights in Prizmah’s e-newsletters, resharing posts on Prizmah's social media, and priority sponsor/vendor registration for The Prizmah Conference. We encourage you to click on each to learn more about their organization and special benefits offered exclusively for the Prizmah day school and yeshiva community.

Master of Arts in Teaching Program/Jewish Day School Concentration. which leads to elementary or secondary certification. The program provides a yearlong internship in a Jewish day school. Generous scholarships are available. A virtual information session will be held on February 10th, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM ET / 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM PT. RSVP to [email protected].

For experienced day school teachers, Brandeis offers a Graduate Program in Teacher Leadership. This hybrid learning program includes an option to earn a Master’s degree and two years of individualized coaching. The Jewish Day School Fellowship covers all costs. Application deadline is February 15, 2021. Contact Margery Sokoloff at [email protected] for more information.

through Hebrew Collegeand students can receive up to 30 college credits for the year. Contact Elie Lauter, Executive Director for more information.

articles, web-based resources, interactive tools, and shared media in order to Master user-friendly digital tools to implement Nechama's methods, analyze examples of best practices, and more. For more Information, a video, and a virtual tour, click here and please contact us for a Prizmah 10% discount on a school-wide subscription.

have access to the most comprehensive catalog of programs and projects. Contact Sarahann Goldstein for more information.

Want to share your resources with over three hundred schools today? Click here to apply to be a Prizmah Associate!

• These students say it’s time to Girl Up by Eric Schucht
• Why One Zoom Class Has Generated a Following by By Rabbi Yael Buechler
• The Talent Next Door: A Hidden Gift of the Pandemic by Aharoni Carmel and Yael Harari
• Charleston's Addlestone Hebrew Academy thrives in face of COVID-19 and anti-Semitism by Rickey Ciapha Dennis Jr.
• Jewish Day Schools Make The Grade - Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters by Rena Greenberg
• Gesher Jewish Day School’s new head, Aviva Walls, on navigating the pandemic by Eric Schucht
• Kadima Day School Celebrates 50 Years in Los Angeles

Join The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and the Secure Community Network (SCN) to best prepare your community and institutions in advance of the upcoming grant season. Learn more about this session and RSVP here.

Prizmah wishes Mazel Tov to Yoni Fein, Head of School of Brauser Maimonides Academy for being selected as part of Class 5 of the Wexner Field Fellowship. The Wexner Field Fellowship was created in 2013 in partnership with the Jim Joseph Foundation to focus on developing promising Jewish professionals’ leadership skills while enveloping them in a rich network of Jewish colleagues. More information on Class 5 can be found here.