You’ve made it! The period of the Omer, with the holidays around the State of Israel, has kept us focused on who we are and what is important to us. We remember that even as we have spent these 49 days learning, being tested, celebrating together and graduating or moving up, so many of the hostages are still held captive, for the past 249 days. Thank you for dedicating your time and energy to successfully educating the Jewish future, and leading your schools and community through this unthinkably hard year. Tonight, we begin Shavuot. This is a holiday to celebrate where we have arrived, even when we may have a long, difficult journey ahead.

Spend your Shavuot deep in thought and reflection of what we have achieved together and what is yet to come in the field of Jewish day school education. Prizmah’s monthly thought leadership blogs are now printable, just in time for the holiday! Print out articles from field leaders and experts and read them on your own time. Chag Sameach.

• Thought Leadership On The Leadership Pipeline
• Use Comparative Data to Enhance Your School’s Strategic Decision Making
• Leadership Cohort Learning Opportunities
• Summer Programming
• Jewish Day School News and Perspectives
• Mazel Tov Moments
• Don’t Miss This

Join over 120 schools across North America, gaining access to comparative financial and operational data. Discover your school’s strengths, identify opportunities for growth, and set informed goals. With DASL, understand your school’s position within broader educational trends, covering key areas such as financial operations, development, enrollment, and salaries. Leverage this tool to strengthen your strategic decision making. Learn more about how your school can use DASL.

Interested in learning more? On July 22, join Odelia, Epstein, Prizmah’s Director of Knowledge, Data, and Research, in a one hour webinar to learn how to navigate DASL and leverage data to best support your school. Register now.

• Solving Jewish Day School Teacher Shortage with Professional Development (Jerusalem Post)
• The Gift of a Jewish Day School Education…As Told by a Recent Graduate (JEIC)
• Jewish Educators Can Help Create Foundation for Identity (Cleveland Jewish News)
• How Jewish Day Schools are Pulling Off Israel Trips Right Now (Jewish Exponent)
• Jewish Educators Gather in DC for Innovators Retreat Focused on Enhancing Student Engagement (Washington Jewish Week)
• Podcast –Teaching, Special Ed, Day Schools: Rebecca Rohr Ritter

Did you know Prizmah works with schools on leadership searches? Leadership vacancies are opportunities to think big, and Prizmah works with school lay and professional leaders to think creatively about their vision, and identify opportunities for deeper engagement that positions the schools for future growth. Learn more about Prizmah Searches.

• Mazel tov to Ilana Mann, on her appointment as the next head of school at Kinneret Day School in Riverdale, NY. Prizmah was proud to work with Kinneret Day School on this search and looks forward to continuing to support this community through their transition.
• Mazel tov to Prizmah board member Adi Rabinowitz and Prizmah COO Elissa Maier on their leadership, dedication, and recognition at Solomon Schechter of Bergen County’s 50th year celebration gala.
• Mazel tov to Dr. Debra Drang on her recognition at Sulam’s Annual Benefit for her excellency in inclusive education.
• Mazel tov to Yoav Cohen-Rimmer, Director of Learning Engagement at Netivot Hatorah Day School, on his participation in cohort 1 of the Wexner Davidson Fellowship.
• Mazel tov to the winners of the 2024 Covenant Foundation Award: Rabba Yaffa Epstein, senior scholar and educator-in-residence at The Jewish Education Project in New York; Shira Kline, co-founder and spiritual leader of the Lab/Shul in New York; and Rabbi Judd Kruger Levingston, director of Jewish studies and adviser to the Derech Eretz Honor Council at Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy in Bryn Mawr, PA
• Mazel tov to Samantha Walsh, Director of Development at Denver Jewish Day School, and Melissa Rivkin, Director of Jewish Day Schools at the Samis Foundation, for graduating from the Spertus Institute and receiving their Master of Arts in Jewish Professional Studies.
• Mazel tov to Davida Graber, Early Childhood Principal at Atlanta Jewish Academy and alumna of Prizmah’s Orthodox Women in Leadership cohort, and Debra Shaffer Seeman, Prizmah’s Director, Network Weaving, on receiving the Jewish Women’s Fund of Atlanta Women’s Leadership Professional Development Grant.
• The Rashi School recently kicked off the community launch of its RISE Campaign. To date, the campaign has raised $27.6 million in the first two years alone. Notably, the RISE Campaign now spans the entire Greater Boston community in an effort to help surpass the Campaign’s $30M goal to sustain Rashi’s future.

Wellspring Summit for Educators
The Shalom Hartman Institute offers a program July 16-21 for educators from different settings for a critical summit in Jerusalem to address the boundaries of discourse, especially when it comes to Israel and Zionism, on campuses, in schools, and beyond. Study sessions with Hartman scholars and other experts, workshop and laboratory sessions to explore and share challenges and best practices, networking opportunities, and programming will reinspire and reinvigorate us for the work ahead. Learn more.

JTA Journalism Fellowship for Jewish Teens
The Jewish Telegraphic agency is offering hands-on real world experience for teens looking to learn about professional level reporting and writing skills. For teens in the New York area, learn more here. For teens outside of the New York area, or teens interested in more national stories, learn more here.

The Idea Institute Summer Workshops
In the Tanakh Classroom, for Tanakh teachers of grades 6-12 to learn how to implement student-centered learning protocols, instructional strategies, and assessments.

In the Talmud Classroom - For Talmud teachers of grades 6-12 to learn how to implement student-centered learning protocols, instructional strategies, and assessments.

Effecting Department Change - For department chairs to learn to create more student-centered environments.

Effecting School Change - Three sessions for heads of school, principals, and curriculum directors to focus on effecting school change by supporting administrators and faculty as they implement student-centered learning.

Learn more here.

Ensure your Prizmah Network affiliation is up to date to continue enjoying the benefits and connections of the entire Jewish day school and yeshiva network.

To view the full list of current Prizmah Leadership Searches, or to learn about the Prizmah search process, click here or reach out to [email protected].

Explore resources, templates, and videos curated and created for Jewish day school professional and lay leaders in Prizmah’s Knowledge Center.