Peer Tutoring Program Helps Struggling Elementary School Students

By Isabel-Duarte Gray, Program Assistant, Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC)

Every Tuesday morning, 33 Gideon Hausner 8^th graders pile into parent carpools and ride to Theuerkauf Elementary School in Mountain View, where they spend the morning building the literacy skills of K-3^rd grade students. In their assigned classrooms, the teen tutors work one-on-one with the younger students, wander the classroom providing help as needed, or sometimes lead groups to enhance their tutees’ reading skills through cooperative exercises. “As I read with them, I try to use techniques that I remember from when I was younger that helped me learn to read,” says Lucy, an 8^th grader taking part in the peer-tutoring program. “For me, what is most important is that I want them to know that I love reading too, and that I am helping with it not because I was sent to, but because I want them to develop the same love of reading that I have.”

Peer Tutors at Palo Alto’s Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School strengthen the reading skills of younger students at Mountain View’s Theuerkauf Elementary School.

Tzedakah. Tikkun Olam. Gemilut Chasadim.

Seven years ago, coordinator Ora Gittelson-David was tasked with constructing a program to teach these crucial Jewish values to 7^th and 8^th graders at Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School as part of the Avodah La’Olam - Work for the World Program. “As a former social worker, I was searching for a meaningful volunteer program that would enable our students to develop a significant ongoing relationship,” Ora explained. Then a parent told her about a tutoring program in which she and her son had participated over the summer with the Jewish Coalition for Literacy, which brought them face-to-face with students in underserved schools to share the joy of reading. JCL’s peer tutoring work perfectly fit the bill and Ora knew she had found her model: “The connection with JCL was made, and the rest is history.”

Each week, after they return to Gideon Hausner, the peer tutors discuss their classroom experience and often distill those thoughts into written assignments. “I am deeply touched by my students’ ability to reflect upon what they have seen going on in a classroom in which they are tutoring, being open to learn about issues based on what they have seen, and reflecting upon their own contribution to a young child’s learning,” says Ora. The value of peer tutoring lies not only in the individual service it provides to struggling elementary school students, but also in the lesson it reinforces in its tutors about the value of community service.

“The fact that our school is able to set aside time during our school day on a regular basis for our students to give of themselves to others speaks volumes to our students in terms of understanding the value of Tikkun Olam and the piece of our mission that speaks to community responsibility.”

When students, parents, and teachers work together to better the world, everyone benefits.

The Jewish Coalition for Literacy’s partnership with Gideon Hausner Day School is one of six programs JCL has guided and trained throughout the Bay Area since 2008.  While the Jewish Community High School of the Bay sends high school tutors into San Francisco public schools twice a week in collaboration with The Village Project, Oakland Hebrew Day School’s 8th graders tutor at Greenleaf Elementary School in Oakland, and Contra Costa Jewish Day School 5th graders serve as “Big Buddies” to students at Fair Oaks Elementary School in Pleasant Hill. All have received crucial training from the Jewish Coalition for Literacy.  JCL’s programs have earned rave responses from students, teachers, and parents alike.  This spring, JCL received a grant from the South Bay Jewish Teen Philanthropy Board to facilitate this extraordinary work, in addition to funding from an anonymous donor in the East Bay.

JCL’s Literacy Trainer, Barbara Pearl, prepares 5th grade Peer Tutors at Contra Costa Jewish Day School for their work in the classroom.

Back at Gideon Hausner, the Avodah La’Olam Theuerkauf Mentoring Program is rooted in two basic Jewish values: the love of learning and the mitzvah to better the world through acts of loving kindness.  Some of the most powerful feedback Ora Gittelson-David has received from her program is praise from parents of Gideon Hausner students, who are grateful for the lessons their students have learned about the diversity of their community and the fundamental importance of literacy. “Our students gain an understanding of the fact that there is a large community out there, one that is in very close geographic proximity, that can benefit from the skills they have learned and from their willingness to give to others,” Ora explains.

But Ora doesn’t need to explain – her students can beautifully articulate the value of this program for themselves. As Moriah, another Gideon Hausner Peer Tutor, puts it: “Education is an important Jewish value, and I know that I am not only educating them now, but I am also giving them the opportunity to continue their education further in their lives, because they have been given the skills to strengthen their reading.”

Become a JCL tutor: Register for a free tutor training workshop at www.jclread.org.

The Jewish Coalition for Literacy is funded in part by a $95,000 JCF annual grant and is a joint project of Jewish Community Relations Council and the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund.

A Transformational Trip to Israel

By Janet Harris, Director, Early Childhood Education Initiative

Last month, I had the pleasure of participating in a ten-day study tour of Israel with a group of Jewish resource specialists from five Bay Area preschools. The purpose of the trip was to deepen our relationship, as teachers and Jews, with Israel through getting to know early childhood educators and social entrepreneurs, as well as to explore the land and places we have learned about in the Torah.

We walked through the narrow paths of the Old City of Jerusalem, hiked in the nature preserve of Neot Kedumim, and toured preschools and kindergartens, getting to know their teachers on a first-name basis. Our PJ Library counterpart, the director of Sifriyat Pijama, also helped us see how the PJ Library comes to life in Israeli classrooms.

Janet (second from left) and fellow educators in Israel

Highlights

A highlight of the trip was the opportunity to visit JCF-funded projects in Galil and gain a real understanding of the work we do in the country.  Barak Lazoon, our intrepid leader and JCF representative in Israel, took us to the Druze Village of Kisrae-Samea where we visited Early Childhood programs along with the staff of Echad.

One of the projects that JCF has funded was the construction of a beautiful ECE center with wrap-around services (speech therapists, physical therapists, social workers, nurses, etc.) for parents with young children. The impact of this center on the community has been profound. Children are receiving services for special needs, as well as what we consider to be basic developmentally screening. There are language enhancement programs, support groups for parents, and a beautiful play area for families to enjoy.

Children playing at the ECE center

We also had a private audience with a Druze sheikh – a first for us all. We learned that the Druze hold prayer services only twice a week, unlike the Jewish halachic commandment to pray three times a day, or the Muslim commandment of praying five times a day. He assured us that the Druze were “very lucky” because of that!

Reflections

This trip was eye-opening and transformational for me, and my fellow participants have expressed similar sentiments:

 “For me the excitement began as soon as the land of Israel came in site from the airplane window. Like so many people say, ’it’s like coming home.’ This was not a group trip where a guide toured you through the country giving you historical facts. It was an incredible experience where passionate Israeli citizens embraced us in ways that are indescribable. I am so energized to the potential and possibilities of ways I can bring Israel alive to my colleagues and the children and families that I work with. And I have the desire to return to a place where I only began on what I know is a new personal and professional journey.” – Betsy Surtshin, Teacher, Osher Marin Jewish Community Center ECE program

Educators doing some learning of their own

 “I love spending time in Israel, however, this trip was different. I have never seen Israel through the lens of a Jewish early childhood educator. I was amazed at how the children were viewed, considered, and honored. I have been struggling with this epiphany since my return, trying to figure out how I can make sure that the children in my care are guaranteed this same level of respect and dignity.  There is a collective story that is Israel; it is both historical and cultural, and this story is a unifying and identify-creating narrative. It is my responsibility to share this epiphany and find like-minded educators, leaders, and parents that want to help me fill the space our children are engaged in. I want to create a richness that is as sustaining and sweet as the milk and honey that flows in the ideal that is Israel.” – Adam Lowy, Jewish Resource Specialist and Teacher, Congregation Emanu-El of San Francisco

We would all like to express a hearty todah rabah, or thank you, to the Jim Joseph Foundation and the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund of San Francisco for funding this trip. The children will reap the benefit of this amazing journey!

The Early Childhood Education Initiative (ECEI) focuses on engaging more Bay Area Jewish families with young children in meaningful Jewish life and community. The ECEI was launched in 2007 in response to the 2006 JESNA study which highlighted the importance of Early Childhood Jewish Education as a gateway for family engagement.

For more information, contact Janet Harris, Director of ECEI, at 415.499.1223, extension 8104.

What Makes A Great Jewish Educator?

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” – William Arthur Ward

We asked students of our recent education award winners, “What makes a great teacher?” Here’s what they said:

The Helen Diller Family Awards for Excellence in Jewish Education awards recognizes individuals who have made an extraordinary impact through early childhood, day, congregational, and community school settings as well as in informal educational programs. Each award carries with it a prize of $10,000 for the educator and $2,500 for the educator’s institution.

The 2012 award recipients were announced at our 2012 Annual Meeting this year. Each teacher heard testimonials from their students in regards to what makes them an exceptional educator.

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THE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN JEWISH EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Congregation Beth Sholom Family Preschool
Hadara Graubart

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THE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN JEWISH DAY SCHOOL EDUCATION
Kehillah Jewish High School
Jaclyn Guzman

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THE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN CONGREGATION OR COMMUNITY SCHOOL
Congregation Emanu-El
Ariana Estoque

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THE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN JEWISH INFORMAL EDUCATION
Shalom Bayit
Zephira Derblich-Milea

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The Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award is designed to recognize, honor and support outstanding Jewish educators. This national award, representing the Federation and the Bureau of Jewish Education, is given each year by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and the Jewish Life Network/Steinhardt Foundation who partner with local agencies and federations throughout North America to select these winners.

This year’s award was presented to Tamar Rabinowitz from the Jewish Community High School of the Bay.

Public Launch of JCF’s Reducing Barriers and Increasing Access to Jewish Life Initiative

By Laura Mason, Senior Program Officer

As part of the public launch of JCF’s Reducing Barriers and Increasing Access to Jewish Life Initiative, the JCF gathered educators, rabbis, synagogue and preschool directors, foundations and Federation supporters to consider how we, as a community, can effectively tackle the key challenges facing Jewish Early Childhood Education as a profession and as an important gateway to Jewish life. The top issues identified by experts included affordability, teacher compensation, serving children with special needs, creating and adopting standards of excellence, and the need for a collective approach to advance on these issues.

The moderated panel discussion was led by Jennifer Gorovitz, CEO of the Federation, and featured: Rabbi Ed Feinstein a leading scholar on issues of Jewish identity and engagement; Marcy Whitebook, Ph.D., the founder and director of the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment at the University of California at Berkeley and the preeminent expert on teacher compensation; Jennifer Splansky, a Senior Consultant at FSG, a global consulting firm dedicated to helping nonprofits and entire communities discover new ways to solve social problems and create large-scale change; and Janet Harris, the Director of the Early Childhood Education Initiative at the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund.

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Rabbi Ed Feinstein on Affordability and Access to Early Childhood Jewish Education

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Jennifer Splansky: The JCF’s ‘Collective Impact’ Approach to Early Childhood Education

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Dr. Marcy Whitebrook: Rethinking Compensation for Early Childhood Educators

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Participant Takeaways: Reducing Barriers & Increasing Access (Ori & Emma)

You can view the entire panel discussion on our YouTube page.
Learn more about the Reducing Barriers and Increasing Access to Jewish Life Initiative.

Addressing Two Fundamental Challenges Facing the Jewish Community – Affordability and Access

As part of a multi-year effort to address two fundamental challenges facing the Jewish community – affordability and access, our Federation is rolling out the first of its major initiatives for 2012: Reducing Barriers and Increasing Access to Jewish Life.

Tackling affordability, early childhood education and special needs

The goal is to make at least $1 million available for need-based scholarships, and provide an additional $500,000 in grants to support early childhood education, and programs to help ensure a welcoming and inclusive community for children with special needs and their families.  We’re one of a number of non-profits in the region working to keep families rooted to the Bay Area by maintaining access to quality education and enrichment activities, despite the high cost of living.

“We’re working to ensure that participating in Jewish life does not become a luxury out of reach for Bay Area families,” said Laura Mason, the Federation Senior Program Officer who is heading up this initiative.  “People are struggling to make ends meet, and our partner organizations report that requests for financial aid continue to increase.”

“For us, the connection to Jewish Life is a priority, but we know we are actually one of many organizations responding to an increase in the need for financial assistance,” said Jennifer Gorovitz, the Federation’s CEO. “As is the case with so many pressing issues, it will take a coalition of organizations to help bridge these resource gaps.”

There are three program areas within the initiative to Reduce Barriers and Increase Access to Jewish Life:

1. The Affordability Project.  With membership costs, tuition and program fees that reach into the many thousands each year, more than half of all households in the Bay Area don’t earn enough money to participate fully in organized Jewish community.  The Federation, with the support of individual and foundation donors, including the Jim Joseph Foundation, will be awarding 6,000 scholarships to families in need, helping to ensure a community that is vibrant and accessible to all.

2. Early Childhood Education (ECE).  The Early Childhood Education program area will focus on increasing access to a high quality Jewish preschool for all families.  The program will work to advance the field on major issues such as teacher compensation and rigorous standards of excellence, while encouraging meaningful lifelong connections to Judaism for children and families.

3. Special Needs.  There are approximately 9,000 Jewish children under the age of 18 in the Bay Area who have special needs. Many of these children and their families cannot participate in Jewish life, including attending day school, camp, synagogue and other family programs because these environments have lacked the supports they need to serve these children.  The Federation’s initiative is helping to build the capacity of the entire community to be inclusive by funding professional training for Jewish educators, expert consultation in early childhood education, high quality camping experiences, and effective social enrichment activities for children, teens, families, and friends.

To advance this work, we will convene a series of events in the coming year

Stakeholders and donors will share information on strategies and preliminary goals and gather input from the community. The first of these events is May 24, 2012 and will focus on early childhood education, inviting education professionals from the entire region to a half-day event, culminating in a panel discussion with experts in early childhood development, educator compensation and philanthropy.

Household budgets stretched in Bay Area

Recent reports tracking economic indicators for the Bay Area and Silicon Valley indicate that while certain sectors of the economy have seen improvement, median household incomes continue to shrink.^[i] At the same time, the Bay Area is the third most expensive place to live in the US^[ii], with housing expenses absorbing the lion’s share of earnings. This continual decline in household income has meant that many of the 130,000 Jewish households cannot participate in Jewish life the way they want to.  Reducing financial barriers is critical to maintaining a robust Jewish community in the Bay Area.

“So much of being Jewish is our experiences,” said Jennifer Gorovitz. “Our work is intended to make schools, summer camps, and synagogues more accessible…these are the places where great connections are made, and it is those memories that help sustain us…one Jewish generation to the next.”

[1] Silicon Valley Index 2012

[2] Bay Area Council Economic Institute, “Bay Area Economic Profile March 2012

Top Recommendations for Jewish Early Childhood Educators

By Jasmine Blanchard, Early Childhood Education Consultant

Research conducted by Jasmine Blanchard and Denise Moyes-Schnur, Early Childhood Education Initiative Consultants

Recently, the Early Childhood Education Initiative conducted research on four high-quality Jewish Early Childhood Education sites that paid their teachers $30 or more per hour. We were looking to examine the relationship between compensation, tuition, professional development and general practices within Jewish Early Childhood Education sites that we could translate into a guide of general best practice that any school could then implement.  Two of the schools included in the study were on the east coast, with both paying slightly higher wages but offering no benefits, and two were on the west coast, offering slightly lower wages compared to the east coast schools, but also providing benefits.

After in-depth interviews with these site directors, it was understood that each school was able to create its own systems in regard to professional development and teacher education, with previous directors typically setting the high salary rates. All four schools had important factors that contributed to the success of the employment environment, including teacher prep time without students present, met or exceeded state licensing standards, focused on higher education for their teachers, and implemented numerous professional development opportunities that greatly contributed to teachers skill and expertise. In each school, lay committees comprised of parents helped with overall fundraising efforts, and the host institution was utilized for many in-kind services, such as Jewish education for teachers. These were some of the many factors that contributed to the overall success of the sites, and helped raise the bar for salary standards for educators.

In addition, the study revealed that currently, in the Bay Area, educators are paid approximately $19 per hour, a fairly low rate when considering the high cost of living. When we consider the actual amount of hours worked, usually about 30 hours per week at 40 weeks per year according to ECEI Director Janet Harris, this equates to approximately $23,000 annually. So, the question becomes, how can we adequately compensate and retain our educators while attracting trained professionals to the field? This study revealed some salient recommendations that can be adjusted and implemented at any site.

HERE ARE THE TOP FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS:

1) Create a salary matrix to understand, justify and standardize salaries in your school;

2) Become aware of teacher education opportunities that already exist in your community, and utilize them;

3) Public universities and community colleges are great places for continued education–see what exists in your area;

4) Implement ongoing Judaic education for your staff;

5) Reach out to host institution clergy as a educational resource;

See recommendations 6 – 20

One of the most important recommendations is to create and use a salary matrix. If schools do this, directors are able to justify raises, provide incentives, and understand where, why and how teacher salaries are set. This is essential in professionalizing the field.

While completing this study, it became apparent that data and resources are greatly lacking in the field of Jewish Early Childhood Education, and that there is a great need for more quantifiable information in regard to Jewish Early Childhood Education. Fortunately, the staff of the Early Childhood Education Initiative recently became aware of an organization called JData, an organization that gathers quantifiable information with a recent focus on Jewish Early Childhood Education.  See a recent newsletter, and be sure to stay tuned for their research. In the meantime, we highly recommend using this research to advocate on behalf of your school in order to increase teacher salaries, benefits, and professional development. Please feel free to contact Janet Harris, ECEI Director at JanetH@sfjcf.org for any questions or comments.

 

Keep up with the Early Childhood Education Initiative on Facebook and Twitter.

Reflections from an Early Childhood Jewish Educator

Hard to believe, but November has arrived, and with the end of year in sight, the staff at the Early Childhood Education Initiative decided it would be a great idea to share a personal story from one of our programs. Here is some insight from one Early Childhood Jewish Educator who is currently enrolled in the second cohort of the Certificate in Jewish Early Childhood Education through Gratz College program. We are grateful to Gratz student Emma Schnur, who so graciously agreed to share some of her experiences with us.

By Emma Schnur

I like to think that I was destined to be an Early Childhood Educator. When I was a child and had days off from school, I would go with my mother to her preschool classroom. I was delighted whenever I was asked to cut out shapes for projects, take out manipulatives or simply sit with the children during circle time. Those were the days that I greatly looked forward to, and from that young age, I knew I was meant to work in the field of Early Childhood Education.

I received my BA in psychology with a minor in Education from the University of California at Davis. Since graduation I began working at Gan Avraham, the preschool program at Temple Beth Abraham. I spent the year working primarily in the two year old program, and I was thrilled to finally be able to work in a classroom of my very own. During the year, I worked alongside two experienced co-teachers and learned a great deal about being a teacher and my own educational values. Through this experience, I quickly realized that I wanted to formalize my education and learn as much as I could about this ever changing field.

The Gratz experience has been extremely enlightening for me in the several months I have been in the program. I have been able to involve myself in a group of teachers where I can discuss my perceptions, questions and hesitations, and learn through listening to other educators who deeply care about their work. The curriculum has enabled me to reflect on my own ideals about Jewish education and to understand how to maintain my Jewish values and infuse them into everyday activities.

Recently, the Gratz cohort went on a retreat to Green Gulch Farm. In this incredibly beautiful environment, we were asked to look at the tremendous natural beauty around us and hone in on the details. We were asked to step away from our usual perceptions as teachers and consider the viewpoints of children. Though it may have been completely new territory for some of us, we were asked to simply notice—notice how we act in the classroom and notice what our students are interested in.

This program has given me the tools to recognize how my attitude and ideas greatly impact the children, and the teachers within the cohort have inspired me to become more reflective in my classroom. I am grateful for the opportunity to be involved in the program, and am highly anticipating the learning yet to come.

LEARN MORE

• Early Childhood Education Initiative
• Certificate in Jewish Early Childhood Education through Gratz College program

Celebrate Thanksgiving Jewishly this year!

Several years ago, we posted a blog about Thanksgiving and it seems that folks just can’t get enough of it. Here’s some more great holiday tips from Early Childhood Education Initiative Director Janet Harris, who has some fun ideas for how you and your family can enjoy Thanksgiving Jewishly this season. We hope you enjoy this as much as we did! – JCF

By Janet Harris, Director of the Early Childhood Education Initiative

Preparing a festive meal, gathering the family around, and sharing family stories…it could be Passover, Hanukkah or even Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving is a holiday that many of us, both adults and children, look forward to. Gratitude for the blessings in our lives is something that all Americans share, no matter how great or how small.

Is there such a thing as a “Jewish” way to celebrate Thanksgiving? According to popular historical interpretation, Thanksgiving is modeled on the biblical harvest of Sukkot. The story goes that the Pilgrims, seeing themselves as new Israelites in a new “promised land,” drew on a model well-known to them from the Bible. In the 16th chapter of the Book of Leviticus, G-d commands the Israelites to observe the Feast of Booths (In Hebrew, Sukkot), “to rejoice before Hashem your God” at the time of the fall harvest.

In that light, here are a few ideas to make Thanksgiving even more special for your family:

1. Say blessings! Jewish tradition teaches us that we are to say 100 blessings a day. Young children experience the world through the lens of wonder. They are fascinated with things we think are quite ordinary. Time for a blessing! The shehechianu blessing is a wonderful reminder for us to express gratitude for having arrived at this space and time. We say it at “milestone” moments, such as birthdays, the first day of school, eating the first fruit of the season and family gatherings.  Here is the Shehechianu blessing:
   Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech HaOlam, She-he-chi-anu V’kimanu V’higi-anu L’zman Ha-zeh.
   We praise the Source of Life who has revived and sustained us.
2. Tell stories of Thanksgiving in your families’ past. You could use this opportunity to retell your own family saga of how they came to the United States.
3. Involve your children in preparation for the feast. They can help in the kitchen, or they can set the table and make decorations.
4. Incorporate the Jewish value of hachnassat orchim, welcoming strangers, and consider inviting someone new to your Thanksgiving table.

As parents, we know that children learn much more from what we do than what we say. Take time for yourself to count your blessings, and your children will count theirs, as well.

An inspiring evening with Dr. Debbie Findling

On September 22, 11 graduates from the first cohort of the Certificate Program in Jewish Early Childhood Education through Gratz College proudly accepted their diplomas. Funded by the JCF’s Endowment Fund along with the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund, the program began two years ago under the Jewish Community Federation’s Early Childhood Education Initiative, and marks the first endeavor in professionalizing the field of Early Childhood Jewish Education in the Bay Area. Dr. Debbie Findling, keynote speaker for the evening, inspired everyone in the room with her moving speech. We share her remarks below in hopes that it will ignite within you what was felt that evening. Special thanks to Dr. Findling for allowing us to share her words.

Dr. Debbie Findling:
I’ve worked in the field of Jewish education for over 25 years. I have so many degrees that at one time my student loans were nearly the size of the national debt. And yet, I am an accidental Jewish educator.

When I look back at my career, I’m not sure how I ended up here. I grew up in an assimilated home. My Holocaust survivor father didn’t reject Judaism because of the Holocaust; he was robbed of it by the Nazis. He became an orphan when he was 8 years old, hid in the forests of southern France for several years until he was rescued and brought to the U.S. and placed in a foster home where he was not exposed to Judaism or Jewish life. He didn’t know what it meant to be a Jew or how to practice Judaism. And so he didn’t.

My mother grew up in Casablanca, Morocco where the culture and politics of her country forced Jews to hide their Judaism. When she moved to the United States after marrying my father, she too didn’t know how to be Jewish. So, my parents raised my brothers and me in a suburb of Detroit where they practiced the Judaism they saw around. It had two major premises:

1. Go to synagogue once a year on Rosh HaShana. Buy an expensive new outfit and a fabulous hat; spend most of the time in the lobby chatting with friends.
2. Send your kids to religious school no matter how much they complained. But I was clever and convinced my parents to let me drop out when I was in 3rd grade. That ended my Jewish education.

In my early 20′s, fresh out of college with a highly unmarketable degree in Women’s Studies, I was hired at a Jewish Community Center as the director of the teen program – a job for which I was totally unprepared. I was responsible for a region spanning three states, involving more than 500 teens, supervising three paid staff and 20 volunteers. My job description included overseeing a six figure operating budget, representing the community, planning all Jewish educational programming, and serving as a spiritual guide and Jewish mentor. I knew absolutely nothing about budgeting, supervision, organizational development, management, educational theory or pedagogy. More importantly, I knew almost nothing about being a Jewish educator. My Jewish content knowledge was limited to the handful of things I remembered from my childhood, including the dreidel song and eating round challah on Rosh HaShana, though I wasn’t quite sure why it was supposed to be round.

My only qualification was that I had a natural rapport with teens, but, while I was good at connecting with teens, I was fairly ineffective at inspiring, encouraging or helping them to explore their own Jewish identity. I didn’t have the knowledge or skills. I didn’t even know where to start.

After feeling like an imposter for nearly 10 years in the field of Jewish education, in my late 20′s I decided to get real. I applied to graduate school at the University of Judaism. One of the questions on the application was to describe my Jewish educational background. I wrote about Mrs. Pont, my nursery school teacher at Congregation Shaarey Zedek – the synagogue preschool I attended when I was three years old. I wrote that my preschool felt like home and Mrs. Pont was like comfort food.

I went on to receive three graduate degrees in Jewish education. Last year, I took my then nine year old daughter to Detroit to spend Rosh Hashana with my family. We went to services at Sharey Zedek. I walked in and there was Mrs. Pont who I hadn’t seen in nearly 45 years. Although I didn’t know it when I was three, she had planted in me the seeds that would become a fundamental guide in my Jewish journey.

Each of us has followed a different path on the road to becoming a Jewish educator. Sometimes we knew where we were heading. We had a clear plan and knew the routes to get us there. Other times, we wandered. Not quite sure which path to take or where it would lead, but we trusted the instinctual GPS in our mind.

All of us go on journeys. Some are intentional. Some unintentional. I was a Jewish educator by accident. And I wasn’t very good at it, until I intentionally decided to become a Jewish educator, and then I actually started to succeed. But Judaism, Jewish life, Jewish identity are too important to be left to accidents. Participating in the Gratz Certificate program in Jewish ECE was your road map. Each of you chose to follow the map and to walk intentionally on the path of your professional journey. Over the past two years, you have put in countless hours and effort engaging in a rigorous course of study to transform you from preschool teacher to Early Childhood Jewish Educator; from learner to scholar; from participant in the community to leader. But I suspect you didn’t do it just for yourselves. In becoming early childhood educators, scholars and leaders, YOU elevate the entire field of Early Childhood Education. You went on a journey, so that you can help guide other people’s children on their Jewish journeys. Your commitment to Jewish education is no accident. And your commitment to planting the seeds that will grow inside the children in our preschools to guide them on the path of their own budding journey is no accident. Today we celebrate and honor you at this siyyum.

Siyyum in Hebrew means completion. As you graduate from the Gratz College program, you complete one journey – of professional and personal development. But unlike 25 years ago, I know why the Rosh Hashana challah is round. It’s a metaphor, for the continuous cycle of life. As one year ends, another begins. As this Rosh Hashana approaches, one journey for you ends, and its dawn brings a new journey. As one door closes, another opens, and the key to opening the door is to do it with kavanah – with intention.

Mazal tov to you on your siyyum – your completion of one journey. All of us here this afternoon look forward to the remarkable impact you’ll make in Early Childhood Jewish Education on whatever path you take on your next journey.

Shana Tova u’metukah – I am confident that the New Year will be sweet.

From preschool teachers to Jewish educators

“When I started the Gratz program, I thought of myself as a preschool teacher. Now I think of myself as a Jewish Educator.” – Amanda Mahan

In another Bay Area first, after two years of rigorous coursework and seminars, a cohort of 11 teachers from Jewish preschools in the Bay Area are receiving their certificates in the Gratz College Certificate in Jewish Early Childhood Education Initiative (ECEI) program. The teachers are celebrating their achievements at a graduation event, known as a siyyum at the Contemporary Jewish Museum on September 22.

The graduates represent eight Jewish preschools in the Bay Area. Their studies have included Jewish Thought, Bible, and Spirituality, along with special subjects in Early Childhood Education. Each class integrates both Jewish and Early Childhood Education so that the curriculum is seamlessly integrated for optimum learning by the children.

The goal of the program is to deepen the Jewish curriculum at the preschools within the framework of excellence in Early Childhood Education.

The teachers have seen big changes in their classrooms. One of our graduates stated: “My classroom reflects Jewish life in a very authentic and deep way, and is almost unrecognizable from when I began my studies at Gratz two years ago. I have a wealth of knowledge that I can now share with children and their parents.”

The featured speaker, Dr. Debbie Findling of the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund, will address the students and acknowledge them for their devotion to Jewish Education, and the Bay Area Jewish community. The graduates and their families, along with community leaders, will share the fruits of their learning through exhibits that reflect their work in their particular school.

Sponsored by The Early Childhood Education Initiative of the JCF , the program has brought the teachers together monthly to participate in a Community of Practice, as well as to attend one and two-day retreats over the two years. The face-to-face aspect of the program, which has proven to be invaluable to its success, has been funded by the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund, and facilitated by Ellen Brosbe, the Early Childhood Education specialist at the Bureau of Jewish Education. The generous scholarships for the students were provided by the Jewish Community Endowment Fund of the JCF.

The second cohort of the Gratz program begins in September 2011.