Educational Leadership Program
The future vitality of the Jewish people depends on the talent and dedication of Jewish educators and educational leaders, who do their sacred work in a wide range of settings: college campuses, preschools, camps, day schools, synagogues, JCCs, environmental and service organizations, and more. Too often, educational leaders are siloed from others in the field, and too busy with the day-to-day tasks of teaching, planning, and leading to engage in the kind of rich learning that pushes them to grow in their educational thinking and leadership capacities.
The Educational Leadership Program is rooted in the belief that the practice of Jewish educational leadership is worthy of deep reflection: on educational ideas and purposes, on the self as leader, and on the broader Jewish educational ecosystem.
Info Session:
Register for an info session hosted by Program Director Jethro Berkman on Wednesday, August 12 from 1–2pm EST. The session will consist of an informational portion and a Q&A. A recording of the informational portion will be posted for those who cannot attend.
Through sustained engagement with peers, learning with our outstanding faculty, and visits to a variety of schools and programs that serve as sites of inquiry and analysis, fellows deepen their educational thinking and grow as leaders. Grounded in this learning and inquiry, fellows are empowered to extend their impact in their schools, organizations, and in the broader field.
Program
Details
Over 16 months, fellows participate in four in-person seminars, virtual learning, advising, and peer-led practice groups. Three seminars are held in North America and one in Israel.
Seminars
- Seminar 1: March 7-11, 2027
- Seminar 2: August 15-19, 2027
- Seminar 3: Israel – January 4-11, 2028
(travel on January 2 and return January 12) - Seminar 4: June 25-29, 2028
The program’s curriculum is organized around three strands:
Educational Ideas & Practice
Fellows clarify and enrich their educational thinking through engagement with and analysis of deeply intentional schools and educational programs (both Jewish and non-Jewish), and through reflection on their evolving educational visions.
Educational Ecosystem
Fellows deepen their understanding of the history and current shape of the Jewish educational institutional landscape as they imagine possibilities for the future.
Reflective Leadership
Fellows develop their capacity to lead wisely and intentionally, growing in their self-awareness and cultivating the skills necessary to shepherd change and bring their ideas to life.
Apply
Applications for Cohort III are open now through September 24.
Fellows
About the
Fellows
Fellows are educational leaders responsible for or significantly involved in their organization’s Jewish educational mission, who aspire to deepen their impact in their own settings and on the broader field.
The program seeks to bring together fellows from a wide range of settings and perspectives. We believe that educators from different settings and backgrounds have much to learn from one another and that the robust exchange of ideas across educational contexts and communities can clarify visions and spark innovation.
Faculty
Fellows & Graduates
2024-2025
2022-2023
Learn
More
Eligibility
The program is designed for Jewish educators who are enthusiastic about their work and eager to grow. Fellows will have worked as Jewish educators as their primary professional role for at least one year and no more than six years.
We hold a broad understanding of the educator role that includes and extends beyond classroom teaching. Roles that might be a good fit for this program include (but are not limited to):
- Synagogue Youth Director, Family Educator or Assistant School Director
- Teacher at Jewish Afterschool Program
- Day School Jewish Life Coordinator
- JCC educator
- Day School Jewish Studies Teacher
- Youth Group Regional Director
- Educators for national organizations focused on young adult engagement
- Hillel Engagement Associate
- Jewish educators who work in the areas of the environment/wilderness, social justice, arts and culture, etc.
- Educators at Jewish camps (We recognize that the dates for the first cohort did not work for camp educators. For future cohorts we will try to offer different dates more friendly to camp educators)
