Early childhood

Last week, I had the privilege of participating in the 2025 Paradigm Project Conference, held in Tarrytown, NY, a picturesque and peaceful setting that beautifully matched the spirit of reflection, learning, and connection that filled the days. It was a truly uplifting gathering of hundreds of passionate early childhood educators from across the country who are committed to reimagining what Jewish ECE can look and feel like for children, families, and educators. The energy throughout the conference was electric; the learning was deep, and the sense of belonging to a shared movement was palpable.

Last month, the CAJE–MindCET Teacherpreneur Initiative culminated with an extraordinary visit to Israel filled with learning, creativity, and connection. The Initiative, part of the Miami–Yerucham Partnership, empowers educators to become innovators who design technological and pedagogic solutions to real classroom challenges. Educators representing Lehrman Community Day School, Pardes Jewish Day School, and CAJE-Miami participated in Israel EdTech Week, an annual gathering of teachers, entrepreneurs, and innovators exploring the future of learning.

One of the greatest challenges facing Jewish day schools today — both locally and nationally — is the retention and recruitment of talented educators. Teachers are the heart and soul of Jewish education, shaping the minds, values, and Jewish identities of our children. Yet, across the country, schools are grappling with burnout, financial pressures, and the difficulty of attracting new teachers to the profession. In the recent past, CAJE convened a Teacher Retention and Recruitment Task Force, chaired by Dr. Helen Chaset, to examine these very issues. The Task Force laid important groundwork, exploring how schools could better support their teachers through professional development, compensation, and community recognition. Many of the insights gathered then have become the foundation for the initiatives CAJE is now advancing.

Despite the essential role of leadership, Jewish day schools and North American schools more broadly are facing a significant leadership shortage. According to the Avi Chai Foundation, nearly 50% of Jewish day school heads of school were expected to retire or leave their positions within five years of a recent survey, creating an urgent need for new leaders. Similarly, a 2023 report by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) highlighted that nearly 60% of heads of independent schools anticipate leaving their roles within the next decade. With nearly half of current heads of school expected to leave in the near future, investing in and supporting these leaders is not just an investment in education — it is an investment in the Jewish future itself.

For close to 30 years, I’ve had the privilege of serving this community — first at Temple Beth Am and now for more than two decades at CAJE. From the start, I was drawn to CAJE’s mission of strengthening Jewish education across the community. Over the years I’ve worn many hats at CAJE, but I found my place in the area of professional development. That passion has led me to work with leading organizations like the Jewish New Teacher Project and Learning Forward because I believe the best way to build strong schools is by supporting its professionals. I have seen through my work that when we invest in educators, the ripple effect on children, families, and communities is exponential. And speaking of families, I am proud that my own children are products of Miami Jewish day schools. - Valerie Mitrani

This week we shine the CAJE Summer Spotlight on local Early Childhood Educator Romina Naparstek, co-creator of Matzati a fun and enriching game that brings Israel to life for people of all ages from preschoolers to adults. Romina is an example of the innovation coming from our Jewish Early Childhood community, she is among the caring, talented, mission-driven people who are constantly seeking to improve themselves and the world. Let’s together celebrate the teacher leaders and directors who are the foundation of our Jewish community!

A Reform rabbi, a Conservative rabbi, and an Orthodox educator walk into a virtual room. Nope, it’s not the start of a joke; it’s the beginning of something groundbreaking! Meet Wisdom Without Walls: an online salon for Jewish ideas — the brainchild of three powerhouse Jewish thinkers — Dr. Sandra Lilienthal (Covenant Foundation awardee and beloved adult educator), Rabbi Ed Feinstein (brilliant storyteller and thought leader), and Rabbi Jeff Salkin (prolific writer and one of the most quoted rabbis in the U.S.). Together, they tear down the silos within the Jewish world and build something new: a vibrant space for real conversation across denominations, backgrounds, and borders.

When people ask how I found myself at CAJE, I usually smile and say, “It was the natural next step.” But the truth is, this journey began long before job titles, consulting work, or doctoral programs. It began in a public high school classroom in Tampa - with bagels, orange juice, and a lot of heart. I was raised in a family of six by traditional Jewish South African parents who instilled in us a deep sense of pride in our Jewish identity. We didn’t attend Jewish day school, but Judaism was part of everything - Shabbat dinners, Hebrew school, Israel bonds tucked into birthday cards. In high school, I became president of the Jewish Awareness Club. Every meeting came with “bagels and Jews” - a playful misprint that stuck, and one that reflected the joy and authenticity of our gatherings.

While most teachers were starting their summer vacations in Florida, Lee Levy-Friedman, a beloved Early Childhood teacher at Temple Beth Sholom in Miami Beach, packed her bags and flew to Israel — to volunteer as the war continued and amid the unexpected escalation with Iran. Lee traveled to Israel at the end of June as part of a grassroots effort led by Livnot U’Lehibanot ("To Build and To Be Built"), an Israeli nonprofit that’s been combining service, spirituality, and Jewish learning for over 45 years. Since October 7th, Livnot has restored more than 300 homes and public buildings in the Gaza Envelope and northern border communities.

When people ask what brought me to CAJE, I smile — because the real answer started decades ago and thousands of miles away. I was born and raised in Montreal, Canada, the daughter of Moroccan immigrants who came to North America as teenagers — my father at 12, my mother at 14. They met on a Federation-led Israel trip and built a home deeply rooted in Jewish values, culture, and community. My parents were, and still are, “community people” — always opening their hearts and home to others, always making sure Jewish life thrived around them. My mother, in particular, is a fierce believer in the power of education, especially Jewish education.

In January of this year, Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools released a report about Jewish day school alumni on campus. It shows in numbers just what a difference attending Jewish day school makes in the lives of young Jewish college students. This data provides us with more concrete evidence of what those of us in the field already know-- compared to peers who did not attend Jewish day school, Jewish day school alumni consistently report stronger ties to their Jewish identity, a deeper connection to Israel, and greater participation in Jewish life during their college years. Simply put, these are the building blocks of our Jewish future, and Jewish day school is where these students learn to build.

Last month Scheck Hillel Community School once again played host to a vibrant and inspiring event: the 8th Annual CAJE Jewish Day School Robotics Festival, supported by the Eleanor M. and Herbert D. Katz Foundation. Over 230 students from 12 Jewish day schools across South Florida gathered to showcase their creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration skills in a fun and friendly robotics competition. The festival marks the culmination of a year of hands-on STEM learning through CAJE’s Jewish Day School Robotics Program — a flagship initiative that introduces robotics, coding, and engineering into Jewish day schools across the tri-county area.

50% of all new teachers drop out of teaching within their first five years. Since 2008, CAJE has partnered with the Jewish New Teacher Project (JNTP) to increase teacher retention and reduce teacher dropout. Through the two-year JNTP training, new teachers are paired with veteran teachers so they can better handle the school culture and challenges of the classroom. Simultaneously, JNTP shows experienced teachers how to serve as mentors to new teachers. Mentor-mentee pairs meet regularly to focus on classroom management, instructional planning, and pedagogy. This collaboration is a win-win because it not only enhances the new teachers’ practices and satisfaction but also encourages the reflective growth of the mentors. This week, the CAJE Miami - Jewish New Teacher Project (JNTP) program concluded Year 1 of the two-year training.

Do you know someone who is in Early Childhood Jewish Education? Perhaps it is your child or grandchild who is attending one of over 30 Jewish early childhood education centers here in Miami-Dade County. Perhaps you are a devoted and beloved ECE teacher. Or perhaps you love children and care about quality education for all children at all ages and stages of development. If you recognize yourself above, then CAJE wants you to know about ElevatEd - the innovative, groundbreaking national Jewish ECE initiative.

This year, CAJE launched an exciting new initiative with Pedagogy of Partnership (PoP) powered by Hadar. Pedagogy of Partnership (PoP) is a comprehensive Jewish educational model for teaching and learning that fosters wonder, empathy, and responsibility toward fellow learners and Torah. Drawing on our Jewish learning tradition of chavruta - learning in pairs, PoP combines it with 21st century learning science to create joyful and impactful student-centered learning that has proven successful in day schools across the country.

Parents of school-aged children are among the most underserved when it comes to Jewish educational programming, despite their vital role in shaping the next generation’s identity. While there are countless learning opportunities for students, young professionals, and retirees, few programs address the unique challenges parents face — like raising Jewish children in an increasingly secular world or integrating Jewish values into daily life. Learn what CAJE is doing to remedy this!

Last week, CAJE’s Miami Leo Martin March of the Living hosted An Evening of Legacy — a gathering created with one powerful goal: to raise the necessary funds to bring Holocaust Survivors to Poland so they can share their testimonies directly with community teens. More than just a fundraiser, the event highlighted the power of memory, testimony, and generational responsibility, reminding us all why this mission matters now more than ever. Central to the evening was a stunning visual exhibition by Laszlo Selly, both a Holocaust Survivor and photographer, who captured intimate portraits of fellow Survivors.

This past Sunday, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation’s BeWell Miami Initiative, in proud partnership with the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE) and Jewish Community Services (JCS), hosted its Second Annual BeWell Youth Mental Health Summit, bringing together parents, caregivers, professionals, and community members for a powerful day centered on adolescent mental health and well-being. Attendees engaged in meaningful discussions, practical workshops, and hands-on sessions designed to equip them with the tools, language, and strategies needed to better support the youth in their lives — at home, in schools, and across the broader Jewish community.