CAJE News

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.

This past Monday, nearly 350 people (including 27 Confirmation students) gathered at Temple Beth Sholom in Miami Beach for an evening with Sarah Hurwitz — former White House speechwriter for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, and author of the bestselling books Here All Along and As A Jew. The event, presented by CAJE’s Adult Learning Department as part of its new “SAGES in the 305” series, was underwritten by the Ganz Family Foundation in loving memory of Charles Ganz z”l. Through humor, honesty, and depth, Hurwitz invited the audience to rediscover the richness of Judaism, explore their own Jewish identities, and embrace lifelong 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.

CAJE Adult Learning is thrilled to unveil its newest community initiative, “SAGES in the 305” — a lively new public lecture series (and yes, the name’s a pun!) bringing some of the brightest Jewish thinkers from across the globe to Miami. Generously sponsored by Ellie Ganz and the Ganz Family Foundation in loving memory of Charlie Ganz z”l, each talk will take place in a different part of the city, weaving together the many threads of Miami’s Jewish community through shared ideas, spirited dialogue, and big questions that matter. The overall goal of the series is to make Miami the vibrant Jewish intellectual and cultural hub it deserves to be.

Our teens and young adults live online. They think, learn, and connect through their phones. Tomás Glasermann, Director of the Michael-Ann Russell JCC’s Maccabi Tzair program in Miami, Florida, knows this first-hand in his work with teens… “Every generation consumes information differently. This one consumes it virtually. That’s why we built MAGEN | Shield of Knowledge the way we did. MAGEN, in English"shield" or "protector, " is a fully online educational platform designed for high school and college students to learn about Israel and the Jewish people. They do it on their phones, in their own space and time.

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.

As the school year starts up again, and most students dive into new and exciting extracurriculars, I find this feeling bittersweet and take a step back to reflect. On Sunday, September 14th, I marked the end of one of the most meaningful chapters of my life at our Cohort 12 Graduation. CAJE’s Diller Teen Fellows program has been the highlight of the past twelve months. It has extended further than just a program; it has been a transformative, unforgettable journey. When the Diller Teen Fellowship program first started last September, I was worried about fitting in, not knowing what to expect. But I decided to put myself out there and embrace this new experience with open arms. To my surprise, what I received in return was much greater than I could have ever imagined.