Interview with Carly Orshan - Class of 1998
Posted on 07/17/2026 @ 06:30 AM
By the Alumni Association of Rambam Day School at Temple Beth Am
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Can you tell us about your role at CAJE and what inspires you most about the work you do each day?
I serve as the Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives, Teen Department, and Congregational Education at CAJE, the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education, an educational agency of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.
Over the past decade, I have overseen a range of teen leadership and educational initiatives, including the Leo Martin March of the Living, Diller Teen Fellows, lsraelNow, JTEENMiami, and congregational education efforts across Miami.
What inspires me most is helping young people explore what it means to be Jewish in today's world with thoughtfulness, confidence, and pride.
Especially in today's climate, I care deeply about creating experiences that connect learners to identity, resilience, leadership, Israel, and community in ways that feel meaningful and authentic to who they are.
Looking back on your years at Temple Beth Am, are there any teachers, experiences, or values that had a lasting impact on you personally or professionally?
My years at Temple Beth Am left a lasting impact on me in ways I still carry today. Some of my strongest memories are not only about what we learned, but how creatively and meaningfully we were invited to connect to Jewish life and our own stories.
One experience that stayed with me was Immigration Day, where we explored family history, Jewish journeys, and continuity. I still have the book I created, complete with real photographs, documents, and family pieces from before everything became digital.
Looking back, it feels deeply connected to the work I do now: helping learners understand that they are part of a much larger Jewish story.
I also remember creating personal prayers that were included in siddurim, for example at our 6th grade graduation ceremony. Even as a child, there was something powerful about realizing that my words and reflections could become part of a shared Jewish experience.
You are being honored at this year's JPRO Jewish Professionals Lunch by the Greater Miami Jewish Federation - what does this recognition mean to you?
Receiving this recognition feels incredibly meaningful and humbling.
Much of Jewish communal work, especially in education, happens behind the scenes through developing programs, supporting professionals, and helping create experiences that strengthen Jewish life across the community.
That is why being recognized at the JPro Miami Year-End Awards Luncheon feels especially significant. JPro Miami is the local chapter of JPro National and serves as a home for Jewish communal professionals to grow, connect, and support one another.
To be acknowledged by fellow professionals who understand the care, collaboration, and dedication this work requires every day means a lot.
As we launch our Alumni Association, what message would you share with current students about the importance of staying connected to their community and Jewish identity?
Being Jewish is a journey, and what you are experiencing right now is just the beginning.
The friendships, the stories, the prayers, the questions - they are all planting seeds that will grow with you in ways you cannot even imagine yet.
Stay curious. Stay connected.
Say yes to Jewish experiences as you get older, whether that is a youth group, a trip to Israel, an immersive program in your community, or simply showing up.
Each experience adds another layer to who you are and who you are becoming. Your Jewish story is just getting started.
