Why I Chose Jewish Education and CAJE
Posted on 09/05/2025 @ 06:00 AM
By Valerie Mitrani, Director of Day School Professional Development
We all have a story that shapes us, and I feel fortunate that mine led me to where I am today.
I grew up in the small but vibrant Jewish community in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the daughter of Iraqi Jewish parents who built a home full of tradition and pride.
Even in a small community, my Jewish life was big — teaching Hebrew school, being active in Young Judaea, spending summers at Camp Judaea, and spending a gap year in Israel.
Those experiences shaped my Jewish identity and sparked my love for Jewish life and peoplehood.
The Mitrani family in Israel.
A conversation with the Hillel rabbi during my junior year at Emory University became a turning point.
It was then that I learned I could become a “professional Jew” and that there were graduate programs that would prepare me for just that.
That conversation, paired with my own strong Jewish identity and sense of responsibility, led me to choose Jewish education as my career so I could be part of building and strengthening Jewish community.
I went on to earn a dual degree in Jewish Communal Service and Education from the Hornstein Program at Brandeis University, which gave me the tools, but Miami gave me the opportunity.
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.
Valerie in action: Leading Jewish New Teacher Project (JNTP) Professional Development.
CAJE's Professional Development Team: Valerie Mitrani (top left) and Julie Lambert (top right).
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 with her husband Jesse and family.
They have also spent summers at Camp Judaea, and like me (and my husband), so far two out of three have participated in a gap year in Israel with Young Judaea.
Seeing them embrace the same experiences that shaped me feels like coming full circle.
For me, choosing Jewish education — and choosing CAJE — has always been about ensuring a vibrant Jewish future by investing in the professionals who make it possible.
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