Participants are expected to attend all sessions in their entirety. Breakfast and lunch will be provided each day.

Symposia will be held from 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at:
The Jewish Theological Seminary
3080 Broadway (122nd Street)
New York, NY 10027

Summer seminar sessions will meet from 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., except on Fridays when sessions will end at 3 pm. These sessions will be held at:
The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion
One West 4th Street (between Broadway and Mercer St.)
New York, NY 10012

Leadership

• How can I facilitate and sustain change in the congregational school?
• What are ways in which I can engage my professional and lay leadership in an effective viable partnership?

Twelve 1-2 day symposia will be held during the 2-year period. These sessions will focus on topics such as educational research, business and financial management, curriculum and instruction, family and group dynamics, organizational management, lay-professional relationships and grant writing.

Educators will be introduced to many practical leadership methodologies. During the spring of 2012, participants will submit a plan for a Professional Learning for their faculty in their individual schools. Planning will draw from the knowledge and skills acquired during the Leadership Institute seminars. Each congregation will receive a grant for up to $2,000 to implement the learning. Each project will draw directly on the knowledge and skills acquired during the Leadership Institute seminars.

Participants will have the benefit of a 360 Assessment to determine their leadership strengths and challenges.

Pedagogy

• What techniques and models are available to empower my faculty members to maximize their potential as educators?
• How can reflective practice and creating a “community of learners” help my teachers grow professionally?

Experienced school leaders in the field are critical to the success of the Leadership Institute. With this in mind, a personal Mentor will be assigned to reinforce growth and learning. To encourage a peer network, participants will visit their mentors’ school. These site visits may consist of shadowing the mentor and analyzing instructional practices and curricular materials with guided reflection throughout the experience. Mentor will also assist and advise fellows in regard to Individual Monthly Application Praxis (IMAPs). An I-MAP is a small activity, to encourage fellows to try new behaviors, take risks and practice new skills. Every six months fellows are given a choice of tasks to support further learning.

Participants will also engage in a 360-assessment. The assessment is a process by that gathers from participants’ peers, direct reports, and boss regarding their leadership strengths and challenges to allow for improvement and growth. Based on the 360, participants will work with their mentors to identify goals.

Participants will be asked to create an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) with their mentors, in which they will define their goals for professional development and/or further Jewish learning. Each participant will receive $1,500 to achieve their defined goals.

Judaica

• How can I translate Judaism into meaningful educational experiences that can enrich Jewish life for my students, their families and myself?
• How can I best infuse a particular religious philosophy into the school curriculum?

During our two ten-day Summer Seminars, held the first two weeks of July for two consecutive summers, participants will engage in intensive study with expert educators and scholars. We will explore overall goals of Jewish education in a modern pluralistic society and how this vision is reflected and incorporated into our individual schools. Educators will develop a deeper understanding of how a Jewish worldview can inform educational theory and practice, which can then be translated into meaningful Jewish experiences.

In February of 2012, participants will travel to Israel for the Israel Seminar portion of the Institute. This seminar will examine the central role that Israel plays in Jewish education and how we as leaders can make Israel a relevant and vital component of our congregational schools.

Return to Top