Inter-Institutional Collaboration Between HUC-JIR, JTS and YU Offers Opportunity for More Innovation

To cultivate creativity and knowledge-sharing surrounding the effective use of educational technology in Jewish higher education, Hebrew Union College– Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR), the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) and Yeshiva University (YU) have launched an inter-institutional eLearning Faculty Fellowship. On May 7, the 20 faculty members of Cohort 1 participated in the first of five live sessions to learn strategies, tools and approaches for using educational technologies to improve student engagement and learning. All five live sessions and five additional online workshops will be created and led by the Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning (CCNMTL) at Columbia University. Read the rest of this entry…

Yeshiva University Hosts February 28 Job Fair for Communal and Educational Careers

Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future (CJF) and Institute for University-School Partnership (YU School Partnership) will host their annual Jewish Job Fair on Thursday, February 28, 2013 in Furst Hall on YU’s Wilf Campus, 500 West 185th Street in New York City. The event is free and open to the public from 7 – 9 p.m., with priority admission for YU students and alumni beginning at 6 p.m.

YU presents its annual Jewish Job Fair on Feb. 28

In addition to showcasing a variety of professional opportunities at well-respected Jewish schools, organizations and non-profits, the event provides a robust networking forum for job-hunters seeking information on everything from scholarships and internships to career development programming.

“Our annual Jewish Job Fair is a natural outgrowth of our mission to support and strengthen Jewish communities and organizations around the world,” said Rabbi Kenneth Brander, David Mitzner Dean of the CJF. “It also provides a platform for talented Jewish leaders to connect with opportunities that will allow them to make their mark on the Jewish world and beyond. Read the rest of this entry…

At YU School Partnership Conference, Educators Are the Experts

More than 70 Jewish day school leaders from 62 schools gathered on Yeshiva University’s Wilf Campus this week to pool experiences, ideas, connections and resources in a uniquely structured conference that put participants, rather than experts or speakers, in the spotlight.

Organized by YU’s Institute for University-School Partnership (YU School Partnership), the two-day convention, “CFG 2012,” ran from November 11-12 and built on previous Critical Friends Groups (CFG) which have been meeting regularly under YU School Partnership guidance for three years. Each group is a professional learning community of educators, administrators or school staff who come together in person and online to improve their practice through collaborative learning. Read the rest of this entry…

New Program from YU School Partnership to Develop and Advance Emerging Leaders in the Field of Jewish Education

Yeshiva University’s Institute for University-School Partnership (YU School Partnership) is pleased to announce the launch of YU Lead, a unique and highly experiential leadership development program for aspiring leaders in Jewish education.

Twenty-four participants were selected from a competitive applicant pool of teachers, division principals, student support faculty, curriculum coordinators and student activity directors. They will spend nine months immersing themselves in the study of leadership as they learn with experts in the field of education and a cohort of their peers. The learning will take place online—synchronously and asynchronously—and at two in-person conferences. Sessions will address topics on leadership, mission, vision, philosophy, budgeting and finance, instructional supervision, development, governance, distributive leadership, 21st-century education, parents and communication, and enrollment management. YU Lead will challenge participants to think deeply about their practice and to exercise their reflective, interpersonal and educational skills to maximize their leadership potential. Read the rest of this entry…

YU School Partnership Builds Infrastructure of Support and Mentoring for New Teachers in 15 Schools

With alarmingly low teacher retention rates in schools across North America, especially among new hires, more and more Jewish day schools and institutions are recognizing the need for increased support for new teachers. But the Yeshiva University Institute for University-School Partnership has found a new way to create strong, effective educators—and it starts from the top down.

From June 24 – 27, representatives from 15 Jewish day schools came together on YU’s Wilf Campus for a summer institute as part of the New Teacher Induction Program, an effort led by the YU School Partnership with a generous grant from the Jim Joseph Foundation.

Instead of focusing on new teachers individually, the program works with school leadership and faculty to build a comprehensive system of support and mentoring within each institution. Read the rest of this entry…

Gruen Fund, YU Institute for University-School Partnership Award Grants to 12 Jewish Day Schools

The Ethel and Ronald Gruen Endowed Fund for the Advancement of Secondary Jewish Education announced today that it will award grants of $20,000 each to eight schools across the country that are intended to provide need-based scholarships to students or to support the schools’ mechina or beginners programs. In addition to these eight schools, four other schools earlier this year received similar grants of $22,500 each. The gift will be administered through Yeshiva University’s Institute for University-School Partnership.

The YU School Partnership was founded in 2008 to ensure the excellence and sustainability of Jewish day schools. It aims to advance Jewish education by providing support in the recruitment of teachers and school leadership, professional development and guidance in strategic planning and day school economics.

“This is a critical time in sustaining our schools and people. This grant provides scholarships for day school students, as well as preparation programs for those who have not had the ability to attend day school up to this point,” said Dr. Scott Goldberg, director of the YU School Partnership. Read the rest of this entry…

Gemara Conference Brings Educators Together to Brainstorm New Goals, Standards and Techniques

On June 20, a group gathered in Yeshiva University’s Belfer Hall to engage in passionate debate about the gemara, their arguments peppered with yeshivish sprach [classic Talmudic terminology] and citations. But this was not your average beit medrash scene. Instead of young talmidim [students] trying to understand the content and language of the gemara, the group consisted of teachers, rebbeim and principals searching for new ways to think about teaching this ancient subject.

Azrieli's Dr. Moshe Krakowski facilitated the June 20 conference.

Navi Teachers from Across Tri-State Area Convene to Share Ideas, Discuss Technique

How do you teach Sefer Yeshayahu [Book of Isaiah]?

Dr. Shawn Zelig Aster, assistant professor of Bible at YU, presents methods to enhance understanding of Yeshayahu's vision by comparisons to Asyrian culture.

Fourteen yeshiva high school teachers came together on Yeshiva University’s Wilf Campus in late March to ask each other and themselves that question, under the auspices of YU’s Institute for University-School Partnership. Hailing from a range of schools across the tri-state area, the teachers were united by the subject they all taught (Navi, or The Prophets), their desire to enhance their own approach, and the opportunity to learn from others.

“The purpose is to expand teachers’ thinking about what’s possible in the classroom and to help them clarify their own particular focus,” said Dr. Scott Goldberg, director of the YU School Partnership. “Even though their individual schools are so different, it’s productive and important for them to talk about Navi together. They can relate to each other, but the diversity creates a great learning environment.” Read the rest of this entry…

Yeshiva University Hosts Feb. 9 Jewish Job Fair for Communal and Educational Careers

Today, more than ever, there are exciting opportunities in Jewish communal and educational careers. For those interested in joining or learning more about this exciting field, Yeshiva University will host its annual Jewish Job Fair on Thursday, February 9 at Furst Hall on YU’s Wilf Campus, 500 West 185th Street, New York City. The conference is open to YU students and alumni beginning at 6 p.m. and to the general public from 7 – 9 p.m.

“In a society which has sanctified the needs of the individual, it is wonderful to see young people who possess an ever increasing thirst to live lives of meaning,” said Rabbi Kenneth Brander, David Mitzner Dean of YU’s Center for the Jewish Future. “The Jewish Job Fair allows our students, alumni and the greater community, to learn about the professional opportunities available and which are appropriate for their talents and to enable them to live meaningful and productive lives.”

Dozens of Jewish day schools and community organizations from across the country will be in attendance to accept and review resumes and conduct interviews. Participating organizations include Camp Shalom, Manhattan Jewish Experience, Yachad, Areyvut, Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, Nefesh B’ Nefesh, OHEL, 92nd Street Y, and Yeshiva University. More than 35 day schools will be participating including SINAI Schools, Yavneh Academy, YULA Girls High School, SAR Academy, Hillel Day School of Boca Raton, Manhattan Day School, and Fuchs Mizrachi School.

In addition to teaching positions and other career prospects, the fair offers a wide array of opportunities, including fellowships and scholarships for master’s programs and internships.

“In the past decade, the number of YU graduates pursuing careers in Jewish education has increased exponentially,” said Dr. Scott Goldberg, director of YU’s Institute for University-School Partnership. “Schools and organizations in our community now have access to the best and brightest in the Orthodox community to be role models in their classrooms and organizations.”

The fair is free and open to the public. For more information, to register your organization or school, or to submit a resume, visit www.yu.edu/cjf/jobfair.

School Partnership’s YUTeach Fellowships Provide Mentoring and Support for Young Educators in Jewish Day Schools Across the Country

As part of its mission to bolster the Jewish day school movement, the Institute for University-School Partnership at Yeshiva University once again placed recent college graduates in communities across North America to begin their careers as educators.

The YUTeach Fellowships will place young educators in Jewish day schools across the country.

With support from the Legacy Heritage Fund Limited, 17 young teachers will participate in the Legacy Heritage Teacher Training Fellowship, a two-year program that provides fellows with support and mentorship within their host school, in addition to conferences, webinars and check-ins with staff at the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration throughout the academic year. Over three summers, teaching fellows will also earn a master of science in education at Azrieli through a full-tuition scholarship.

Three additional teachers will be sponsored through the GiveBack Fellowship, a program that identifies dynamic graduates to assist with student activities, observe classroom teachers and provide support in other aspects of school programming. These fellows will also participate in a summer training session at Azrieli, receive close mentoring at their host school and attend conferences and monthly webinars relating to Jewish education.

The YUTeach Fellowships—comprised of the Legacy Heritage Teacher Training and GiveBack programs—provide “much more than a placement in a school for an aspiring teacher,” said Scott J. Goldberg, PhD, director of the YU School Partnership. “They offer a supportive structure in which to grow as a new teacher and a transformative experience for the students who are inspired by these young energetic educators. Schools asked us to get them teachers, and we’ve sent them much more.”

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“The fellowship seemed like an ideal entry into teaching because of the structure and the guidance it provided, in addition to the network and the courses at Azrieli,” said Raffi Rosenzweig, a Legacy Heritage Fellow who taught chumash and Jewish History at Dallas’s Yavneh Academy for the past two years. “As someone who had always enjoyed informal education but had no experience in a formal setting, I was hesitant at first to make the switch. That first summer before I started teaching I was in class at Azrieli and got that kind of professional training before I started, which helped me learn about the best practices in the field and how to implement them.”

Raffi Rosenzweig, left, a Legacy Heritage Fellow, has taught at Dallas’s Yavneh Academy for the past two years.

Aryeh Wasserman, a first-year Legacy Heritage teacher fellow who will lead gemara classes at Kohelet Yeshiva High School in Philadelphia, appreciated the program’s support in placing young teachers in their first positions. “When an institution like YU recommends you, it gives these teachers who want to make a difference and have the desire to grow into great teachers the chance to do so while we’re still young,” said Wasserman. “The fellowship really supports a culture of young, innovative teachers who want to bring their excitement to Jewish youth.”

That excitement is shared by the schools. “Having a fellow means everything to us because we are constantly looking for new talent,” said Raizy Wilk, a teacher and administrator at Maimonides Academy in Los Angeles who will be mentoring Rabbi Ouriel Hazan and Malka Nutkiewicz, two fellows at her school this year. “We want teachers who understand where our students are coming from emotionally, psychologically and religiously and who are dedicated to becoming the best professionals they can be and that’s what YU looks for in a fellowship candidate. By partnering with YU, we provide the most exciting and innovative experience for our students.”

The Legacy Heritage Teacher Training and GiveBack Fellowships are open to students from all colleges. Visit the YU School Partnership’s Web site at www.yu.edu/azrieli/schoolpartnership for more information or to apply.