Although it is customary to write about the coming week's parasha, this week I beg your indulgence so that I can share with you a very special happening last Shabbat at the preconference Shabbaton I attended (for those of you who were not aware, I was away). This preceded the Jewish educators' conference that started on Sunday in Atlanta (although it could have been held at any hotel close to any major airport for all we got to see of the city!!!). As the Haphtarah (for Ashkenazim) was being read, words jumped out at me. As Isaiah refers to teaching and understanding: "Commandment by commandment and commandment by commandment, measuring line by measuring line and measuring line by measuring line."tzav latzav tzav latzav, kav lakav kav lakav..", I looked at the person sitting next to me, the Judaic studies director of another school. We smiled and nodded that knowing look. Later we discussed how very appropriate those words are, how timely the message - even though it was written so very long ago. Sometimes we do need to review, word by word, line by line; we build knowledge upon knowledge, foundation upon foundation, skill upon skill, not rushing to cover everything at once, but spiraling our learning, line by line. Beautiful that the "Torah way" is so insightful and educationally accurate!
The NAJDS (National Association of Jewish Day Schools) conference itself was quite a feat. It is a conference (of approximately 700 people) for four different branches of Jewish Day Schools - Modern Orthodox, under the aegis of Yeshiva University, RAVSAK, the Jewish Community Day School Network, Solomon Schechter, and PARDES, the Reform movement. Can you even imagine it? The opening keynote address is designed to touch everyone; the workshops speak to the issues of today as well as to the various jobs of school leaders: technology, the 21st Century classroom, methodology, retention and development... The major part of Monday was dedicated to the separate Divisions, for member meetings and denomination-specific workshops. Most meals were open seating and it was rare to see tables with just one segment of the "population." (Different colored nametags identified our affiliations.) In many sessions as well as at meals and in private meetings, peers consulted based on common issues their schools face, not on religious striations. Hot topics ranged from use of ipads (or the like) by students to "how much homework?" to PR and Hebrew programs. As much as the sessions themselves were impactful, the networking is a major part of the conference. The connections and relationships formed have a positive effect on our institutions.
Avi Chai and PEJE, the prominent names of Jewish Day School support agencies were present, meeting individually and in groups with various schools.
Yeshiva University itself has quite an impressive program in its Center for the Jewish Future. It is designed for college graduates enrolled in the Azrielli Graduate school of Education who are working in Jewish Day Schools while taking courses and being mentored. It is an impressive program that reflects vision and caring about the future.
In general, the number of young educators was notable and refreshing. It is exciting to see that so many bright, accomplished, idealistic young adults have entered the Jewish education field and are making a significant difference! I am encouraged by this and hope that the trend continues. One of our teachers asked me what changes I am planning on making. What I see is not radical transformation but rather a renewed sense of purpose - what I term "rejewvenation:" tzav latzav tzav latzav, kav lakav kav lakav. Shabbat Shalom
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