More than 700 leaders and educators at Jewish day schools across the spectrum of Jewish gathered together for the third annual North American Jewish Day School Conference (NAJDSC) in Atlanta on January 15-17.

Attending on behalf of Rabbi Alexander S. Gross Hebrew Academy were Head of School, Dr. Roni Raab; Associate of Head School, Rabbi Elisha Paul; and Dean of Academics, Rabbi Avi Bossewitch.

Dr. Roni Raab says of the experience, “The benefits of convening with day school leaders from across the country is immeasurable. It was nice to hear what other schools are doing, and to share our successes with our colleagues.”

Jointly planned by RAVSAK: The Jewish Community Day School Network, the Institute for University-School Partnership at Yeshiva University, the Schechter Day School Network, PARDeS: The Progressive Association of Reform Day Schools, and PEJE, the Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education, the conference brought together over 300 schools and professional organizations. “This conference allows people to solidify those communities in which they see themselves belonging, and at the same time expand the very notion of what a community can be by creating a safe environment for learning and collaboration within networks and without,” said Dr. Scott Goldberg, Director of the YU School Partnership.

This year the conference focused on “Current Landscapes—Changing Horizons.” The program featured two keynote speeches, four mini-keynotes, a special tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and nearly 60 sessions and workshops. Each organization also convened its schools for intensive sessions focused on particular issues affecting their own schools and communities.  New this year were the ELI Talks, a TED-talk like format featuring dynamic, innovative speakers discussing the shared ideals and commitments of the Jewish people.  Dr. Marc Kramer, Executive Director of RAVSAK, noted with pride that “with more than 700 day school leaders and supporters convening in Atlanta, we have solid evidence that the day school movement is anything but stuck in neutral. The vibrancy and importance of day schools is more evident than ever before.”

Conference sessions addressed topics such as 21st century skills, the Jewish day school value proposition, re-imagining and sustaining day schools, and innovations in Jewish education. Equally important was the networking time that allowed participants to meet and hold in-depth discussions with other practitioners, funders, and education professionals. “I cannot overstate the importance of collaboration in today’s marketplace,” asserted Amy Katz, Executive Director of PEJE.  “I hope that our coming together will demonstrate to the field the power of uniting behind a common interest.”

“This exciting conference highlighted current issues and challenges that are shared across the broad field of Jewish day school education,” remarks Dr. Elaine Cohen, Director of the Schechter Day School Network. “We are asserting that the future is now and that together we can advance the field through innovative practices, big picture thinking, and an energized commitment to excellence in teaching and learning.”

The North American Jewish Day School Leadership Conference is supported by the AVI CHAI Foundation, The Covenant Foundation, ERB, the Kohelet Foundation, Measuring Success and several anonymous funders.

For more information on the conference, including multimedia materials from many of the sessions, please visit: www.jewishdayschoolconference.org.

The Hebrew Academy is an Orthodox Jewish Day School serving students from birth through Grade 12 that seeks to inspire and equip students to reach their fullest potential both academically and spiritually by focusing on their individual attributes and instilling eternal Torah values in a changing world.