June 2008

An Overview of the Federation’s Alliance for Jewish Education

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What is the Alliance?

As the Central planning resource for educational services in the Metropolitan Detroit Jewish community, the Alliance promotes, advocates, develops, and supports Jewish education at all age levels.

Through its programs and services, the Alliance is committed to advancing Jewish education by strengthening and vitalizing Jewish identity and affiliation in the community. The Alliance initiates innovative programs in collaboration with the Metropolitan Detroit Jewish community’s congregations, schools and other Jewish institutions.

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Shalom Street

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The Alliance and the JCC created Shalom Street: The Address for Jewish Discovery, as a place for Jewish families to explore their Judaism in a fun and interactive environment.

Shalom Street was the first museum of its kind in the U.S. geared to ages 5-12.

Shalom Street opened in December 2003.

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Shalom Street Since Shalom Street

opened over 10,000 visitors have come to learn more about… Diggin’ Israel Ethiopian Village Shalom Goes West Israel Sixty-Shuk

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Shalom Street Shalom Street provides specialized educational

programming for school groups from throughout the community.

Shalom Street has participated in a special diversity program in cooperation with the Henry Ford Museum, the Arab American Museum and the Wright African American Museum.

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Professional Development

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Education Directors Day School Directors The directors meet on a monthly basis with an

Alliance staff member.

This summer the directors from the congregation schools will have a retreat; Rabbi Eddie Feinstein from Los Angeles will be the scholar in residence.

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Professional Development

Many of the teachers in our supplemental schools are not trained teachers.

Many did not receive an intensive Jewish education.

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The NIRIM program is intended to offer advanced professional development opportunities for K-12 teachers working in the supplementary school system.

NIRIM – Professional Development for Supplementary School Teachers

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NIRIM Approximately 85 teachers completed the

NIRIM program during the 2007-2008 school year

Over 100 teachers participated in the courses and workshops.

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Pre-Schools

Directors from the following pre-schools meet on a regular basis:

Temple Israel Temple Beth El Pitt Child Development Center at the JCC Temple Emanu-El Adat Shalom Shaarey Zedek Beth Shalom Yeshivat Akiva

 

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A conference is held each year for Pre-School Teachers, Assistants and Directors Directors are also meeting 5 times each year with experts in different areas of Special Education

Pre School Activities

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Hebrew Immersion 6 Pre-Schools participate in a program that

teaches young children Hebrew through intensive immersion.

Curriculum has been developed to help teachers develop specialized units.

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Special Projects

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School to School Local Supplemental Schools work with

schools in our Partnership 2000 Region to develop relationships between Israeli children and local students. The Alliance facilitates this partnership.

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Participants: 6 Youth Choirs, 100+ voices, from Detroit Metropolitan Supplemental Schools, as well as the Kidz Klez Band of Michigan Locations vary from year to year, from Conservative to Reform venues  

The New Zimriyah 2008

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Artists work with 6-8 grade students to givethem new ways to express themselves Jewishly.

Artist share there own Jewish passion.

Currently 10 schools are participating in projects.

This project is funded by the DeRoy Testamentary Foundation.

Artists in the Schools

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This award is designed to recognize, honor, and support, outstanding classroom Jewish educators on the local level and is presented to professionals in communities across North America in conjunction with their central agencies for Jewish education or federations.

Grinspoon Steinhardt Award

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Emery & Diane Klein Award for Excellence in Jewish Education

Each year a Day School teacher and a congregational school teacher are awarded receive the Klein award

These teachers receive full scholarship to attend a national conference

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The purpose of this prize is to identify and reward exemplary Jewish creativity in the areas of Fine Arts, Performing Arts and the Humanities. The award rotates through these categories; this year, 2008, the award will be presented to Jeffrey Abt in Fine Arts.  Nominees submit materials and a personal

statement A committee meets to discuss criteria,

review material and selects an awardee Brochures are mailed to a diverse group of

people

Benard L. Maas Foundation Prize for Achievement in Jewish Culture & Continuity

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Michigan Board of Rabbis The Michigan Board of Rabbis comes together for

collegiality and to discuss communal issues.

The MBOR is housed at the Alliance.

Last year, the Rabbis engaged in professional development activities to enhance their own learning.

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The Ed Ravitz Statewide Outreach Initiative staffed by Jeffrey Surowitz

Designed to strengthen Jewish identity and promote Jewish continuity in twenty one small Michigan Jewish communities outside Metropolitan Detroit and Ann Arbor and to assist these communities with Jewish populations ranging from 7 to 2000, the initiative:

Provides resources and funding for Jewish educational, religious and cultural experiences,

Makes available scholarships for Israel trips and Jewish camping, and

Enables networking opportunities to deepen the connections among Jewish communities across the state.

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CSI Detroit-Congregational School Initiative CSI Detroit is a new initiative that provides an

opportunity for congregations to undergo a thorough assessment of their educational program.

Assessors will spend up to 3 months in each institution meeting with staff, lay and professional to evaluate programs

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Scholarships

There are 1760 families receiving scholarships for assistance with supplementary school education.

There are 1216 families receiving scholarships for assistance with day school education

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Day School Planning The Alliance is responsible for Day School

funding, planning and evaluation in cooperation with Federation’s Planning and Allocations Department.

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Family and Informal Jewish Education

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Jewish Experiences for Families (J.E.F.F.)

To adapt Jewish learning to the home. To enhance the Jewish commitment of families. To empower parents to be the primary educators

of their children. To help institutions improve the quality of their

Jewish family programming. To partner with schools and agencies to create

programming and curriculum and positive Jewish family experiences.

Community outreach to meet families “where they are.”

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J.E.F.F. Programming Congregational and Agency Programs Community – Wide Programs

The Barbara and Douglas Bloom Matzah Factory Great Purim Parcel Project Tzedakah Experience It’s A Mitzvah

Single Jewish Parents Network Consultation/Training Shalom Baby Shalom Family Sarah’s Tent 14 Week countdown to Passover for Hillel Day School Families JEFF Store (sale of all JEFF materials) A Taste of JEFF brochure Parsha Calendar

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JEFF’s The Jewish Family Education Project of Metropolitan DetroitJewish Family Educators

Tamarack CampsHelayne Shaw

JCCKimberly Ford

Temple IsraelPending Hire

Shir TikvahDaniella HarPaz Mechnikov

Shaarey ZedekMegan Rappaport

Adat ShalomDebi Banooni

Aliza SosneYIOP

Jewish Family Educators have

been placed in the following

Congregations and Agencies:

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Sarah’s Tent Over 30 individuals join together for a monthly meeting

with a Rabbi and group facilitator to learn more about Judaism in an informal environment.

The group is composed of new Jews by Choice and individuals in interfaith relationships who want to learn more about Judaism.

Co-sponsored by JFS

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Shalom Baby and Shalom Family Jewish Educational Programming monthly for

parents with newborns and young families. P.J. Library – Families of 1-5 year olds will receive

a Jewish book or CD each month through a gift from the Applebaum Family Foundation and the Grinspoon Foundation.

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Single Jewish Parent’s Network (SJPN) Single Jewish Parents Network provides supportive Jewish

programming for single Jewish parents and their families. There are three camping programs:

Mother’s Day Weekend Single Jewish Father’s Weekend Butzel Week

There is also Shabbat and holiday programs, life cycle and social programming.

The majority of programs are partnered with congregations and agencies.

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LEAP- Leading, Education and Programming for Our Youth 2 Year Professional Development Program

for Youth Advisors (both volunteer and professional)

The program consists of 4 sessions a year. Each year focuses on issues relating to teens, and guidance on strengthening youth groups.

Trip at the end of two years to California to learn about Jewish life there.

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Special Education

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Opening the Doors: Special Education Services A nationally recognized program serving

over 700 children each year.

Serves 23 afternoon and day schools and preschools.

Provides opportunity for children with learning disabilities and other special needs to receive an appropriate Jewish education.

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Opening the Doors 18 certified special education teachers

are in the schools and receive training and support.

Early Childhood intervention program – funded by the Mandell L. and Madeleine H. Berman Foundation

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Opening the DoorsSpecial Education Services Consultation/Instructional services Efshar program Special educators network Day School Conference Family Circle Program Professional development workshops Children’s disabilities awareness programs Recruitment and placement of special educators Early Childhood Specialist Series (a series of 6 sessions

featuring a speaker on a specific topic to share his expertise)

Participation/membership in annual consortium of Jewish special educators in Central Agencies.

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Day School Conference Annual conference

Only forum in which all four day

schools participate in a day of professional development.

Two keynote speakers address separate Judaic and secular topics.

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Original and current books and guided discussion questions are offered to 2-4th grade students to sensitize children to differences of peers and to promote acceptance and friendship.

Disabilities Awareness

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Family Circle

Community wide educational program held annually to assist parents and professionals in providing awareness of childhood issues.

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Children with more involved needs and challenges meet every Sunday during the school year in an individualized setting and with adjusted curriculum.

Efshar

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Doors to the FuturePara Educators Program The Mandell L. and Madeleine H. Berman

Foundation has provided funding for this program.

It provides a para-educator to work with children in early childhood settings for early intervention.

20 children have been served annually.

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Lifelong Learning

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FedEd Hebrew Language Courses

Judaic Studies Courses with local rabbis and scholars

There are currently 250 students enrolled in these classes which meet for 15 weeks each semester.

Summertime Torah Courses

SAJE for All Seasons– Seminars for Adult Jewish Enrichment (with the Jewish Community Center)

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Florence Melton AdultMini- School

Last year 266 students participated in the 2 hours per week, 30 week

course. The program consists of 2 years of study.

300 Melton graduates are continuing their education in post-Melton classes.

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Parent Education Program (PEP)

The program is a special Melton course for parents of young children newborn through 5th grade.

25 parents are enrolled in the program

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Adult Study Retreats 25 adults participated in fall and spring

retreats in 2007-08 The retreats provided a weekend of

spirituality and learning.

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Women’s Day of Learning Over 200 women from the entire Jewish

community from non-affiliated to highly affiliated attend this event.

2008 will be the 8th year of the program which features a nationally known Jewish woman scholar and local female Jewish teachers.

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SAJE (Seminars for Adult Jewish Enrichment)

Informal Jewish education offering 3 week mini sessions, lectures and 1-day events on Jewish and related topics.

Satellite programming through the 92nd Street Y brings high quality programming to Detroit.

Sponsored jointly with the Jewish Community Center.

Distribution of Alliance Programs

Oversight and Funding

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Formal Education

Professional Development Funding Source

TEAM Hermelin Davidson

NIRIM Campaign

Hebrew Immersion Hermelin Davidson

Artists in the Schools DeRoy TestementaryFoundation

Special Education Campaign

Doors to the Future Madeleine and Bill Berman Foundation

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Informal EducationProfessional Development Funding Source

Jewish Family Educators Berman Millennium Fund

JEFF Berman & Campaign

SJPN CampaignShalom Baby and Shalom Family

PJ Library Foundation/Grinspoon FoundationSarah’s Tent

Shalom Street Ford Motor Company FundHarry & Jeanette Weinberg

Foundation and Funders

LEAP & Teen Services Campaign & Stephen H.SchulmanMillennium Fund

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Alliance for Jewish Education Staff Tova Brivtan Marion Bronstein Linee Diem Lizzy Doppelt Haviva Ferrier Harold Folkoff Jennifer Goren Gail Greenberg Dave Henig Judah Isaacs Helene Weiss Kohn

Harvey Leven Judy Loebl Ellen Maiseloff Lauren Morton Sarah Mountain Debbie Rosenberg Dale Alpert Rubin Wendy Sadler Lisa Soble Siegmann Dedra Simmons Jeff Surowitz

Alliance for Jewish Education

Advancing Jewish Education