CAJE Blog
Dec 6, 2024
Traditionally, Jewish day school admissions in South Florida were characterized by isolation and competition, with each school independently managing its own processes. The Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE) in Miami has fundamentally reshaped this landscape by fostering a culture of collaboration, transforming what was once a fragmented system into a cohesive network of schools working together. This shift has not only streamlined admissions but also strengthened the entire Jewish educational community, making the process more equitable and transparent for families and schools alike.
Nov 29, 2024
October 7th has upended so much of what we thought we knew about Israel and our role as Jews in the United States. From the shaking of our assurance that Jews are safest in Israel, to the collapse of our confidence that antisemitism is a thing of the past in America, much of what we thought we knew about Israel and the Jewish people has been forced under scrutiny. The ever-evolving news cycle has been disorienting and the barrage of anti-Israel critique from international organizations and on college campuses has made some of us question whether we ever really made it as citizens of the world.
Nov 22, 2024
This past month, Yehudis Smith, Director of CAJE’s Robert Russell Early Childhood Department, traveled to the Capital Retreat Center in Waynesboro, PA, to attend The Paradigm Project’s annual early childhood education conference, a leading gathering of Jewish early childhood educators from across the country.
Nov 15, 2024
The March is a profound and transformative program that allows participants to bear witness to the atrocities of the Holocaust and the beauty as well as complexities of Israel, while celebrating Jewish identity and resilience. Among the many dedicated individuals who have contributed to the success and sustainability of this program, one figure stands out as a true visionary - Leo Martin z”l, a Holocaust Survivor from Lodz, Poland.
Nov 8, 2024
Did you know that 1 out of 2 new educators will drop out of teaching within their first five years? That’s a statistic that applies to every educational setting, including Jewish day schools, unless the new teacher receives coaching and mentoring. In September, CAJE launched its 7th new cohort of the Jewish New Teacher Project (JNTP), which drastically reduces new teacher burnout because it successfully supports the next generation of educators in Jewish day schools.
Nov 1, 2024
During this tense and fraught time before the US elections and in Israel, it’s always uplifting to focus on good news— our teenagers in the Diller Teen Fellows program who spent year learning leadership skills, forming bonds with each other across denominational divides, connecting with their peers in Yerucham and strengthening their Jewish and Zionist identities. CAJE is honored to be part of their Jewish journey…
Sep 27, 2024
This past summer, Dr. Bella Tendler Krieger (front row left), CAJE’s Director of Adult Learning and Growth, traveled to Jerusalem to study at the Hartman Institute, the leading pluralistic Jewish thinktank and educational institution serving Israel and North America. This week, Bella shares reflections of her time spent at Hartman and introduces Adult Learning's exciting new iEngage Project curriculum
Sep 20, 2024
Over the last few weeks, I have been sharing vignettes from my five-week stint in Jerusalem studying at the Hartman Institute… Through my short stories, I tried to open a window into the Israeli experience, to capture a snapshot of the compassion, resilience, and ingenuity I encountered in Israel, despite the ever-present grief and fear of this past difficult year. Here is the final installment of my Summer in Jerusalem series: “The Brothers from Shuva.” - Dr. Bella Tendler Krieger, CAJE’s Director of Adult Learning and Growth
Sep 13, 2024
As the newly appointed Chair of The Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE), Mark Kravitz is eager to bring his passion for Jewish learning front and center. In a post-10/7 world, Kravitz knows now is the time to reevaluate, reenergize and redefine Jewish education, and Miami is the place to do it. “We must meet the moment and respond to Jews where they are today and education has always been the way to do that,”
Sep 6, 2024
One afternoon, my cohort at Hartman was invited to the home of Nissimmi Naim Naor for some therapeutic baking. Nissimmi, a celebrated Israeli chef, had just completed his rabbinical training, and our program directors thought we could learn a thing or two from a rabbi-chef. As we climbed the steps to his apartment, the most incredible scent of baking bread wafted towards us. We followed our noses to his front door, where he waited, bearded, aproned, and grinning contagiously.
