Project SuLaM
“Through the various components of SuLaM, participants will engage in study that will enhance their ability to serve as articulate and passionate advocates for rich Jewish learning. We encourage school boards that recognize the importance of a well grounded Judaic school environment to empower their heads of school to take part.”
Arthur W. Fried, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, The AVI CHAI Foundation
Arthur Fried’s words have indeed proven prophetic. Now in its third and final cohort, Project SuLaM has been one of the most powerful programs ever devised for exerting a transformative impact upon Jewish day schools. SuLaM is premised upon a profound faith in the people who lead our schools. The program was created in the belief that great changes start from the top. Through close attention to its participants’ learning and growth, SuLaM has cultivated the tools, skills and dispositions in a generation of day school administrators to take ownership of their schools’ Jewish vision. Additionally, it has forged a community of professionals who, through their school leadership, informal networking, alumni Shabbatonim, personal learning and numerous other channels continue to promote the values of the program and to strengthen their personal and professional bonds.
SuLaM has reached 44 participants from 38 schools. It has made a tangible impact in the life of nearly one-third of the schools in the RAVSAK network. Participants have engaged in two intensive summer institutes and three learning Shabbatonim during the school year; pursued their own rigorous Judaic studies; undertaken Individual Action Plans to increase their Jewish knowledge and improve the Jewish vision of their schools in many areas; in concert with other school administrators, devised an Institutional Action Plan to examine ways that their school culture could grow in its alignment with Jewish values; and created ambitious new Jewish projects for their schools. All the while, thanks to the complete funding of the AVI CHAI Foundation, they have been treated to classes with leading Judaics scholars, top-flight curricula prepared specially for the program, honoraria for participation and for Jewish learning, and numerous stays in hotels with gourmet kosher catering.
Mazel tov to the current participants in the third cohort!
- Lilach Bluevise Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex & Union
- Anthea Canes Abraham Joshua Heschel Day School
- Todd Clauer Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy
- Peter Cline Yavneh Day School
- Jeff Davis San Diego Jewish Academy
- Natalie Friedman Donna Klein Jewish Academy
- Jill Grunewald Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Monmouth County
- Nan Jarashow Aleph Bet Jewish Day School
- Jill Kessler Pardes School
- Allison Oakes Eleanor Kolitz Academy
- David Portnoy Emery/Weiner School
- Leslie Pugach Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy
- Mike Tanenbaum Portland Jewish Academy
- B. Anat Valdman Reuben Gittelman Hebrew Day School
- Nina Wand Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School
Click here to see a slideshow of the 2009 Summer Institute.
And to previous Sulamites:
Cohort One
- Sue Einhorn Greenfield Day School
- Thomas Elieff Jewish Day School of Metropolitan Seattle
- Karen Feller Donna Klein Jewish Academy
- Mitch Flatow King David School
- Dean Goldfein Contra Costa Jewish Day School
- Robert Greenberg N.E. Miles Jewish Day School
- Joan Gusinow Shalom School
- Howard Kaplan American Hebrew Academy
- Shelli Lavender Jerome Lippman Jewish Community Day School
- Meisha Leibson Brevard Jewish Community School
- Alice Maniloff Lerner Jewish Community Day School
- Myra Michelson Vancouver Talmud Torah
- Judy Miller Maass Jewish Community Day School
- Betty Winn Abraham Joshua Heschel Day School
- Ariel Zaltzman Kehila Jewish Community Day School
Cohort Two
- Steve Adleberg Gesher Jewish Day School
- Nora Anderson Westchester Fairfield Hebrew Academy
- Susan Cohen Hebrew Day School of Central Florida
- Amir Eden Donna Klein Jewish Academy
- Gayle Green David Posnack Hebrew Day School
- Howard Haas Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy
- Janice Johnson Jess Schwartz Jewish Community High School
- Idit Moss Yavneh Day School
- Patricia Schwartz Portland Jewish Academy
- Marilyn Sherman David Posnack Hebrew Day School
- Deborah Starr Heritage Academy
- Claire Steingo David Posnack Hebrew Day School
- Wendy Waxman Hillel Academy of Ottawa
- Miriam Weissberger Hebrew School of Monterrey Mexico
Hakarat ha-tov to the outstanding Jewish educators who have taught and mentored SuLaM participants:
- Rabbi Tzvi Berkson Donna Klein Jewish Academy
- Rabbi Achiya Delouya Addlestone Hebrew Academy
- Rabbi Michael Druin Samuel Scheck Hillel Community Day School
- Tzivia Garfinkel Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School
- Mariashi Groner Charlotte Jewish Day School
- Jerry Isaak-Shapiro Agnon School
- Susan Koss Jewish Primary Day School of the Nation's Capital
- Larry Kutler David Posnack Hebrew Day School
- Susan Weintrob Hannah Senesh Community Day School
RAVSAK has been instrumental in raising the profile, awareness and academic level of Talmud study at our school.”
Marc Leventhal, Judaic Teacher/Moot Beit Din Advisor
TheWeber School
[Full-time] Head of School at Trocki Jewish Community Day School
Participants at the recently concluded North American Jewish Day School Leadership Conference are hailing it as having been a unique and invaluable opportunity to share perspectives and explore common issues in an environment of denominational unity.
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In a groundbreaking gathering representing collaboration and common purpose among Jewish religious streams, nearly 600 leaders and educators at Jewish day schools across the U.S. and Canada will open the first-ever North American Jewish Day School Leadership Conference today.
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For twelve days in June and July, while many of their peers had escaped for summer vacation, fifteen dedicated day school leaders met in New York City to embark upon the intense professional and personal journey that is Project SuLaM. Fifteen seasoned educators came from schools throughout North...
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RAVSAK welcomes the members of a new, expanded Editorial Board for
HaYidion (see Contents page for the list of participants). Editorial Board members consist of school heads and Judaic directors from the full panoply of RAVSAK schools, including small and big schools, primary schools and...
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Members of RAVSAK enjoy many benefits which support the overall work of the school and the professionals who lead them. Find out more about membership benefits and how your school can become a member.
Use our interactive map of member schools to find a Jewish Day School near you.
In addition to serving Jewish community day schools across North America, RAVSAK has a special category of membership for Jewish and educational organizations, consultants and companies which share our vision of excellence in Jewish day school education.
