Gleanings: Portraits of Jewish Educational Leadership from the William Davidson School

Welcome from the Dean

Shira D. Epstein, EdD, Dean, William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education

This issue, focusing on “Professional and Instructional Leadership in Jewish Education,” highlights innovative pedagogues and the ways in which their initiatives are inspiring both adult and teen participants to advance and elevate their own leadership.

Elevating Educational Work to the Realm of the Sacred: Kathy Schwartz

Making connections is at the core of the approach Kathy Schwartz takes in the professional development she provides to educators across the San Francisco Bay area and beyond. Having received her doctorate from the William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education, she draws on both her years of experience as a congregational educator and the intensive academic training she received at The William Davidson School.

How Do You Cultivate Jewish Self-Confidence? Jaimie Krass

As director of youth programming at Keshet, Jaimie Krass strives to be the kind of educator who made a difference in her own life, promoting self-discovery using the learner-centered constructivist approach she mastered at the William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education.

Starting With Goals: Judith Shapero, Cindy Reich, and Aviva Silverman

The Standards and Benchmarks initiative at the William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education equips Judaic studies leaders and educators with the tools to develop their skills and set the conditions for long-term student learning.

Where Judaism and Relationship Skills Meet: Daniel Brenner

Daniel Brenner trains educators in formal and informal settings to work with teens in proven ways to get them talking about what matters most.

News from William Davidson School Alumni

We are very proud of our William Davidson School alumni who shared the following professional achievements and brought us up to date on their roles.  If you have an update that you would like to share in the next issue, please reach out to Melissa Friedman, director of Alumni Affairs at mefriedman@jtsa.edu.