Original article by Jewish Federation Bay Area, published on June 30, 2026. What does it look like when a community truly invests in its women leaders — not just by promoting them, but by creating space for them to discover
Photo credit: The Kehillah School. Photographed: Sarah Lesser teaching. By Sarah Lesser, educator, and Genevieve Shimshowitz, rising 12th grader and Senior Kesher Fellow, at the Kehillah School. In its second year at The Kehillah School, the Kesher Fellowship made much progress
By Yael Krieger, Associate Head of School, Oakland Hebrew Day School Oakland Hebrew Day School has a long-standing commitment to investing in learning support and stretching our capacity to serve a diverse student body. We recognized, however, a critical need
Caption: Students adding pieces as a team to a puzzle as they work on shalom, anchored in shlemut/wholeness. By Sue Bojdak, independent Jewish educator and consultant. “Surely, this instruction which I enjoin upon you this day is not too baffling
By Jodi Gladstone, Early Childhood Education Director at Beth El Nursery School (BENS) at Congregation Beth El, Berkeley, CA There is a moment, familiar to every early childhood educator, when you look around your classroom and feel as though you
By Karla Cianci, Preschool Site Director at Helen Diller Family Preschool and Lisa Monette, Senior Director of Early Childhood Education at the JCCSF When the JCCSF learned about Jewish LearningWorks’ microgrants, our preschool site directors immediately saw an opportunity to strengthen
By Kelly Dotson, Senior Site Director, JCCSF Rosenberg Early Childhood Education Center This year, Rosenberg was fortunate to receive a microgrant from Jewish LearningWorks for the 2025–26 school year. When I applied, I had a simple but hopeful vision: to give our
By Rebecca Goodman, Director of Jewish Community Engagement at JCRC “Whoever listens to a witness becomes a witness” -Elie Wiesel Elie Wiesel believed that one who listens to a witness, becomes a witness. I am lucky. My Opa (grandfather) fled
Yoga for Freedom • 4th Street Yoga • Berkeley, CA Reconnecting with Body, Soul & Spirit “The vital desire of the soul (nefesh) is to be free in her movement, in her physical movement and spiritual movement, with a desire
By Adam Lowy, Lifelong Learning Moreh Derech at Congregation Beth Sholom of San Francisco, and 2024 Ruby Award recipient Last fall I was thrilled to receive the announcement of Jewish LearningWorks’ new microgrant opportunity for staff development, and was ecstatic