Issue 9, Aviv/Spring 5772/2012 The Newsletter for Lookstein Center Leadership Program Alumni Leading the Way Starting a new program the eight participants. And better school leaders and team for the program, always involves a certain aside from this two-day the preparedness to learn which is being sponsored anxiety mixed with excite- retreat, this would be the from all the other partici- by a grant from the UJA- ment. Starting a new type last time in the nine-month pants – the shared knowl- Federation of NY. of program magnified that long program that the edge of the group and the even more. Those were the group would meet face-to- mutual trust are the lynch- feelings we had meeting the face – everything else pins of the success of this eight participants in a bold would happen online in a unique program. new venture launched by combination of synchro- The group has already The Lookstein Center. nous and asynchronous completed its first case discussions. Building on the success of study, and we have all the (NY-based) ELAI pro- The initial anxiety melted learned much about both gram, four graduates of the quickly as the group the content and the proc- program along with four quickly gelled and began ess. Our evaluator, who has Kol tuv, former mentors from that working. Hierarchical accompanied us at every Zvi Grumet program, gathered for a boundaries were broken. step in the process since Associate Educational two-day retreat in Tarry- Veteran school leaders and the retreat, has added in- Director town, NY at the beginning those who are rising in valuable input. Chaya Gor- of February to launch a their schools argued, de- setman, Shonny Solow and new kind of professional bated and figured out ways myself are the leadership development initiative, the to come to consensus as Online Principals Pro- they worked through a case gram. study designed to model Have a picture from a past program? the process they would We'd love to see it . The program is unique in engage in each month. Es- multiple ways. Those who sential to the success of were formerly participants this program is commit- and mentors would now all ment to personal growth, be participants. The con- dedication to becoming tent and guidelines for the program would be gener- ated almost exclusively by Share your thoughts; up‐ date us; we want to hear Important Upcoming Dates from you! Write [email protected]. Holocaust Remembrance Day, Thurs. April 19 Memorial Day, Wed. April 25 Israel Independence Day, Thurs. April 26 Lag B’Omer, Thurs. May 10 Can you identify which Jerusalem Day, Sun. May 20 year this picture was Shavuot, Sun. May 27 (and 28th outside of Israel) taken? Let us know! Professional Milestones • Richard Altabe is headmaster at Yeshivat Shaare Torah in Brooklyn, New York. • Yair Altshuler returned to Israel and is principal of Midrashiat Amalia, a girls religious high school in Jerusalem. • Mendy Balkany is general studies principal at Yeshiva Beth Hillel of Krasna in Brooklyn, New York. • Rochelle Brand has received her Ed.D from Azrieli Graduate School. She is principal of the HAFTR Middle School. • Michelle Distel is education director at Congregation Or Chadash in Scottsdale, Arizona. • Phyllis Fornear Fredericksen has retired and is teaching and supervising university students. She teaches a course in Action Research. • Charles Hauss (of the closed Yeshivat Rambam of Baltimore, Maryland) has retired. • Chaye Kohl is at the Frankel Jewish Academy in West Bloomfield, Michigan, teaching and administrating. • Lisa Micley is director of professional development at the Prozdor of Hebrew College (Newton, Massachusetts), in addition to being a North American school liaison for TaL AM. • Dovid Niman is principal of secular studies at Mesivta Chafetz Chaim in Queens, New York and development of- ficer at Mesivta Ateres Yaakov. • Elisha Paul is associate head of school at RASG Hebrew Academy in Miami Beach, Florida. • Amalia (Bilek) Phillips is an independent educational consultant in Annapolis, Maryland having recently retired from the Epstein School. • Joni Quintal will be leaving her position as principal at Yavneh Day School in Los Gatos, California, at the end of the year, and moving on to consultation. • Lynn W. Raviv is director of development at N.E. Miles Jewish Day School in Birmingham, Alabama (she was for- merly head of school). • Mordechai Shifman is head of school at Emek Hebrew Academy Teichman Family Torah Center in Sherman Oaks, California. • Avi Silverman is education and community advisor at Nefesh B'Nefesh Pre-Aliyah Department. • Robert Smolen is middle school principal at the Gerrard Berman Day School in Oakland, New Jersey. • Divsha Tollinsky is director of early childhood at the Moriah School in Englewood, New Jersey. • Susan Weintrob is head of school at the Addlestone Hebrew Academy in Charleston, South Carolina. • Ira Wise continues to serve as director of education at Congregation B'nai Israel in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He has also been named co-chair of the communications team for the National Association of Temple Educators. • Yonatan Yussman is head of school of the Jewish High School of Connecticut in Bridgeport. Know anyone who needs to reach thousands of Jewish educators and Jewish institutions? The Lookstein Center has extremely attractive advertising rates and packages for its journal, Jewish Educational Leadership—including online exposure. Write [email protected] for details. If your school is still not yet a Lookstein Center member, join now! For details, go to www.lookstein.org/joinus or write to [email protected]. In order to be able to better assist you and your colleagues in a professional manner, we urge you to keep us updated regarding your current address and position. Please feel free to send a quick note with your info (and your colleagues' if you know anything we don't!) to [email protected]. Thank you. Is your community looking for an experienced educator for consultation or professional develop- ment, on a budget? Do you need a professional curriculum writer for Hebrew or Judaic Studies? Does your school feel a close connection with Israel? Project Hagomlim matches experienced, veteran Israeli educators with Jewish communities throughout the world. Project Hagomlim's team members have vast experience working as mentor, providing profes- sional guidance within the Israeli educational system; they are eager to share that experience, to benefit your schools and communities. Project Hagomlim builds a bridge between Israeli educators with Jewish educators throughout the world—sprinkling a flavor of Israel into your school and community, AT LOW COST. For more details contact Moshe Abelesz at [email protected]. We thank our Associate Members for their support: The Lookstein Center for Jewish Education School of Education, Bar‐Ilan University, Ramat‐Gan 52900, Israel Tel +972‐3‐55‐4980, Fax +972‐3‐535‐1912 www.lookstein.org .