Blog

by Dr. Gil Graff

For the third consecutive summer, BJE is fortunate to have three teens- Katherine Eble, Riley Sobel, and Lily Spar- interning at the BJE offices as part of the Jewish Federation's LA Jewish Teen Initiative. The 4-week program enables high school students to explore the work of Jewish community agencies.

Riley Sobel and Lily Spar, going into 11th grade and 12th grade at the Episcopal School of Los Angeles and Milken Community High School, respectively, are spending their internship on projects of BJE's Donor & Community Relations department.

Left: student at the Milken Community Schools Graduation
Top Right: Valley Torah High School Boys Class of 2018
Bottom Right: Students at the de Toledo High School Graduation

At this season of graduations, BJE congratulates the students and families marking graduation milestones in their Jewish education. We hope each child and family will continue on their Jewish educational journey through life.

by Dr. Gil Graff

Jewish tradition associates Shavuot with the experience of receiving Torah at Sinai, 50 days after liberation from slavery in Egypt.  Passover marks freedom from bondage; Shavuot celebrates freedom to lead purposeful lives.  As the Israelites are about to encounter Torah, the Torah describes Israel’s mission with the phrase: “kingdom of priests; holy nation.” 

The 37th Annual BJE Bebe Feuerstein Simon Early Childhood Institute convened at Adat Ari El on Monday, March 12th, 2018. Upwards of 300 early childhood educators from across Los Angeles gathered for a day of professional development, and the presentation of the Lainer Distinguished Educator and Smotrich Family Foundation Awards.

The day's events began with the presentation of the Smotrich Family Foundation and the Lainer Distinguished Educator Awards by BJE's own Betty Winn, Director, Center for Excellence in Early Childhood & Day School Education.

Millennia ago, Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) opined that “there is nothing new under the sun.”  Though, occasionally, it might seem as if something is new, Kohelet maintained that the matter was recognized in times past but simply forgotten.  To be sure, humankind acquires new knowledge.  For example, while we know more about child development today than in former times, Koheleth might suggest that seeking and applying such knowledge is a contemporary expression of the ancient wisdom of the Book of Proverbs, "educate each child in their way."
 

The 2018 BJE Gala was a resounding success thanks to you our donors. Close to 450 people attended and over $450,000 was raised, surrounding this memorable, 80th anniversary year event..
 
Gala Co-Chairs Jennifer Elad, Jill Lasker, and Rena Slomovic put together an unforgettable program, while MC Mark Goldenberg led the evening with humor and insight. 
 
The Gala honored Jean & Dr. Jerry Friedman and Bennett Spiegel for their decades of impact on Jewish education in Los Angeles and recognized Keren Dunn for next generation leadership. 
 

The 15th of the Hebrew calendar month of Shevat (Tu B’Shevat), this year, corresponding to January 30/31, marks the new year in the agricultural cycle, for purposes of various Jewish legal requirements relating to produce.  The date has, in more recent times, been embraced as a Jewish Arbor Day.  This year, Tu B’Shevat coincided with a striking, early morning eclipse of the moon.

On November 13th, over 250 parents and early childhood education professionals gathered at Westwood's Sinai Temple for a talk given by Dr. Alicia Lieberman, one of the foremost experts in the field of early brain development.

This talk was sponsored by the Simms/Mann institute, a field leader in the application of neuroscience research to parent education. BJE, a partner in the work of disseminating this research to Parent & Me educators in Jewish early childhood education settings, was proud to promote Dr. Lieberman's talk to its network of affiliated schools.