2025 “What If?” Grant Recipients

For many years, BJE has awarded The Smotrich Family Foundation Award of Merit for Early Childhood Educators to early career educators from BJE-affiliated schools.  The Smotrich Family Foundation Award was established by brothers Marvin and Thomas Smotrich, in memory of their parents, the late Bee and Sam Smotrich, who embodied exceptional commitment to Jewish life, love of Jewish learning and devotion to the education of children. 

In 2022-2023, the award was reimagined as The Smotrich Family Foundation “What If?” Grant. Recipients of this grant were asked to submit a project that detailed what they would do “If they had $1,500 to imagine the school project of their dreams” as well as a plan for sharing their project with educators in other schools in order to maximize the benefit of the program. 

2025 Smotrich Family Foundation “What If” Grant Recipients:

Kadima Day School ECEC will be using their “What If” grant funds to create a “Wonder Wall” consisting of six large house shaped interactive wood panels including a mirror, chalkboard, tube wall, magnetic wall, easel, and a sensory wall to be enjoyed by all their students. 

Tashbar Sephardic Yeshiva Ketana will be using their “What If” grant funds to create a Loose Parts Center and Garden in their outdoor space using natural materials like logs, tree bark slices, wooden building blocks, and crates. 

For more information about the “What If” grant program or the Lainer Distinguished Educator Awards, please contact Carly Rosenstein, BJE Director of the Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Education.