Blog

With the approach of the new year, BJE installed its Officers and Directors for the 2016-2017 term. We are fortunate that Dr. Alan M. Spiwak will continue as President for a 3rd one-year term and are  pleased to welcome to the elected board of forty-one directors and officers four new directors: Ilana Goldschein, Dr. Simona Heumann, Amy Leibowitz and Sheilah Miller.

With the approach of the new year, BJE has installed its Officers and Directors for the 2016-2017 term. Dr. Alan M. Spiwak will serve a 3rd one-year term as President. The elected board of forty-one directors and officers includes four directors who have not, previously, served on the BJE board: Ilana Goldschein, Dr. Simona Heumann, Amy Leibowitz and Sheilah Miller.

To me, being a Builder is really about providing people with the building blocks and the tools to go out into the community and make an impression. Hopefully, the work I do helps make young people want to be Jewish. 

BJE ensures that Los Angeles Jewish day schools and educators are the best they can be by providing professional development opportunities and working with schools to build endowments.  

We want to lay the foundation, the scaffolding, to get kids excited about being Jewish.

A Builder of Jewish education is not satisfied with the status quo. To build means to encounter challenges, and even resistance at times. But a builder perseveres, out of a passion for the mission, and recognition that without building, the mission fails. 

My family was always involved in different ways in the Jewish community. My grandfather – my saba – is a BJE board member and past president, and always talked about BJE and other Jewish organizations when I was growing up. I didn’t know what it meant then, but I knew my family was involved. I joined USY in high school and especially liked the social action programs.

Teens spent this second week volunteering at organizations which address the issues of hunger, homelessness, and poverty.  Volunteer work was followed by reflection activities led by Teen Service Corps educators.  
 

I never planned on committing my life to Jewish education - now, I can’t imagine doing anything else. With every thoughtful, passionate young person that passes through our school, I further understand the importance of nurturing a new generation of Jewish difference-makers.

BJE is proud to offer mentorship and support to aspiring Jewish communal professionals and has a long history of working with student interns.  

During the summer, BJE welcomes rising high school juniors and seniors both independently and through the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles' Community Internship Program. Interns gain valuable skills while working with BJE across all departments.  Pictured here are BJE summer 2016 interns, Elia Eisner, Abby Gore, Noah Martin, David Trolettie and Hannah Kleinman.