Jewish Educator Awards

“Jewish education is the most effective means of ensuring that Jewish youth understand our history and destiny, the responsibility to repair the world, and the joy of doing so.”

Lowell Milken

From the most secular to the most Orthodox, Jews are united in a common goal — educating our youth to ensure a vibrant future. For as our tradition notes: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

Those who instruct our young people to the highest standards have an enormous impact on the vitality of our communities and the viability of our heritage. With the goal of recognizing and rewarding the most outstanding among them, we initiated the Jewish Educator Awards in 1990 to dramatically expand the support and recognition for teachers, administrators and other education professionals working in schools affiliated with BJE: Builders of Jewish Education.

By surprising educators with their Awards before entire school communities, we say in a very public way that excellence in education should be rewarded. And by capturing the imagination of students, we hope to encourage our next generation to consider the adventure and impact of teaching.

A great education is not passive but active. If we hope to attract, develop, motivate and retain talented people to choose this most fundamental of professions, we must honor those who bring excellence to their efforts and provide them with opportunities and incentives for their work to flourish.

Those we celebrate with this Award exemplify the Jewish day school mission to prepare our youth for successful lives in the context of our values as a people. Through their intelligence and scholarship, their commitment and compassion, these educators set students on a path to achieve their academic potential, improve our communities and embrace the joys and responsibilities of their Jewish heritage, lighting the way for generations to come.