To my ARJE Friends and Colleagues,
Theodore Roosevelt stated: Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing, unless it means effort, pain, difficulty. We as Jewish educators agree that our mission and work is worth doing. And …we likely agree that — at times — the work can be a great deal of effort, and sometimes even painful and difficult. Hopefully, those times are balanced by moments when we feel inspired, proud, and gratified. At ARJE, one of our goals and hopes is that we as Jewish educators also feel CELEBRATED for what we do. While we certainly appreciate when many of our home institutions thank and honor us, being honored by one’s professional peers and colleagues can mean even more.
One way we honor those who have made a significant impact in their institution/s and in the field is through the ARJE Distinguished Educator award. Designed to honor those who exemplify the values of ARJE and made significant contributions to the field of Reform Jewish education, this award gifts us the opportunity to lift up excellence, celebrate those longer-term colleagues in the field, share models of success, and vibrantly connect to our mission. As a leader in ARJE, I have done many fulfilling things, such as co-chairing a conference, serving on the board, and much more. But what brings me the most joy and honor is serving as co-chair of the Distinguished Educator award committee and process.
I invite you to think about your colleagues. Who do you know that exemplifies our values? Who has had a significant impact? Who has led in the field for more than 10 years but perhaps is “less known” and should be celebrated and honored by all of us — their colleagues?
You can learn more about the award and its criteria here. Please note that nominators are responsible for raising $1,800 for the Distinguished Educator Fund in honor of the nominee and that self-nominations are not accepted.
Please share this invitation broadly with your networks!
L’Shalom,
Rabbi Eve Rudin, RJE
ARJE Board Member and Co-Chair of the DEH Committee