Do you know an innovative Jewish educator?

The Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation are partnering to honor outstanding Jewish educators in greater Rhode Island. Nominations are now being accepting for the 2015-2016 school year, for the Lea Eliash Memorial/Grinspoon Award for Excellence in Jewish Education. Please contact Lawrence Katz at lkatz@jewishallianceri.org for the link to the nomination form or more information. Nominations are due by Feb. 24.

The local award winner will receive:

                •             $1,000 toward a professional development opportunity.

                •             $500 honorarium from the Harold Grinspoon Foundation.

                •             Plaque from the Harold Grinspoon Foundation.

                •             Local and national publicity and acknowledgment, in print and online.

                •             Listing on the Harold Grinspoon Foundation website.

                •             Invitation to participate in an online community of practice.

Jewish educators who see the same class(es) regularly are candidates – early childhood educators, religious school teachers, day school or secondary school teachers, etc. They do not need to be Jewish but do need to work for a Jewish educational organization in Greater Rhode Island performing the functions of a teacher, not of an administrator. Candidates for the award must be teachers who:

                •             Demonstrate exceptional achievement in Jewish education.

                •             Have made a significant impact on students and the community.

                •             Have a minimum of three years experience in the field.

                •             Teach in pre-school through grade 12.

Applicants should demonstrate creative curriculum design, effective planning skills and inspirational teaching. They should be able to provide examples of successful innovations in Jewish education that engage learners and result in evidence of learning.

Lea Eliash, in serving for over 50 years as a teacher, taught the love of Hebrew language to generations, often of the same family. Lea forged deep connections to these generations of students, with each feeling his or her own personal attachment to her. Even at over 80, Lea was still exhilarated by her teaching and learning. For Lea, it was not “what I teach” but “whom I teach.”

Lea was a survivor of the Kovno ghetto. Therefore, in addition to teaching within the Jewish community, Lea generously shared her own highly personal, intimate story with public school and church groups.

The Lea Eliash Memorial Award, established in partnership with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, brings national recognition to the local recipient. Harold Grinspoon created this award as an expression of his commitment to quality Jewish education and his belief that teachers are at the heart of the educational process. Grinspoon is active in funding Jewish life in western Massachusetts and in the national and international Jewish philanthropic community. The Grinspoon Awards (formerly Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards) have recognized more than 700 outstanding educators in the U.S. and Canada in the past 15 years, including several from Rhode Island. For more information on the Grinspoon Awards, see hgf.org/JEd-Awards or email Nora Gorenstein at TeacherAwards@HGF.org