2010
Mrs. Zipora Antman	GREATER NEW YORK
Ms. Emily Aronoff	WEST PALM BEACH, FL
Rabbi Ruven Barkan	METROPOLITAN CHICAGO
Sonya Basseri	SEATTLE, WA
Elise Berlin	MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ
Ms. Leah BlumenthalBoonin	BOULDER, CO
Ms. Kathe Brener	LAS VEGAS, NV
Melissa Burger	MIAMI, FL
Miss Sara Chaya Burton	GREATER NEW YORK
Mrs. Minda Chaikin	WINNIPEG
Mrs. Dina Delmar-Acoca	GREATER VANCOUVER, BC
Ms. Lauri Flaxman	SAN FRANCISCO, THE PENINSULA, MARIN & SONOMA COUNTIES, CA
Mr. Ariel Gerafi	MONTREAL, QC
Ms. Henri Goettel	GREATER KANSAS CITY
Mrs. Brocha Leah Greenberg	GREATER BUFFALO, NY
Mrs. Sandy Haas	DALLAS, TX
Dr. Mara Hammerman	STAMFORD, CT
Rachelle Herzog	TAMPA, FL
Mrs. Debby Jacobson	ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY
Ms. Miriam Kass	METROPOLITAN CHICAGO
Ann Kocher	AUSTIN, TX
Ms. Marina Kogan	LOS ANGELES, CA
Mrs. Zahava Koll	BALTIMORE, MD
Mrs. Leah Levi	NORTHERN NEW JERSEY
Mrs. Adina Levin	DETROIT METROPOLITAN AREA, MI
Laurie N. Levy	GREATER HOUSTON, TX
Jennifer K. McGowan	WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
Miriam Miller	GREATER NEW YORK
Ms. Rhonda Mills	RHODE ISLAND
Marla A. Peers	GREATER NEW YORK
Mrs. Rachel Pekkar	PITTSBURGH, PA
Mr. Harris Pikus	GREATER HOUSTON, TX
Ms. Shoshana Radinsky	GREATER NEW YORK
Mr. Michael Raileanu	ST. LOUIS, MO
Eran Rosenberg	COLUMBUS, OH
Yona Rosenman	BOSTON, MA
Rabbi Shai Scherer	CINCINNATI, OH
Patty Shechtman	GREATER PHILADELPHIA, PA
Ellyn B. Shriber	CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS
Ms. Linda Greenberg Signer	SAN DIEGO, CA
Mrs. Aviva Skurowitz	BROWARD COUNTY, FL
Mrs. Revital Soffer	LOS ANGELES, CA
Mrs. Deborah Stark	NORTHEASTERN NEW YORK
Rabbi Ben Sugerman	SOUTH PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL
Mrs. Melissa Truelove	SOUTHERN ARIZONA
Robin Wander	CENTRAL NEW JERSEY
Mrs. Amanda Warner	ROCHESTER, NY
Ms. Flora Musleah Yavelberg	METROWEST NJ

2009
Gvira Abed	SAN DIEGO, CA
Jane L. Agdern	BJE NEW YORK-SAJES
Rita Appel	GREATER PHILADELPHIA, PA
Rachel Bahar	STAMFORD, NEW CANAAN AND DARIEN, CT
Gail Ben Meir	GREATER SEATTLE, WA
Phyllis Binik-Thomas	CINCINNATI, OH
Susie Blackman	GREATER KANSAS CITY, MO
Joan Freeman Cohen	BJE NEW YORK-SAJES
Daniel Dreyfuss	MIAMI, FL
Bella Eshed	WEST PALM BEACH, FL
Avital Etehad	LOS ANGELES, CA
Karen G. Fernandez	ROCHESTER, NY
Rabbi Howard Finkelstein	OTTOWA ON, CANADA
Rivka Fishman	GREATER HOUSTON, TX
Lisa Friedman	NORTHERN NEW JERSEY
Elaine Geller	ATLANTIC COUNTY, NJ
Elana Gettinger	LOS ANGELES, CA
Rabbi Yonason Goldson	ST. LOUIS, MO
Jessica Gross-Hutchings	LOS ANGELES, CA
Naomi Guy	LAS VEGAS, NV
Marjorie Hochberg	SOUTHERN ARIZONA
Rabbi Reuven Hoff	ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY
Shoshana B. Kaish	BJE NEW YORK-SAJES
Lisa Beth Kollins	CLEVELAND, OH
Sarah Korman	DALLAS, TX
Para Rabbi Hanalei Laner	BOULDER, CO
Rebecca Laufgraben	GREATER BUFFALO, NY
Michal Lavy	WINNIPEG MB, CANADA
Dr. Jilly Lederman	WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
Wendy Lempert	TAMPA, FL
Shoshana Munk	CLEVELAND, OH
Rivkah Nachlas	DETROIT METROPOLITAN AREA, MI
Anat Nagar	BROWARD COUNTY, FL
Audrey Nasar	BJE NEW YORK-SAJES
Malka Phillips	AUSTIN, TX
Yazmin Popiol	BROWARD COUNTY, FL
Meryl I. Reichman	CENTRAL NEW JERSEY
Charlotte A. Roth	GREATER HOUSTON, TX
Shukie Sapir	GREATER BOSTON, MA
Ayelet Sason	LOS ANGELES, CA
Rabbi Kenneth Schiowitz	BJE NEW YORK-SAJES
Mindy Schreff	METROWEST, NJ
Mitra Shammash	LOS ANGELES, CA
Tania Shedlo	BALTIMORE, MD
Karen Shiffman	CLEVELAND, OH
Karen Lesley Shill	ANN ARBOR, MI
Hadassah Shtern	CLEVELAND, OH
Ruth Shtrom	MONTREAL QC, CANADA
Susan Stein	BIRMINGHAM, AL
Anita Lebowitz Stieglitz	DENVER, CO
Irene Sufrin	METROPOLITAN CHICAGO, IL
Susan Amram Summit	CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS
Sara Taib	BJE NEW YORK-SAJES
Denny Ticker	DALLAS, TX
Adam Tilove	BJE NEW YORK-SAJES
Debra Togliatti	SAN FRANCISCO, THE PENINSULA, MARIN AND SONOMA COUNTIES, CA
Rabbi Mordecai Yachnes	SOUTH PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL
Esta Yavner	RHODE ISLAND
Madeleine Zember	BJE NEW YORK-SAJES
2008
Patricia Abeles	GREATER BUFFALO, NY
Sari Abrams	LOS ANGELES
Bonnie Altman	WEST PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL
Pinchas Amior	DETROIT METROPOLITAN AREA, MI
Silvana Bacman	SAN ANTONIO, TX
Cindy Band	GREATER PHILADELPHIA, PA
Varda Bashan	SILICON VALLEY, CA
Linda Benish	MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ
Penina Berdugo	METROPOLITAN CHICAGO
Marilyn Berger	VANCOUVER, BC
Ronnie Berger Miller	SOUTHERN ARIZONA
Lilach Bluevise	METROWEST, NJ
Jaklyn Buff	ROCHESTER, NY
Shoshi Caplan	MONTREAL, QC
Rafael Carruthers	GREATER STAMFORD, NEW CANAAN, AND DARIEN CT
Sandis Croner	BROWARD COUNTY, FL
Aline Davis	CLEVELAND, OH
Carrie Denbina Keith	GREATER HOUSTON, TX
Todd Doctor	GREATER HOUSTON, TX
Karen Ekstein	NORTHEASTERN NEW YORK
Linor Eylon
Marita Falconer	ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY
Susan Feldman	ATLANTIC COUNTY, NJ
Pamela S. Feldman-Hill	COLUMBUS, OH
Annette R. Friend	SAN DIEGO, CA
Phyllis Frisher	SUFFOLK COUNTY
Yael Gal	MILWAUKEE, WI
Shari Glestein	ST. LOUIS, MO
Penina Goldstein	BALTIMORE, MD
Seth N. Grauer	GREATER NEW YORK
Barbara A. Haber	NORTHERN NEW JERSEY
Gerald Hecht	GREATER NEW YORK
Melissa Hinspeter	DELAWARE
Bayla Kohn	GREATER NEW YORK
Rochel Leah Kosofsky	WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
June Kraff	TAMPA, FL
Seth Miller	DALLAS, TX
Linda Miller Klein	BROWARD COUNTY, FL
Katherine Mueller	LOS ANGELES
Barak Naveh	PITTSBURGH, PA
Randee Norwood	LOS ANGELES
Linda B. Paulding	GREATER NEW YORK
Michelle Princenthal	LOS ANGELES
Amer Randell	SOUTH PALM BEACH, FL
Estella Raphael	DALLAS, TX
Nitzan Resnick	BOSTON, MA
Donna Riss	GREATER KANSAS CITY
Shaya Rodal	OTTAWA, ON
Judith Rose	BROWARD COUNTY, FL
Nancy Rosen	GREATER HARTFORD, CT
Janine Rosenbaum	SEATTLE, WA
Jeffrey Rothman	GREATER NEW YORK
Irene Rudnick	CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS
Eileen Sadowsky	CLEVELAND, OH
Sylvia Scher	DENVER, CO
Esther Silver	CALGARY, AB
Efrat Simhi-Aloni	GREATER EAST BAY, CA
Aviva Steinberg	CENTRAL NEW JERSEY
Batshir Torchio	SAN FRANCISCO, THE PENINSULA, MARIN & SONOMA COUNTIES, CA
Jessica Lissy Trey	GREATER NEW YORK
Malka Weil	CLEVELAND, OH
Miriam Esther Weiner	RHODE ISLAND
Tracy Weisberger	CINCINNATI, OH
Rishi Wilhelm	KNOXVILLE, TN
Vicki Wilson	SUFFOLK COUNTY
Sherry Wolfe-Elazar	WINNIPEG,MB
Orit Yehezkel-Ruiz	AUSTIN, TX

 

2007
Rivka Alter	DENVER, COLORADO
Miriam Altman	PITTSBURGH, PHILADELPHIA
Davida Horowitz Amkraut	CLEVELAND, OHIO
Dina Bartov	DENVER, COLORADO
Rabbi Yamin Benarroch	MONTREAL, QUEBEC
Rabbi Chaim Benhamou	MIAMI, FLORIDA
Geri Berg	MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
Ann Berman	BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
Rabbi Gur Berman	SOUTH PALM BEACH, FLORIDA
Ora Bernstein	DALLAS, TEXAS
Alix Brown	STANFORD, NEW CANAAN AND DARIEN, CONNECTICUT
Deborah Chessin	CLEVELAND, OHIO
Lillian Cohen	CLEVELAND, OHIO
David Cohen	AUSTIN, TEXAS
Rabbi Tzvi Daum	GREATER NEW YORK
Barbara Dragul	CINCINNATI, OHIO
Jeri Dubin	LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
Meira Eisenberg	GREATER HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT
Anat Ekhoiz	WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
Elisabeth Fagen	ST. JOSPEH VALLEY, INDIANA
Ronya Friedlander	BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
Clara Gaba	DETROIT METROPOLITAN, MICHIGAN
Vered Gadot	HOUSTON, TEXAS
Esther Gozlan	BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA
Rebecca Green	LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
Myriam Gumerman	PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
Joshua Hearshen	LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
Ellen Heffler	HOUSTON, TEXAS
Meri Hever	LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
Roslyn Hirschhorn	ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI
Debra Hollander	GREATER NEW YORK
Amy Holtzer	GREATER NEW YORK
Margie Holzer	CENTRAL MASSACHUSSETTS
Arlene Isserles	GREATER NEW YORK
Natalie Joss	SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
Gloria Kagan	GREATER KANSAS CITY
Zipporah Kleinberg	ROCHESTER, NEW YORK
Paul Koret	CLEVELAND, OHIO
Courtney Krieger	AKRON, OHIO
Taly Levee	SILICON VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
Gabi Lazar	SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
Miriam Leshem	GREATER PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
Carol Leszcz	WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
RutI Lifshitz	WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA
Hannah Lifowitz	MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
Susan Loether	PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
Elisabeth Nayor	GREATER NEW YORK
Shlomi Netanel	CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
Miriam Newman	GREATER BOSTON, MASSACHUSSETTS
Kaden Oppenheimer	GREATER SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
Zipporah Perlmutter	METROPOLITAN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Lenora Pfeffer	NORTHEASTERN NEW YORK
Peninah Pick	NORTHERN NEW JERSEY
Deena Rabinovich	GREATER NEW YORK
Claire Rachman	DALLAS, TEXAS
Joy Reiter	GREATER TORONTO, ONTARIO
Lori Riegel	SOUTHERN ARIZONA
Jennifer Rosenberg	ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN
Dalia Rosenthal	GREATER NEW YORK
Tzipora Ross	GREATER NEW YORK
Judith Schanzer	ROCKLAND COUNTRY, NEW YORK
Leah Schneider	GREATER BUFFALO,NEW YORK
Sharon Rosenberg Scholl	MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
Nava Scheckman	METRO WEST NEW JERSEY
Chana Sheinberger	BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA
Brenda Silvers	SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
Rabbi Yehuda Simes	OTTAWA, ONTARIO
Hilary Steinberg	LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
Yael Turkel	BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
Cynthia, Voly	MIAMI, FLORIDA
Amy Wasser	TAMPA, FLORIDA
Ophra Weisberg	CINCINNATTI, OHIO
Yehudis Wolvovsky	WESTERN MASSACHUSSETTS
Ellen Yucht	BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA
Sara Zack-Weintraub	VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Rita Zohav	GREATER SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

 

2006
Miriam Araf	MONTREAL , QUEBEC
Rabbi Jonathan Bailey	BALTIMORE , MARYLAND
Nurit Barnard	CLEVELAND , OHIO
Bonnie Barocas	BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA
Camille Benjamin	BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA
Rabbi Jon Bloomberg	BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS
Eleanor Braude	VANCOUVER , BRITISH COLUMBIA
Jill Brenner	BALTIMORE , MARYLAND
Micaela Chambers	LOS ANGELES , CALIFORNIA
Elaine Chapman	GREATER PHOENIX , ARIZONA
Nachum Chasan	ATLANTIC COUNTY , NEW JERSEY
Susan Couden	COLUMBUS , OHIO
Naomi Cowen	GREATER BUFFALO , NEW YORK
Elinur Danon	NORTHEASTERN NEW YORK
Lisa Eppel	LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
Rivka Eskovitz	RHODE ISLAND
Rabbi Joey Felsen	SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
Heather Fiedler	GREATER HARTFORD , CONNECTICUT
Renee Fine	SILICON VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
Shulamis Fishman	ROCKLAND COUNTY , NEW YORK
Faye Ellen Friedman	DETROIT , MICHIGAN
Rochelle Gamliel	WINNIPEG , MANITOBA
Rabbi Menachem Goldberg	SEATTLE , WASHINGTON
Jill Goldstein	GREATER KANSAS CITY, KANSAS
Rabbi Menachem Greenblatt	ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI
Carla Greer	SOUTH PALM BEACH, FLORIDA
Brocha Hoff	GREATER NEW YORK
Jessica Issaharov	SOUTHERN ARIZONA
Nechama Itkin	PITTSBURGH , PENNSYLVANIA
Shawn Jeffers	CINCINNATI , OHIO
Joyce Kerr	WINNIPEG , MANITOBA
Jennifer Khayat	LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
Rabbi Ariel Klein	CLEVELAND , OHIO
Rabbi Theodore Saul Klein	GREATER NEW YORK
Dena Knoll	NORTHERN NEW JERSEY
Deborah Kohanbash	PITTSBURGH , PENNSYLVANIA
Christopher E. Kraus	CINCINNATI , OHIO
Bracha Lang	BALTIMORE , MARYLAND
Liat Lazarovich	WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
Basya Levin	CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS
Nomi Levy	SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
Hagit Lifshitz	SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
Judy Maislos	GREATER HOUSTON , TEXAS
Veronica Maravankin	WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA
Harold Marcus	PITTSBURGH , PENNSYLVANIA
Dawn Margolin	GREATER EAST BAY , CALIFORNIA
Robin Mendelson	GREATER EAST BAY , CALIFORNIA
Jodi Allison Mishkin	GREATER NEW YORK
Rina Moscovitz	GREATER NEW YORK
Suzanne S. Nahamo	GREATER PHILADELPHIA , PENNSYLVANIA
Rabbi Eli Newman	CLEVELAND , OHIO
Shelly Newman	DALLAS , TEXAS
Ruth Ossher	GREATER NEW YORK
Randee Paller	LOS ANGELES , CALIFORNIA
Edna Pasternak	ROCKLAND COUNTY, NEW YORK
Julie W. Pollack	NORTHEASTERN NEW YORK
Peggy Sandel	SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
Shelly Sender	DALLAS , TEXAS
Marissa Sharpe	LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
Heidi Solomon	CLEVELAND , OHIO
Rabbi Moshe Sonnenschein	AKRON , OHIO
Dorothy Weiss	GREATER NEW YORK
Miriam Wielgus	GREATER NEW YORK
Nechamit Yaari	MINNEAPOLIS , MINNESOTA
Rabbi Shmuel Dov Yarmush	OTTAWA, ONTARIO
Rabbi Moshe Zimberg	GREATER NEW YORK
Joshua Zwelling	DAYTON, OHIO

 

2005
Mrs. Rosie Akerman	DALLAS, TX
Mrs. Lori Asulin	WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
Mrs. Hadassah Baldinger	PHOENIX, AZ
Mrs. Aviva Bass	SAN ANTONIO, TX
Mr. Andrew Benkendorf	LOS ANGELES, CA
Ms. Sammy Ben-Avi	SOUTH PALM BEACH, FL
Mrs. Zehava Chaimovitz	HAMILTON, ON
Ms. Naomi Chase-Friddle	CLEVELAND, OH
Rabbi Steven Chatinover	HARTFORD, CT
Ms. Sandy Cohen-Wynn	SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Mrs. Sandy Daum	BROWARD COUNTY, FL
Ms. Ellen Dietrick	CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA
Ms. Elana Flaumenhaft	NORTHERN NEW JERSEY
Mrs. Esther Gendelman	ST. JOSEPH VALLEY, IN
Mrs. Joan Gilbert	GREATER NEW YORK AREA
Ms. Ina Goldhagen	ATLANTIC COUNTY, NJ
Mrs. Noa Goldman	BALTIMORE, MD
Mrs. Donna Graham	GREATER NEW YORK AREA
Mrs. Heather Greenberg	NORTH SHORE, MA
Mrs. Chana Hayes	OTTAWA, ON
Mrs. Sandy Heaslip	GREATER NEW YORK AREA
Mrs. Ruchie Hecht	CLEVELAND, OH
Mrs. Faye Holman	BROWARD COUNTY, FL
Mrs. Susie Hurst	GREATER KANSAS CITY
Mr. Nehemia Ichilov	AKRON, OH
Mrs. Janet Jeddah	GREATER NEW YORK AREA
Mrs. Nechama Katz	DALLAS, TX
Ms. Sacha Kopin	GREATER EAST BAY, CA
Mrs. Candy Kwiatek	DAYTON, OH
Mrs. Abigail Lerner	GREATER NEW YORK AREA
Mrs. Carol Levin	HOUSTON, TX
Ms. Cheryl Maayan	ST. LOUIS, MO
Ms. Delanie Maghen	LOS ANGELES, CA
Ms. Chana Malamed	LOS ANGELES, CA
Ms. Michelle Mark	PITTSBURGH, PA
Mrs. Barbara Match	LOS ANGELES, CA
Mrs. Orna McNamara	BUFFALO, NY
Ms. Irina Minevich	BALTIMORE, MD
Mrs. Ruth Nitsun	INDIANAPOLIS, IN
Mrs. Andrea Olkin	WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
Mrs. Pnina Orbach	CHICAGO, IL
Mrs. Linda Oxman	ORANGE COUNTY, CA
Mrs. Jila Parhami	LOS ANGELES, CA
Mrs. Simona Parynte	MONTREAL, QC
Ms. Renee Peery	DAYTON, OH
Rabbi Tuvya Peromsik	SEATTLE, WA
Mrs. Maya Redman	PHOENIX, AZ
Mrs. Donna Robins	TORONTO, ON
Mrs. Marcia Rosenthal	PHILADELPHIA, PA
Rabbi Eliyahu Rothman	PITTSBURGH, PA
Ms. Rochel Leah Rothman	GREATER NEW YORK AREA
Ms. Elizabeth Saul	SEATTLE, WA
Ms. Susan Sawyer	ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY
Mr. Charles Sherman	GREATER NEW YORK AREA
Rabbi Yisroel Shusterman	ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY
Ms. Leslie Smith Rosen	BALTIMORE, MD
Mrs. Anne Spindel	SAN DIEGO, CA
Mrs. Anne Sportas	CLEVELAND, OH
Ms. Devorah Teitelbaum	OTTAWA, ON
Mrs. Tamar Teller	GREATER NEW YORK AREA
Mrs. Jacqueline Weaver Jonas	PITTSBURGH, PA
Rabbi Moshe Weiss	MINNEAPOLIS, MN
Mrs. Sharon Weiss	PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL
Mrs. Rivky Wolf	CLEVELAND, OH

 

2004
Mr. Rony M. Adelsman	SOUTH BEND, IN
Rabbi Avrohom Adler	CLEVELAND, OH
Mrs. Limor Barkol	ORANGE COUNTY, CA
Ms. Lea Ben-Eli	LOS ANGELES, CA
Mrs. Leah Blech	CLEVELAND, OH
Rabbi Moshe Blum	GREATER NEW YORK AREA

Background

The Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards for Excellence in Jewish Education™ are designed to recognize teachers in communities across North America who have made a commitment to the field of Jewish education. The Awards honor outstanding classroom-based teachers in formal Jewish educational settings (early childhood through grade 12). Awards Winners are chosen through their central agency for Jewish education or, where no central agency exists, through their federation. The Awards were first established by the Grinspoon Foundation in 2000 and joined by The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life in 2002.

Eligibility

Nominees for the Awards must:

• Demonstrate exceptional achievement and serve as a role model in Jewish education

• Have a minimum of 3 years experience in the field

• Teach at least 6 hours per week in Jewish education with a minimum of 4 hours per week in a Jewish day school or other formal Jewish educational settings and 2 hours in another Jewish educational capacity (educators can fulfill the hour requirement in more than one institution)

• Be classroom-based Jewish educators in one of the following categories:

  • early childhood educator

  • day school teacher, grades K-12

  • congregational school teacher, grades K-12

Local communities may add additional criteria for eligibility; they may also include their own similar criteria from a pre-existing local award. Nominations of previous Grinspoon Awards and Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards recipients will not be considered.

Procedures

Nominations from local communities (excepting the Greater New York and Los Angeles Metropolitan areas) are limited to one (1) outstanding educator. Consideration of nominees will proceed on a first-come, first-reviewed basis to a maximum of 55 Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards winners.

Teachers may be nominated ONLY by their principal or school administrator. Nominations are then submitted to the local Central Agency for Jewish Education or, where no Central Agency exists, to the local Federation. Once the local community has selected their nominee(s) their final applications should be forwarded via email to  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it where a National Awards Panel will confirm selection of the final recipients. While this Committee may seek additional information about a candidate before confirming his/her nomination, the judgment of each local selection committee is the most important criterion. Please note: JESNA will not compare candidates to one another.

Awards Benefits

The 2011 Awards offers national recognition and opportunities for professional development to its recipients, each of whom will be awarded a minimum of $2,000. There are several important and exciting changes to the Awards Program from years past.

The Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards professional development stipend in 2011 is $1,000. Each Winner must use this stipend for his or her own professional development within two years of receiving the Award.The remaining $1,000 is for use at the recipient's discretion.

In addition, the Awards winners, both past and present, will be invited to engage in a new, North American Community of Practice (CoP) established through the generosity of the funders that replaces the national Awards Seminar and ceremony. The CoP will provide ongoing opportunities for Awards winners to participate in high-quality, ongoing of professional development through webinars with a cadre of outstanding educational professionals. These events will help Awards winners to network, to expand knowledge and skills, and to share expertise.

The Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards bring national recognition to local communities and their outstanding educators. JESNA will share guidance, ideas, and best practices with local communities to strengthen local awards ceremonies in the absence of the national ceremony.

2012 Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award Application Materials

Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards Instruction Sheet (54 kB)
Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards Application, Part A (84 kB)
Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards Application, Part B (84.5 kB)
Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards Application, Part C (66 kB)
Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards Application, Part D (136.5 kB)

Click the document below to see the communities that participate in the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards.

Map of Participating Communities

Central Agency for Jewish Education/Federation Executives
School Principals and Administrators
Community Members

Central Agency for Jewish Education/Federation Executives
The community administers the local Awards process. Each community (for the purpose of these Awards, a community is defined as the area served by a federation) will provide at least $1,000 towards each Award.

Central agency and federation executives are responsible for disseminating the Awards materials to their local educational institutions. These materials can now be found on this website. Click here for the 2011 Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards application forms. JESNA recommends that you publicize the Awards throughout your community. If you need assistance with publicity materials, please contact JESNA.

Agency executives should create a local deadline for the Awards applications. Please note that this local deadline should be early enough so that the final application is returned to JESNA by May 13, 2011. Once the applications have been submitted, please form a selection committee to decide on your community's nominee(s). Nominations from local communities (excepting the Greater New York and Los Angeles Metropolitan areas) are limited to one (1) outstanding educator. Consideration of nominees will proceed on a first-come, first-reviewed basis to a maximum of 55 Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards winners.

In order to aid in the local selection process, nominators are asked to identify a teacher of excellence in one of the following categories:

• Day school teacher (grades K-8)

• Day school teacher (grades 9-12)

• Congregational school teacher (K-8)

• Congregational school teacher (9-12)

• Early childhood educator

Once you have selected your nominee(s) please forward their applications via email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it where a National Awards Committee set up by JESNA, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and the Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life will confirm selection of the final recipients. While this Committee may seek additional information about a candidate before confirming his/her nomination, the judgement of each local selection committee is the most important criterion.

School Principals and Administrators
It is the job of school administrators to select one classroom teacher from their school to nominate for these Awards. Principals and administrators are asked to select the teacher who they feel most exemplifies a teacher of excellence. The teacher must be from one of the five approved categories. You may form a selection committee of people to help you or make the decision yourself. The next step is to complete Part A of the application and have the nominated teacher complete Part B. In addition, you will need to have a supporting nominator complete Part C. Once you and/or your committee have chosen someone to nominate from your school, you must forward Parts A, B and C back to your central agency for Jewish education/federation contact by the date which they have chosen. These materials can now be found on this website. Click here for the 2011 Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards application forms.

For more information, please call your local central agency for Jewish education. If your community does not have a central agency, please call your local federation. Click here to see a directory of central agencies. Click here to see a directory of federations in each community.

Community Members
If you are a community member who is interested in either encouraging your community to participate in the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards or underwriting the community portion of these awards we encourage you to contact both your local central agency for Jewish education or a federation if your community does not have a central agency. You may also contact Dena Stein at (212) 584-7341 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Teacher Recognition Ceremony

JESNA, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and the Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life encourage the recognition of all teachers in each community. It is a meaningful experience for teachers to be recognized by the parents, students, administrators, colleagues, and community members who know their important contributions to the community first-hand. We encourage you to plan your teacher recognition ceremony not only for your Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award winner, but also for all Jewish educators in your community.

Frequently Asked Questions - Teacher Recognition Ceremonies

1. Where should we hold our ceremony?

2. Who should be invited to attend the ceremony?

3. What is a good structure for the ceremony?

4. How many teachers should be honored at the ceremony?

5. How should we honor teachers? What if my community has limited funds with which to present teachers with gifts?

Where should we hold our ceremony?

Each community has different feelings about what works. For example:

• At the central agency or federation. Most members of the community are comfortable with this common space. In addition, utilizing this space saves the cost of renting a room.

• Each year the event rotates to a different synagogue or school. Many communities will hold their ceremonies in the home school or synagogue of the Educator of the Year.

• In a hotel ballroom or hall. This is a neutral, special location and allows for flexibility with respect to different programs and different size groups.

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Who should be invited to attend the ceremony?

The answer to this question depends on the size of the space and the number of people in your community. However, it is always best to invite as many people as possible to give teachers the widest recognition. Be sure to invite all teachers and principals, agency executives and board members, and any guests of the teacher being honored. If possible, open the event to the entire Jewish community, including parents, students, and synagogue lay and professional leadership.

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What is a good structure for the ceremony?

The structure depends mainly on community preference, size, and budget, but some structures work better than others. Whether held at an annual agency meeting, a luncheon, dinner, banquet, or reception, the following are key components of a recognition ceremony:

• A d’var Torah offered by a local rabbi or community leader

• Speeches by colleagues and/or students of the award-winning teacher

• A keynote address by the award-winning teacher

• Presentation of certificates/gifts/award money (donors often make the most appropriate presenters)

• Food!

In addition, some communities have conducted successful workshops or professional development seminars following the ceremony so that many teachers attend the ceremony and so that all benefit.

• Don’t be afraid to try new ideas when creating a plan for your ceremony. Communities have done everything from picnics to afternoon tea with great success because of the uniqueness of the ceremony. The keys to a good ceremony are focusing on honoring the Awards Winner and having fun!

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How many teachers should be honored at the ceremony?

This varies depending on the size of the community. Most communities have an "Educator of the Year" award and also honor retiring teachers. Some communities present creative teaching awards and recognize teachers who have reached “Chai” (18 years teaching) or double “Chai” (36 years teaching). Some communities honor one teacher from each school, while some single out one teacher of excellence from among the whole community. Teachers who have participated in significant continuing education or professional development opportunities are often recognized.

Your community may honor as many teachers as it wishes. Please note, however, that 2011 Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards nominations from local communities (excepting the Greater New York and Los Angeles Metropolitan areas) are limited to one (1) outstanding educator. Consideration of nominees will proceed on a first-come, first-reviewed basis to a maximum of 55 Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards winners.

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How should we honor teachers? What if my community has limited funds with which to present teachers with gifts?

Many communities will present the Educator of the Year with a significant cash prize either for his or her own personal use, a trip to Israel. or professional development. Gifts of Judaica, books, or some kind of plaque are all meaningful ways to honor teachers who have reached a milestone year. A small cash prize to buy materials or a trip to an in-state educational conference is an appropriate and affordable way to honor creative teachers. Each teacher being honored should receive a certificate and a copy of that certificate should be sent to his/her school.

In order to assist communities with gifts for recognition, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life, and JESNA will provide communities with an engraved plaque, a Face Book with information on all of the year's winners, and other gifts.  Another relatively inexpensive way to honor all teachers is to provide them with corsages or boutonnieres to wear during the ceremony.

It is important to make this ceremony personal for the teachers being honored. Have people who know the teacher give speeches and present the award, inscribe books, engrave Judaica, present a slide show of the teacher. Ask students to write letters to their teacher and present the book at the ceremony.

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In 2007, the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards program instituted a new procedure for requesting Professional Development Stipends. Following are updated processes and procedures for 2011 Awards Winners:

1. A teacher proposes professional development opportunities that meet the guidelines of the Awards Program to their local contact person (in the central agency or federation).

2. The community contact submits requests that meet the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards Program guidelines to JESNA.

3. Upon receipt of the Professional Development Stipend request and all applicable receipts, JESNA will forward the stipend funds to the professional development provider (e.g., conference provider, organization sponsoring a class, etc.), or reimburse the community or individual teacher for expended funds.

The new procedures have raised a number of questions regarding guidelines for appropriate use of the stipend. In response to this, JESNA has created this FAQs document in order to clarify the new procedures for teachers and community contacts.

How much is the professional development stipend?
$1,000

Who provides the professional development stipend?
The funders of the stipend are the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life. JESNA does not provide the stipend; we simply administer and monitor the process.

I am a teacher. How do I request my stipend?
Contact the coordinator of the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards Program at your central agency or federation - they have a form that you and the coordinator must fill out together detailing how you wish to use the stipend. The coordinator will then submit the form to JESNA. Subsequently, JESNA will review the form to validate that the request fits into the funder’s guidelines for the award.  You can also access the form by downloading the Professional Development Stipend Reimbursement Form found below.  Please consult with your community coordinator before sending in this form.  If you do not know your community coordinator, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for this information.

Professional Development Reimbursement Form (37 kB)

What are the funders' general guidelines for the stipend?
The funders of the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards intend for the stipend to be used to further the Award Winner's professional development. Examples of professional development opportunities that are in line with the funders' guidelines include: academic courses, ulpan classes, national or local conferences for Jewish educators, and organized trips to Israel. Please see below for further details regarding each of these categories.

How many years after winning the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award can I use my stipend?
You may use your stipend for up to two years from the time that you were notified of the award. For example, if you were notified in June, 2010, you have until June, 2012, to use the stipend. Please contact JESNA if you have questions about professional development opportunites available only during the summertime.

Can I use my stipend toward academic courses?
Yes, the stipend can be used towards courses at an accredited Jewish or secular academic institution. You can use the stipend for coursework that is being utilized towards a degree that will further advance your teaching career, or you may use the stipend to take courses as a non-matriculated student at an accredited Jewish or secular academic institution.

Following are some of the past Awards Winners' most popular choices:

COLLEGES:

Loyola: Jewish Education Leadership Program
Nova Southeastern University
Siegal College
Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies
Touro College
Yeshiva University: Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education

OTHER JEWISH EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:

Pardes
Nishmat Summer Program

Can I use the stipend to hire private tutors to teach me a specific skill?
The stipend cannot be used to pay for private tutors or private lessons.

Can I use the stipend to pay for a course of independent study?
As a general rule, the stipend is meant to be used for study that is under the auspices of an accredited academic institution. However, you may submit a written proposal for independent study which will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Can I use my stipend to go on a trip to Israel?
Yes, as long as it is a trip for the purpose of attending an organized program that is geared specifically toward Jewish educators. Other Israel-based professional development plans will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Can I use my stipend to attend national conferences?
Yes, you may use your stipend to attended conferences designed for Jewish educators. Requests to attend secular educational conferences will be approved on a case-by-case basis. Here are some of the most popular conferences that past Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards Winners attended:

Yad Vashem Conference

NATE Conference (National Association for the Teaching of English)

BER Conference on Best Strategies to Teach Young Writing

National Association for the Education of Young Children Conference

CLAD Program for Language Acquisition Techniques

Where can I find a more comprehensive list of professional development opportunities?
For a more comprehensive list of professional development opportunities available, please download our Professional Development Guide.  This list will be regularly updated with new opportunities.  Please note, however, that this is NOT a comprehensive list.

 Professional Development Guide - Spring-Summer 2012 (463.4 kB)

You can also visit JESNA's Professional Development Center and Sosland Online Resource Center for more opportunities.

Can I use my stipend to buy materials for my classroom?
In general, the intention of the funders is for the stipend to be used for professional development rather than materials. However, you may use up to $100 for classroom materials. Requests for amounts greater than $100 will be denied.

Can I personally be reimbursed for the $1,000 if I have already used my own money to attend a seminar, academic course, etc.?
Yes, simply indicate on the stipend request form (that you will fill out with your community coordinator) that you are applying for a reimbursement. In order to receive the reimbursement you must submit a receipt from the professional development provider detailing the exact expenses to be reimbursed.

I have a question that is not addressed in the FAQS, who can I contact?
Please feel free to call Dena Stein at JESNA: 212-584-7341 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

 

Questions:

1. My agency does not have money to spare. Where should the $1,000 come from?

2. My community already offers a named teacher recognition award. Are we still eligible to participate?

3. The new online Awards application is confusing to me. What are the new procedures?

4. How do I know if my community is participating?What can I do if my community has not been a part of the Awards in the past?

5. How are teachers nominated to receive this Award?

6. How can I choose just one teacher from my many outstanding employees?

7. When is the deadline for the awards?

8. When will I know if the teacher I nominated won?

9. How do I get more information?

10. Can I nominate a teacher?

Answers:

My agency does not have money to spare. Where should the $1,000 come from?

The money should preferably come from a local philanthropist. The title of the local award can be shared with the local donor, The Grinspoon Foundation and The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life. If you are having trouble identifying a local donor, please contact Dena Stein at JESNA: (212) 584-7341 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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My community already offers a named teacher recognition award. Are we still eligible to participate?

Yes! Communities that award a minimum of $1,000 with eligibility criteria compatible with those of the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards, may also submit their local recipient for nomination to the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards. If selected, the nominee will receive the matching $1,000 from the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and the Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life. When the local recipient also is selected for the national Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards, the title of the local award will be shared by the local donor, The Harold Grinspoon Foundation and The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life. However, communities with existing teacher recognition awards are encouraged to establish a second educator award under the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards guidelines, by investing in an additional $1,000.
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The new online Awards application is confusing to me. What are the new procedures?

The new online application was designed to make the Awards application process easier for all involved parties. Central agency and/or federation executives are responsible for downloading the application and forwarding Parts A, B, and C to schools administrators. The administrator then fills out Part A, and forwards Part B to the nominated teacher. The administrator also forwards Part C to a secondary nominator. Once the school administrator receives back the completed Parts B and C, he or she then returns them together with Part A (to be completed by the Executive) to the central agency or federation by the assigned deadline. The executive then forwards all four completed Parts to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . In addition to the instructions on this site, there are also individual instructions listed at the bottom of each Part. If you have any problems accessing these documents, please contact Dena Stein at (212) 584-7341or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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How do I know if my community is participating? What can I do if my community has not been a part of the Awards in the past?

To find out if your community is participating, please call your central agency or, if no central agency exists, your federation. Click here to see a directory of central agencies. Click here to see a directory of federations in each community. Any community that has a central agency for Jewish education or a federation is eligible to participate in the Awards. If your community is not participating, and you have a teacher of excellence you would like to nominate, please work with your central agency or federation to take part in the Awards.
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How are teachers nominated for the Awards?

JESNA, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, and the Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life have sent out Awards packages to central agencies for Jewish education and federations across North America. Click here to see the entire 2010 kit.

In participating communities, parts A and B of the application are then sent to schools for the principal or administrator and nominated teacher to fill out. Each school may nominate one teacher. The completed application from each school is then sent back to the agency for consideration. A local selection committee will review all submissions and forward the winning application form to JESNA.
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How can I choose just one teacher from my many outstanding educators?

The Grinspoon Foundation, Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life, JESNA and your local agency understand that it can sometimes be difficult for a principal to single out one teacher of excellence from among a qualified staff. Some schools who participated in the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards have used the following methods to ensure that no teacher feels the selection process was arbitrary:

• Form a committee of school administrators and/or board members to help select the teacher. Ask teachers to vote for other teachers in the school who meet the criteria for the Awards.Solicit nominations from parents and students in the school community Consider recognizing multiple educators every year; each one receives something notable (a plaque, cash, public recognition, etc.) but only one will be a recipient of the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards.

• Have every school in your jurisdiction nominate a teacher and assure them all of an award. Recognize one teacher from each school annually. Then select one of these teachers who meets the local and national criteria to be the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards winner.

The Awards provide meaningful recognition for outstanding Jewish educators in your community, provides an opportunity for continued professional development and an opportunity for local and national Jewish communities to bring Jewish educator recognition and value to the attention of the general Jewish community.
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When is the deadline for the Awards?

Your local central agency or federation has determined a deadline for submission of applications. All completed Awards nominations must be emailed in their entirety to JESNA no later than May 13, 2011.
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When will I know if the teacher I nominated won?

A list of Award-winning teachers will be released in mid-June to your local agency, the winning teacher and the winning teacher's school.
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How do I get more information?

For more information, please call your local central agency for Jewish education. If your community does not have a central agency, please call your local federation. Click here to see a directory of central agencies. Click here to see a directory of federations in each community.
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Can I nominate a teacher?

Teachers may be nominated ONLY by their principal or school administrator. Nominations are then submitted to the local central agency for Jewish education or, where no central agency exists, to the local federation.
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2011
Baruch Abramovitz	Montreal, QC
Beth Bates	West Palm Beach, FL
Lois Bell	Los Angeles, CA
Idie Benjamin	Greater New York
Judy Bickford	Baltimore, MD
Sheli Braun	Ottawa, ON
Rivky Bronchtain	Las Vegas, NV
Diane Dorf	Houston, TX
Michael Duke	Houston, TX
Dov Emerson	Greater New York
SuAnne Goodman	Rhode Island
Chanie Friedman	Broward County, FL
Dayna Gershon	Greater Kansas City
Nancy Glick	Pittsburgh, PA
Anita Hack	Detroit, MI
Shari Halpern	Central New Jersey
Simin Imanuel	Los Angeles, CA
Shimshon Jacob	Metrowest, NJ
Irene E. Komet	Northern New Jersey
Gayle Kopin	Metropolitan Chicago
Rina Lanner	South Palm Beach, FL
Andrea Leonard	Los Angeles, CA
Gail E. Mabel	Dallas, TX
Rhonda Magier-Cohen	Boston, MA
Rabbi Shalom Meltzer	Vancouver, BC
Jacqueline Miller	Southern Arizona
Danny Mishkin	Greater New York
Aviv Monarch	San Francisco Bay Area
Talia Mugg	Central Massachusetts
Karen Richter	Winnipeg, MB
Lisa Rosenberg	Greater New York
Pauline Rosenberg	Rochester, NY
Charna Rosenholtz	Boulder, CO
Miriam Rubin	Greater New York
Etti Scheier	Cincinnati, OH
Helene Shapiro	Western Massachusetts
BeLinda C. Singer	San Diego, CA
Suzanne Sloane	St. Louis, MO
Deborah Stern Harris	Metropolitan Chicago
Risa Strauss	Columbia, SC
Einav Symons	Buffalo, NY
Rachel Thomas	Middlesex County, NJ
Rabbi David E. Walk	Stamford, CT
Sarah Yonas	Austin, TX

From The Pomerado News:

BeLinda Singer, who teaches middle and high school students, as well as preschoolers, is the San Diego recipient of the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award for Excellence in Jewish Education for 2011.

She teaches the older students at Temple Adat Shalom’s Mosad Shalom Religious School, and the 4-year-olds at the temple’s Ganon Gil preschool, both located at 15905 Pomerado Road.

Read the full article at The Pomerado News...

From the Montreal Jewish Tribune

by Daniel Smajovits

Montreal Correspondent
MONTREAL – Montreal’s Ariel Gerafi, Winnipeg’s Minda Chaikin and Vancouver’s Dina Acoca are three of a kind. After all, these teachers stand alone as the only Canadian recipients of the 2010 Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award for Excellence in Jewish Education. For the past 11 years, the Jewish Education Service of North America (JESNA) has facilitated this annual award. Funded by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and the Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life, the honour recognizes teachers across North America who demonstrate a strong commitment to their schools, students, fellow colleagues and community. In 2010, 48 teachers were honoured by the foundations, the remaining 45 scattered throughout the United States. “To just be nominated, these teachers have to be excellent educators and they have to be involved also in their community. Everything is taken into consideration,” said Helene Kaufman of the Bronfman Jewish Education Centre in Montreal.

Read the full article at the Montreal Jewish Tribune...

Click here to view this webinar, recorded in March 2011 (total running time: 64 minutes). This webinar is a follow-up to the Innovation webinar with Dr. Jonathan Woocher, and features guest speaker Daniel Held, a doctoral candidate at the Davidson School for Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary.