Jewish education today is on the cusp of dynamic and dramatic change. Old paradigms are being challenged and giving way to new approaches and methods that can engage and empower 21^st century learners, enabling them to draw on the riches of Jewish tradition to lead more meaningful, purposeful, and fulfilling lives. Learning is moving beyond the classroom into the community, homes, and cyberspace; silos separating educational venues and formats are being broken down; alternative models and new options are appearing; teachers are playing new roles as guides and mentors; learners and their families are taking charge of their own educational journeys.

This process of change is gathering momentum, but it remains scattered and sporadic. As a result , Jewish education still struggles to keep pace with the rapid changes taking place around us and tens of thousands of potential learners remain or become disengaged. To respond to this reality, the Lippman Kanfer Institute is spearheading an initiative, together with partners from throughout the Jewish educational world, to accelerate the pace of change in Jewish education.

This initiative incorporates three levels of activity:

The first involves building a wide and strong network of support for Jewish educational innovation and change. The Jewish Futures Conferences, organized in partnership with New York’s Jewish Education Project, are bringing hundreds of community leaders, educators, thought leaders, and young people together to explore new visions and new ideas for creating vibrant Jewish learning and living. The Jewish Education Change Network, with nearly seven hundred members from every part of the Jewish education world, is a meeting ground for all those pursuing and promoting positive change in Jewish education. Its online resources, blogs, forums and webinars offer participants the opportunity to learn about and share cutting edge thinking and practices and discuss critical issues. The Institute also engages in a variety of advocacy activities, including frequent articles and blog posts and presentations at conferences and other gatherings.

The second component of the Lippman Kanfer Institute’s Accelerating Change Initiative involves work with key institutions and sectors in Jewish education where change can generate significant system-wide leverage and ripple effects. Today, the Institute is involved in helping both the Conservative and Reform movements formulate and pursue efforts to create more integrated, learner-centered educational systems for their constituents. The Institute is also partnering with other national organizations to expand the roles of the arts and technology in Jewish education, two key drivers of broad-scale change.

The third major element in the Lippman Kanfer Institute’s initiative focuses on helping communities make systemic change on the local level. The Institute works with central agencies for Jewish education and federations in communities across the continent to educate local leaders and funders about the case for change, to encourage far-reaching conversations about new ways of working together, and to help communities develop sophisticated agendas and strategies for change.

As the Institute’s work on accelerating change continues, it will be introducing additional elements and strategies, including ways of empowering families to become more deeply engaged as change makers for themselves and others and preparing and supporting local community activists to be effective change catalysts and facilitators.