NATE? What's NATE or Who's NATE and what's his last name?

Membership Team hard at work.

I have been a member of NATE, the National Association of Temple Educators, for over 25 years.  This week the leadership is gathering in Chicago to plan, purpose, and project for the upcoming year, 5773-5774 (2013-2014).  I am constantly amazed at the creativity, dedication and time all our tireless volunteers dedicate to our professional organization.

NATE's leadership is composed of Governance which is our Board of Directors and the Operations Team which propels the logistics and actual programs of the organization forward.  I have had the pleasure of being the Co-Chair of the Operations Team for the past 5 years with Lori Daitch  and before that Debbie Niederman and Lisa Lieberman Barzilai and we have watched NATE develop and bring to maturation 5 Operations Teams which include Advocacy,  Finance, Membership, Communications and Professional Learning.  Each of these teams work on different aspects of our organization to insure that our programs and logistics are always top notch and on the cutting edge of the educational world.

Cantor Wolman

We meet over 4 days, 2 days with Operations and then Board and Operations together, and 2 days with the Board.  We had t'filot Monday with Rabbi Karyn Kedar and Cantor Ross Wolman at B'nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim and Tuesday with Rabbi Lisa Levenberg and Educator Cory Hermann.

Rabbi Kedar with our
Executive Director Rabbi Stan Schickler
and Rabbi Laura Novak Winer

We spent a full day working in committees on topics including brainstorming new ideas for our Professional Learning conferences, new fundraising concepts, ways to attract and retain members and in communication our new email, NATENOW which should come out in the next month.

We pray, meet, brainstorm, study and plan together how to make Jewish education better in our own congregations and institutions and all of our members' institutions.  I am proud to be a part of this dynamic group and have been privileged to be a part of the leadership and look forward to the future.  I am excited to see where NATE will take us and what adventures we have in our future.

See you in Chicago next year!

CAN'T WAIT FOR ISRAEL IN 2014!

Journeys or What a Long Strange Trip it's been

Journeys or What a long Strange Trip it's been...

I have thought about writing a blog for a couple of years.  The first post is daunting and I know now that I must just be like Nachshon (the first of the Children of Israel to put his toe in and wade up to his neck in the Red Sea) and jump into the world of blogging.  As an educator I believe it is important to follow the mission and vision of where you want to go because otherwise any road will do if you don't know where you are going.

With that in mind I hope to blog about my experiences as a Jewish Educator, a mom of 3 children, who are ALL my favorite child, a daughter, wife and few other labels yet to be determined.

All of my favorite Children

 I am passionate about teaching my students about Jewish identity, Israel, history, Hebrew whether these topics are being experienced at Religious School, camp or in my own home.  Come along for the ride and as a great Prophet once told us:  "what a long strange trip it's been..."

Just a casual outing....