Connecting Jewish Education Leaders – Strengthening Bonds – Leading Change

The Herzog-UnitEd Fellows Program is a trusted network of influential and diverse educational leaders who collaborate and promote transformative initiatives to strengthen Jewish education around the world.

This innovative Fellows program was established in recognition of the critical necessity to support Heads of Jewish day schools in their continuous growth, innovative planning and sustained motivation. It is a pluralistic professional development initiative for exceptional educators from Jewish communities worldwide, reaching across geographic, denominational and ideological boundaries and representing the rich tapestry of Jewish life. It is a joint project of Herzog College and UnitEd, an initiative of the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs .

Program Objectives

Cultivating a global community of Jewish school leaders, developing an educational project that facilitates meaningful change, and deepening the Israel-Diaspora relationship.

The program aims to equip the participants with cutting-edge knowledge, tools and methodologies, and to create a professional network to help them address the key educational challenges they are currently encountering.

The Program involves:

Developing a designated project aimed at addressing a specific school need related to effecting meaningful change.
Mentor-facilitated Work Group sessions to enhance individual development and foster collaborative learning.
Regular group meetings for sharing and peer learning.
Israel Seminar – a Learning Journey

Israel Seminar – April 2024

This transformative learning journey is focused on equipping the participants to lead change processes in their schools. The agenda includes engaging workshops, hands-on experiences, school visits, and discussions with accomplished leaders who have effectively navigated significant transformations across various dimensions.

It will include meetings with educators and community leaders addressing challenges stemming from the aftermath of the October 7 Massacre, a visit to the Gaza Envelope communities and conversations with witnesses. This immersive experience is designed to empower and inspire.

Watch the video from the Seminar:

Program Management Team

The Fellows Program is led by a team of experienced educational management professionals, chaired by Rabbi Dr. Howard Deitcher, and draws on the expertise of a team of mentors who are expert consultants in the fields of education and coaching.

Limor Riskin

Director of Global Projects, Herzog College

Rabbi Dr. Howard Deitcher

Chair, UnitEd Advisory Committee & Senior Director of LH Teacher Institutes

Rabbi Scot A. Berman

Director of English-Speaking Countries, UnitEd

Dr. Tzachi Lev-Ran

Director of Academic-Educational Field Relations, Herzog College

Dr. Eran Barak Medina

Educational Development Researcher & Consultant

Fellowship Mentors

Expert mentors are assigned to the Fellows’ Work Groups. Their role involves enhancing understanding and exploring practical applications of the tools for the change process. They will help participants to shape and refine their projects, and facilitate an environment of collaboration, peer learning and sharing.

Dr. Ray Levi

Leadership Coach and Consultant, Kol-Lev Consulting

Rabbi David Meyer OBE

Chief Executive, PaJeS UK

Raizi Chechik

Community Scholar & School Leadership Consultant, Jewish Center of Manhattan

Rabbi Dr. Barry Kislowicz

Senior Director, Scott Goldberg Consulting LLC

Aliza Eskenazi

Former Director of Bet-El School, Bialik – Santa Fe School (Argentina) and Colegio Colombo Hebreo (Colombia)

Pearl Mattenson

Relationship Systems Coach, PCC

2023-2024 Fellows

The first intake of Fellows includes 20 outstanding Heads of Jewish Schools from around the world: eight from the United States, two from Canada, four from Latin America, four from Europe, one from South Africa and one from Australia.

Dr. David Abusch-Magder
Head of School, The Epstein School, Atlanta, USA

Zsolt Balkanyi-Guery
Head of School, Noam Jewish School, Zurich, Switzerland

Lori Binder
Head of School and CEO, Gray Academy of Jewish Education, Winnipeg, Canada

Rabbi Michoel Druin
Head of School, IVDU Schools, USA

Rabbi Adam Englander
Head of School, N-8, Hebrew Academy of Long Beach, USA

Caroline Field
Headteacher, Yavneh Primary School, Borehamwood, UK

Yael Fleichman
Head of School, Colegio Estado de Israel, Asunción, Paraguay

Bruno Gottlieb
Administrative Director, Escola Eliezer Max, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rabbi Dr. Seth N. Grauer
Rosh Yeshiva & Head of School, Bnei Akiva Schools of Toronto, Canada

Jay Leberman
Head of School, Joseph and Florence Mandel Jewish Day School, Cleveland, USA

Marc Light
Principal, The King David School , Melbourne, Australia

Rabbi Daniel Nevins
Head of School, Golda Och Academy , New Jersey, USA

Giselle Ostrowicz
Head of School, Yeshurun Tora, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Bradley Philipson
Jewish Community Day School of Greater New Orleans,
USA

Rabbi Moshe Schwartz
Head of School, Krieger Schechter Day School, Baltimore, Maryland

Yaakov Shafferman
Head of Hebrew Department, Jesode Hatorah Beth Jacob, Antwerp, Belgium

Rabbi Avi Shlomo
Dean, Cape Town Torah High, Cape Town, South Africa

Rabbi Isaac Sitt
Head of School, Or Hajayim, Mexico

Josée Vaisbrot
Head of School, EJM -Ecole Juive Moderne France, Paris

Rachel Zivic
Head of School, Kellman Brown Academy, Voorhees, New Jersey, USA