Ĵý

Ĵý. 100 Years of Jewish learning for a better world
Ĵý. 100 Years of Jewish learning for a better world

Israel Leadership Initiatives

Israel is an integral part of Jewish identity, peoplehood, education, and Jewish communal leadership today.

At the same time, engaging with the topic of Israel is increasingly complex and emotionally charged, both inside and outside the Jewish community. That is why Ĵý is bringing its transformative cohort-based approach – honed through decades of teaching graduate-level classes – to train teams of professionals and lay leaders together, enabling them to lead their institutions with greater depth, balance, and vision on Israel.

What sets Spertus’ Certificate in Israel Leadership apart is its unique theory of change – ensuring buy-in at the highest levels of lay and executive leadership while also training educators and professionals to navigate today’s complex landscape of issues. This approach prepares institutions to transform challenging moments into opportunities for growth and identity formation.

The Certificate in Israel Leadership aims to:

  • Deepen professionals’ and lay leaders’ understanding of Israel through a values-driven, multi-narrative lens
  • Enhance skills for navigating difficult topics and conversations with constituencies
  • Prepare participants to navigate the complex emotional landscape of our relationship with Israel
  • Support institutions to build a mission-aligned, resilient, and reflective culture around Israel education

Why Spertus?

In her award-winning research, “Barriers to Entry: Exploring Educator Reticence for Engaging with the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,” Dr. Keren Fraiman, Vice President and Chief Academic Officer of Ĵý, identifies four major challenges facing Israel education today: 1) limited content knowledge, 2) facilitating difficult conversations, 3) addressing the emotions of the Israel conversation, and 4) lack of systemic support.

Spertus is uniquely positioned to address these barriers head-on through our cohort-based learning experiences grounded in values-based education and real-world application. Ĵý is perceived as a trusted, relevant, and academic voice that attracts Jewish educators, professionals, and leaders with diverse views looking for a space to learn, experiment, grow, and be vulnerable. With over one hundred years of experience bringing cohorts together for learning and an entrepreneurial spirit to tackle the most challenging issues of our day, Ĵý offers guidance to leaders from different sectors of the Jewish community to navigate this complex time we are in.

For More Information
Rabbi Mike Harvey headshot

There is a growing consensus among scholars, and increasingly, educators, that successful and holistic Israel education demands a sophisticated and nuanced engagement with critical questions within Israel, and in particular, the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

DR. KEREN E. FRAIMAN Ĵý Vice President & Chief Academic Officer

Pilot Initiatives

Synagogue Leadership

Certificate in Israel Leadership for Temple and Synagogue Leaders educates and supports multi-stakeholder teams of educators, clergy, administrative leadership, and board members to build alignment and a shared vision around Israel education and approach.

Day School Leadership

Two-phased project, beginning with investing in lay leaders and heads of day schools to develop baseline buy-in and understanding of the complexity around teaching Israel. The second phase will focus on building the confidence, tools, and resources for educators to bring Israel into their classrooms in a nuanced and impactful way.

Camp Leadership

Two-year pilot to elevate and enhance Israel education at camp by providing camp professionals with deeper knowledge of contemporary Israel and increased tools and self-confidence to engage with the topic.
Watch our 2026 Critical Conversations Program: "Israel Education at an Inflection Point: Complexity, Conviction, and Community"

Spertus Thought Leadership on Israel

"Barriers to Entry: Why Teachers are Wary to Address the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict"

Book chapter written by Ĵý Vice President & Chief Academic Officer Dr. Keren E. Fraiman.

Read Summary Here

"We’ve Got Your Back: The Case for Systemic Change Around Nuanced Israel Education"

Article written by Ĵý Vice President & Chief Academic Officer Dr. Keren E. Fraiman. Originally published on the “Israel Education Now” edition of HaYidion: The Prizmah Journal.
Read Here

"The real barrier to Israel education isn’t the conflict. It’s us."

Article written by Ĵý Vice President & Chief Academic Officer Dr. Keren E. Fraiman. Originally published in eJewishPhilanthropy.