Mayberg Connects Practitioners to Build a Common Framework for Jewish Identity and History Education in K-12 Schools

Mayberg Connects Practitioners to Build a Common Framework for Jewish Identity and History Education in K-12 Schools

Teaching Jewish history and identity in either public or non-Jewish private K-12 schools faces steep obstacles, from crowded curricula and unenforced Holocaust education mandates to a rise in antisemitic incidents fueled by foreign funding and social media. Last week, the Network for Jewish Identity and History in K-12 Education gathered at George Washington University for a convening hosted by The Collaboratory, to which the Mayberg Center belongs, to tackle these challenges together, uniting organizations that often compete for funding and clients to build shared tools — including a new framework for teaching Jewish history and an AI tool to help curriculum developers use it.

Read More

The STa"M Project (STAMP) Brings STa"M Training and Certification to the Johannesburg Jewish Community

The STa"M Project (STAMP) Brings STa"M Training and Certification to the Johannesburg Jewish Community

STAMP is bringing rabbinic oversight, training, and certification to Johannesburg's sofrim and magi'im. After months of planning with the local Beis Din (Jewish court), The STAM Project director Rabbi Avraham Yechezkel Lessin and Rabbi Don Bricker traveled to South Africa, meeting with every sofer, magiah, and seller in the community and earning a public endorsement from Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein.

Read More

Mayberg Foundation Celebrates Food & Friends' Major Expansion Groundbreaking

Mayberg Foundation Celebrates Food & Friends' Major Expansion Groundbreaking

Mayberg Food & Friends, a grantee of the Mayberg Foundation, held a groundbreaking ceremony on July 13 for an 18- to 24-month expansion, which will double the organization's medically tailored meal production capacity and give "Food & Friends the space to welcome more neighbors into that community and to support the staff and volunteers who make it possible," as Mayberg Foundation Rising Trustee and Food & Friends volunteer David Mayberg noted following the ceremony.

Read More

Jewish Funders Network Day School Affinity Group Advances Conversation with Focus on Systems, Infrastructure, and Collaboration

Jewish Funders Network Day School Affinity Group Advances Conversation with Focus on Systems, Infrastructure, and Collaboration

Funders across 13 organizations are teaming up to tackle a bigger question in Jewish day school education: not just which programs work, but what systems make them scalable. JFN's Day School Affinity Group's next session digs into centralization, innovation, and infrastructure.

Read More

MyZuzah and Its Partners Turn Grief from Bondi Beach Tragedy into a Global Jewish Pride Movement

MyZuzah and Its Partners Turn Grief from Bondi Beach Tragedy into a Global Jewish Pride Movement

In the face of rising global antisemitism and recent tragedy, MyZuzah is drawing on its deep network of global partnerships and expansive reach to turn moments of crisis into powerful declarations of Jewish pride. Its Global Jewish Pride Campaign, launched with Mezuz.us and Dan's Deals in honor of Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was killed in the Bondi Beach attack, has already brought over 500 mezuzahs to homes across Australia, Ukraine, Germany, Poland, and US military families.

Read More

Mayberg Foundation's Amanda Mizrahi to Help Guide New Kerem Initiative for Jewish Grantmaking Professionals

Mayberg Foundation's Amanda Mizrahi to Help Guide New Kerem Initiative for Jewish Grantmaking Professionals

Mayberg Foundation Managing Director Amanda Mizrahi has been invited to join the Steering Committee of Kerem, a professional development and learning initiative for grantmaking professionals in Jewish philanthropy run in partnership with Jewish Funders Network and Third Plateau Social Impact Strategies. The invitation recognizes Amanda's leadership in the field, including her work spearheading the Mayberg Foundation's pilot initiative supporting career growth for Jewish outreach professionals, and over her 12-month term she'll help shape Kerem's curriculum, identify participants, and guide the program as part of its "brain trust" of grantmaking experts from across the country.

Read More

Welcome to JEIC's Next Chapter: Meet Ruchel Green

Welcome to JEIC's Next Chapter: Meet Ruchel Green

Ruchel Green has officially stepped into her new role as JEIC's Managing Director. With over 20 years of experience in Jewish education and five children of her own who've grown up in Jewish day schools, Ruchel brings both deep expertise and a personal passion for "building a vibrant Jewish future." Get to know Ruchel and learn about her vision for what's ahead as JEIC enters "an inspiring new chapter" with a sharpened focus on supporting educators at every stage of their careers.

Read More

A Newcomer's Perspective

A Newcomer's Perspective

In this reflective essay, new senior program officer Naftali Ejdelman offers a first glimpse into what drew him to the Mayberg Foundation and why his excitement is only growing. He points to the Foundation's embrace of תּוֹרָה נִדְרֶשֶׁת בְּשִׁבְעִים פָּנִים, the idea that Torah can be understood through many lenses; its emphasis on עִבְדוּ אֶת ה' בְּשִׂמְחָה, serving G-d with joy and inner purpose; and its entrepreneurial spirit of בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין אֲנָשִׁים, הִשְׁתַּדֵּל לִהְיוֹת אִישׁ, stepping forward with courage where others have not. Together, these themes reflect the values shaping Naftali’s work at Mayberg and the priorities he will help advance in the months ahead.

Read More

Putting Jewish Wisdom and Values into Action at Mayberg Foundation’s Service-Learning Day

Putting Jewish Wisdom and Values into Action at Mayberg Foundation’s Service-Learning Day

On June 17th, Mayberg Foundation staff, partners, and their families came together for a day of service and Jewish text learning — putting the foundation's mission of proliferating Jewish wisdom and values into direct practice. The morning included a hands-on volunteer experience packing rice bags for Colel Chabad's Pantry Packers program, benefitting both vulnerable populations in Israel and in the Greater Washington area. The service project was followed by a community lunch and Rosh Chodesh learning session led by managing director Amanda Mizrahi, exploring a classic Jewish debate about the nature of giving.

Read More

Mayberg Foundation Supports Prizmah-JNTP Merger to Expand Jewish Day School Educator Pipeline Efforts

Mayberg Foundation Supports Prizmah-JNTP Merger to Expand Jewish Day School Educator Pipeline Efforts

Prizmah and the Jewish New Teacher Project (JNTP) have announced a strategic merger, uniting two leading organizations to strengthen teacher recruitment, retention, and instructional excellence across the Jewish day school field. By combining Prizmah’s field-wide reach with JNTP’s expertise in teacher induction and mentoring, the merged organization is positioned to deliver more comprehensive, data-informed support to schools and educators. The Mayberg Foundation provided support for the operational and administrative efforts needed to carry out the merger, recognizing its potential impact on the Jewish day school field.

Read More

From Practice to Impact: DEEP Convening Highlights the Power of High-Quality Professional Development in Jewish Day Schools

From Practice to Impact: DEEP Convening Highlights the Power of High-Quality Professional Development in Jewish Day Schools

The DEEP Consortium’s annual convening at The Shefa School brought together leading practitioners from across its 25 member organizations to explore building cultures of High-Quality Professional Development (HQPD) and measuring impact in Jewish day schools. Grounded in educator insight and field-wide data, the gathering highlighted The Shefa School as a model of HQPD in action and advanced a shared commitment to supporting teachers in fostering meaningful, curiosity-driven Jewish learning.

Read More

From Momentum to Movement: Aligning Philanthropy Around Our Schools

From Momentum to Movement: Aligning Philanthropy Around Our Schools

"Philanthropy can do more, and do it better, when it is informed by shared learning, grounded in data and field expertise, and capitalized on through funder collaborations."

That's the animating idea behind the JFN Jewish Day School Affinity Group — and it's what Amy Schlussel, the group's manager, explores in her recent piece for Prizmah's HaYidion journal. Amy traces how the affinity group, spearheaded by the Mayberg Foundation alongside UnitEd, the Beker Foundation, and 10 other funders, is working to move Jewish day school philanthropy from fragmented investment toward coordinated, strategic action. As an organization that believes deeply in the power of collective effort, Amy's piece offers helpful framing for why the collaborative investment approach we're building together matters — and where it can lead.

Read From Momentum to Movement: Aligning Philanthropy Around Our Schools here

Read More

What Makes a Career in Jewish Outreach Last?

What Makes a Career in Jewish Outreach Last?

A new report from the Mayberg Foundation's Jewish Outreach Professional Development initiative sheds light on what it really takes to build a lasting, fulfilling career in Jewish outreach — and what the field needs to do to better support the people doing this vital work. Based on 17 in-depth interviews with standout practitioners from M54/Chabad, Olami, Aish, and NCSY, the findings point to three traits that define thriving, long-term careers, and make the case that Jewish outreach deserves to be recognized — and resourced — as the demanding profession it is.

Read More

Mayberg Foundation Celebrates Jewish Outreach and Leadership at Olami’s Annual Gala

Mayberg Foundation Celebrates Jewish Outreach and Leadership at Olami’s Annual Gala

Mayberg Foundation professionals joined other Jewish philanthropy leaders at Olami's annual gala dinner, The Promise, to celebrate Olami's global outreach across 28 countries and over 300 campuses with guest of honor Mike Leven, founder of the Jewish Future Promise, and keynote speaker Douglas Murray, a bestselling author and staunch Israel advocate.

Read More

Jewish Funders Network Day School Affinity Group Launches First Learning Session on Scaling Impact

Jewish Funders Network Day School Affinity Group Launches First Learning Session on Scaling Impact

The Jewish Funders Network (JFN) Jewish Day School Affinity Group, spearheaded by the Mayberg Foundation, UnitEd, and The Beker Foundation, held its first virtual learning session, bringing together funders and initiatives to discuss scalable models, field challenges, and strategic collaboration aimed at advancing the Jewish day school ecosystem.

Read More

A New Chapter for The DEEP Consortium and for High-Quality Professional Development in Jewish Day Schools

A New Chapter for The DEEP Consortium and for High-Quality Professional Development in Jewish Day Schools

The DEEP Consortium has launched as a standalone organization after six years as a project of the Jewish Education Innovation Challenge — a milestone that positions it to further advance its mission of bringing high-quality professional development to Jewish day schools. This landmark transition comes on the heels of the inaugural "Together We Thrive" national conference, a collaboration among five DEEP member organizations, and ahead of DEEP's annual member convening in New York City on June 8–9.

Read More

Mayberg Foundation Welcomes Naftali Ejdelman as Senior Program Officer to Manage Jewish Education and Israel Advocacy Grantmaking and Partnerships

Mayberg Foundation Welcomes Naftali Ejdelman as Senior Program Officer to Manage Jewish Education and Israel Advocacy Grantmaking and Partnerships

The Mayberg Foundation has appointed Naftali Ejdelman as senior program officer to manage grantmaking portfolios that focus on Jewish education and Israel advocacy. Naftali brings a deep understanding of the diversity of Klal Yisrael and a wealth of experience partnering with educational and communal organizations across the Jewish spectrum.

Read More

AI & Torah: JEIC's 2026 Innovators Retreat Explores Humanizing Technology in Jewish Education

AI & Torah: JEIC's 2026 Innovators Retreat Explores Humanizing Technology in Jewish Education

JEIC’s 2026 Innovators Retreat convened educators, leaders, and partners from across the Jewish day school landscape for three days of learning, reflection, and forward-thinking conversation. Set against the backdrop of rapid technological change, the retreat focused on one central question: how can Jewish education thoughtfully engage emerging tools like AI while staying rooted in its deepest values?

Read More

Hebrew Free Loan's Strategic Vision Turns Crisis into Lifeline for Greater Washington Jews

Hebrew Free Loan's Strategic Vision Turns Crisis into Lifeline for Greater Washington Jews

When Hebrew Free Loan Association of Greater Washington invested in strategic planning, with support from the Mayberg Foundation, the results showed up in real people's lives. From a community member finally able to leave an unsafe home, to families who kept the lights on and the mortgages paid during the recent federal shutdown, HFL was able to provide critical financial resources, all with dignity and care. Implementing the strategic plans recommendations to strengthen fundraising, staffing, and community partnerships allowed HFL's lending to grow more than $1 million in loans in 2025—a 10% increase from the previous year—and is already on track this year to surpass 2022's full-year totals.

Read More