Mayberg Foundation Joins the Global Jewish Educators Summit to Celebrate Teachers and Strengthen Jewish Education

More than 300 educators from Israel and Jewish communities around the world gathered in Jerusalem from October 12–15 for the Global Jewish Educators Summit, hosted by Israel’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism with UnitEd. The summit was founded on the recognition that Jewish educators play a central role in shaping the future of the Jewish people and strengthening communities worldwide. Its program was organized around three themes, Hineni (Here I Am), Mi K’amcha Yisrael (Who Is Like Your People Israel?), and Veshinantam (And You Shall Teach Them Diligently), inviting participants to explore an inner journey framed by three questions: Who am I? What story do I belong to? How do I pass it on? Mayberg Foundation President and Trustee Manette Mayberg and Senior Advisor for Education Grants and Programs Rachel Abrahams joined the gathering and came away with insights for the Foundation’s work.

Honoring eight Jewish educators

The summit opened with the first Global Jewish Teachers Award gala, recognizing eight educators from Argentina, France, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States for their work strengthening Jewish identity and students’ connection to Israel. The award is a joint initiative of the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, The Jerusalem Post, UnitEd, the World Zionist Organization, and Herzog College, and each honoree received a $2,500 cash prize from the Mayberg Foundation’s Jewish Educator Impact Fund. Manette, who served on the award’s international judging panel, said that while all of the nominations were truly exceptional, she began to see a pattern among select educators who viewed their students through an expansive lens.

“The most outstanding educators had an eye toward how students would continue beyond the curriculum, inspiring a lifelong love of learning and involvement,” she said. “These role models are personally invested in the lifelong trajectories of their students and have a passion to contribute to the strengthening of future generations.” The experience, she added, shapes how the Foundation thinks about supporting teachers: “We need to help educators develop themselves as more than teachers. They are tasked with the holy work of building Jewish souls and minds to proudly live their Jewish legacy.”

Meet this year’s honorees and read their reflections on Jewish education

A conversation among Jewish education funders

Decisions That Drive Impact: Behind the Scenes of Philanthropic Investment in Education with manette mayberg (mayberg foundation), Ofer Glanz (Renaissance Hub) and Seymour Kopelowitz (Mandel Foundation) moderated by Craig Kacev (the Pincus Fund)

On October 13, Manette joined Ofer Glanz of Renaissance Hub and Seymour Kopelowitz of the Mandel Foundation for Decisions That Drive Impact: Behind the Scenes of Philanthropic Investment in Education, a panel moderated by Craig Kacev of the Pincus Fund. Each shared their foundation’s vision, from the Mandel Foundation’s focus on training educators to Renaissance Hub’s work building Jewish identity in Europe. All agreed on the value of true partnership with grantees, including hearing about both the successes and the challenges of funded projects so they can help strengthen them.

Manette described the Mayberg Foundation’s mission as putting “the Kodesh back in the Limudei Kodesh,” helping schools draw on Jewish wisdom about learning rather than borrowing secular models. She shared that what differentiates its approach is “quality of education and results first,” and said the conversation reinforced the importance of preparation and evaluation as “essential ingredients for long term impact.” Asked what brings her joy in this work, she said, “The work in Jewish philanthropy brings me the closest to the highest level of happiness... which is really connection to Hakadosh Baruch Hu. And I really find that in my work. The potential is limitless.”

A global community of learning

For Rachel, the summit’s greatest impact was seeing Jewish educators from around the world gathered in one place. “Seeing educators from all over the world come together in Jerusalem was inspiring. It reminded me of the verse, ‘Ki MiTzion Teitzei Torah’ (From Zion shall go forth the Torah),” she said. “Seeing Israel as the center of the Jewish world caring for diaspora Jewry was a unique experience that I haven’t had in my 30 years in the field.”

On October 13, participants learned together in a beit midrash session led by Rav Dov Singer, founder of Lifnai V’Lifnim, a program the Mayberg Foundation was privileged to help start and which has since grown into a global initiative. “The learning showed how interactive meaning-making is an effective modality,” Rachel said. The summit also offered “an opportunity to be together with practitioners from across the international day school field to explore potential new partnerships,” she added. “Kudos to the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and UnitEd for cultivating a global community.”