THE COMMISSION ON JEWISH SCHOOL EXCELLENCE MAKES HEADLINES

An indication that Jewish education in Colorado will begin to receive the public attention it deserves was a recent front-page story and editorial in the Denver-based Intermountain Jewish News. The article reported the creation of the Commission on Jewish School Excellence, convened by the Colorado Agency for Jewish Education. The 40-member commission, which is co-chaired by Steve Brodsky, Mark Boscoe, Nancy Gart and Diane Hochstadt, will meet for the first time in early January to craft a vision of what excellent Jewish education can look like in five years. The Denver Commission is modeled after the nationally based Commission on Jewish Education in North America, formed in 1991. The Commission on Jewish School Excellence in Colorado will heed a call to action framed this way by a report called "A Time To Act," published by that 1991commission:

"A majority of community leaders must rally to the cause of Jewish education," the report said. "In 1980 only a few of these leaders thought Jewish education was a burning issue, many thought it was important, and the rest didn't spend much time thinking about it. . . The challenge is that by the year 2000, the vast majority of these community leaders should see Jewish education as a burning issue and the rest should at least think it is important. When this is achieved money will be available to finance fully the massive program envisioned. . ."

So what will this massive program look like? That will be up to 40 prominent Jewish educators and lay leaders to decide. The commission will hear from experts and read about ongoing teacher training. . .about mentor projects. . . about the development of lifelong Jewish learning habits among teachers. . .about paying excellent Jewish school teachers three times more than they currently make. . . about giving them other incentives like sending their children to Jewish camps. . . about bringing parents back to the obligation and pleasure to teach their children diligently. . .about respecting Jewish study, as essential for Jewish continuity. . .and who knows what else?

It's an exciting time to be a Jewish educator. If you are one, your profession-or avocation--is moving into the spotlight of concern. If you have any ideas you would like the commission to know about, please contact Dyan Zaslowsky, the CAJE staff person who runs the commission. Her e-mail address is dzaslowsky@caje-co.org. She welcomes your suggestions. Encourage the commission to think and act boldly on behalf of the entire Jewish educational committee. A list of the commissioners follows:

Dr. Sharlene Ancell-Hillel Academy
Daniel W. Bennett-CAJE
Johnathan Beren-Hillel Academy
Mark Boscoe-Co-chair, Commission on Jewish School Excellence
Amy Boymel-Anti Defamation League
Steve Brodsky-Co-chair, Commission on Jewish School Excellence
Marty Caplan-Kent School
Rabbi Yaakov Chaitovsky-BMH-BJ Congregation
Anne Ciner-JCC Preschool
Trudy Dock-Congregation Emanuel Preschool
Tammy Dollin-Denver Academy of Torah
Betsy Epel-Denver Institute of Jewish Studies
Dr. Norman Fischer-Community Talmud Torah, Rocky Mountain Hebrew High
Allison Freeman-Young Judaea
Scott Friedman-BBYO
Nancy Gart-Commission on Jewish School Excellence Co-Chair
Bonnie Gertz-Hebrew Educational Alliance
Dr. Lorry Getz-Herzl Day School
Rabbi Hillel Goldberg-Intermountain Jewish News
Talor Halevi-Bonai Shalom, Boulder
Diane Hochstadt-Co-chair, Commission on Jewish School Excellence
Shere Kahn-Allied Jewish Federation
Juli Kramer-JCCBar Ranch Camp
Robert Lackner-Congregation Emanuel
Ron Leff-Congregation Emanuel
Della Levy-Action 2020
Isabel Make-Action 2020
Virginia Maloney-Sturm Family Foundation
Ruth Malman-Action 2020
Lisa Farber Miller-Rose Community Foundation
Linda Mishkin-Ken Caryl Middle School
Diane O. Samet-Temple Sinai
Sharon Sherman-Jewish Women's Resource Center
Linda Siegel-Richman-Action 2020
Risa Towbin Aqua-B'nai Havurah
Alik Vatikay-Community High School of Jewish Studies
Rabbi Isaac Wasserman-Yeshiva Toras Chaim
Anita Wenner-Action 2020
Geoffrey Wodell-Center for Judaic Studies, University of Denver
Rabbi Raymond Zwerin-Temple Sinai