When we sent UNITE earlier today, we inadvertently left out the links to the articles. This has been corrected. Clicking Continue Reading after excerpts will take you to the full article on our website.

In This Edition: Professional Development at Your Fingertips! • Rosh Ha-Shanah. Stop and Smell the Honey • October 7th and After: A Reflection on Our Task Ahead • A Celebration of Growth, Achievement, and Vision • Conference Format • Yom Chadash Schedule • Last Chance To Join 'New-ish' Director Cohort #2 • Upcoming Events • Renew your ECE-RJ Membership for a chance to win!

FOR DIRECTORS

Professional Development at Your Fingertips!

For the past several years, ECE-RJ has served as a partner organization for The Orchard, a conglomerate of 25 organizations from across North America, to bring the highest quality professional learning for educators in Jewish early childhood centers. This partnership gives you access to hundreds of resources including webinars on a huge variety of topics and Learning Communities (are small group networks who do a deeper dive into some of the issues that are top of mind in our field). These hot-topic webinars are a mix of live and recorded sessions in order to make participation easy for everyone.

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FOR TEACHERS

Rosh HaShanah. Stop and Smell the Honey

School is starting or has only just begun. Everything is new. We don’t know the children. We don’t know the parents or guardians. We don’t have a sense of the group yet. AND WE HAVE TO TEACH ROSH HASHANA AND YOM KIPPUR RIGHT AWAY!!

Wait. Stop and smell the honey.

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FOR CONGREGATIONS

October 7^th and After: A Reflection on Our Task Ahead

A year ago, when news of the attacks on Israel unfolded, I found myself in disbelief. In the time since, I’ve realized how it’s had a profound impact on families, parents, and educators. Though it’s been a year, I still grapple with the same questions I had on Oct. 7^th; and I wonder, how can we move forward in these uncertain times?

As a parent, educator and preschool director, I know that children learn by example. I know that through our actions and words, during this year of war and always, children still take their cues from us. But some things have changed.

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ECE-RJ IS TURNING 25!

A Celebration of Growth, Achievement, and Vision

As ECE-RJ, the Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism, reaches a significant milestone—its 25th anniversary—I find myself reflecting on our journey with the pride and awe of a parent watching their child grow into a remarkable young adult. The past quarter-century has flown by in what feels like the blink of an eye, and the transformation of our organization is nothing short of extraordinary.

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CONFERENCE UPDATES

Conference Format

We are thrilled to share some exciting updates for Yom Chadash, our combined ARJE and ECE-RJ Conference in Chicagoland January 22-25, 2025!

INTENSIVES
This year, Yom Chadash will feature a choice between 3 Intensive tracks which allow attendees to:

Engage more deeply in a specific topic in a smaller group
Meet for four hours over the three-day period.
Visit an off-site location to bring the learning to life

Intensive 1: Imagine the Possibilities: Engaging Our Families
Intensive 2: Imagine the Possibilities: As Institutional Leaders
Intensive 3: Imagine the Possibilities: Paving the Way for North American Jewish Identity in a Post-October 7 World

WORKSHOP SESSIONS
The conference will be rounded out by workshop sessions on a variety of topics for you to choose from, including a “taste” of the intensives for those not selecting that track.

RFPs for Workshop Sessions
Want to submit a workshop proposal? Fill out an RFP today!

Questions about Yom Chadash? Reach out to Sara Losch or Mihaela Schwartz to find out more!

Click HERE to find our more!

Yom Chadash Schedule

View the Tentative Schedule Here

NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES

Last Chance To Join "New-ish" Director Cohort #2

Welcoming all "new-ish directors" (either new to the role or new to your current position) to the New-ish Directors Network - Cohort #2! The Network meets approximately every 6 weeks for conversations facilitated by Leah Lyndon (Temple Chai, Phoenix) and Laura Krautheim (Temple Emanuel, Denver).

Share what is on your mind, offer suggestions to your colleagues, or listen as part of a sacred community. Email Amy Damast, Amy@templesinainj.org, for more information.

ECE-RJ CALENDAR

Upcoming Events

The Orchard: Early Childhood Development and Pedagogy - Infant Toddler Care (1/3)
Date: Sep 26, 2024
Time: 7:00 pm - 8:15 pm EDT

ECE-RJ Round Table Discussion for Directors & Asst Directors
Date: Oct 10, 2024
Time: 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm EDT

Click here for the full ECE-RJ calendar.

MEMBERSHIP

ECE-RJ Membership

Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism (ECE-RJ) is committed to serving early childhood educators and leaders in congregational settings. We believe in elevating the professional self of our members through education, networking, and collaboration. We believe that the work of ECE-RJ increases the status and visibility of our profession and our schools within Jewish communal life, ensuring the continuity of thriving, high-quality Jewish Early Childhood programs. We rely on membership dues to sustain the work of the organization and to provide its members with resources and benefits to support the work that they do.

Information about the 2024- 2025 Membership Dues can be found HERE. To join ECE-RJ please visit our website for more information.

ECE-RJ remains committed to being accessible to all Early Childhood Educators. It is our policy that financial capacity should not be a barrier to membership.

Specific payment arrangements may be granted to members in good standing if the dues cause undue strain on the school/congregation/institution.

Questions about membership?
Please reach out to Jamah Maman or Cathy Goldberg, Co-VP of Membership

ECE-RJ Unite is proud to feature articles written by ECE-RJ members and members of our larger early childhood community. The content is designed to educate and inform members. Publication of an article does not imply endorsement of a product or position. For information on article submission, contact Stacey Gabriel at sgabriel@bethavodah.org.

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