2022-2023
Annual
Impact Report
A Year of Extraordinary Impact
Jewish day schools and yeshivas are our greatest investment for a vibrant Jewish future. Prizmah is leading the field in ensuring our schools are at their best and that Jewish students are getting an excellent, inspiring education rooted in Jewish values.
There is great reason for optimism: enrollment across the field is up, the perceived value of day schools is increasing, and we have seen a significant rise in investments in our schools. Here’s how your investment in Prizmah fuels that optimism and leverages further success for day schools.
Yeshivas Served
Leaders Engaged
Prizmah Knowledge Center
Strengthening
the Jewish Day School
Network
Sharing leading practices and exchanging knowledge and resources strengthens Jewish day school education in North America. Prizmah is the network that makes this sharing possible.
By the Numbers
1,727
School leaders
from 241 schools
participated in more than
gatherings, meetups,
and webinars.
1,601
Professionals
from 277 schools
engaged in
across 25 active online
communities.
206,604
Visitors to the
Prizmah Knowledge
Center, which added
leadership pieces, and
research studies this year.
Learn more
report they have access to the
Expertise and Resources
they need through Prizmah
and its partners.
Prizmah see value in being part
of the Prizmah network.
concrete tools/resources to improve job performance.
from Prizmah's programs and services.
Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar
Speaker at the 2023 Prizmah Conference
The 2023
Prizmah Conference
The 2023 Prizmah
Conference
1,109 Jewish day school and yeshiva professionals and stakeholders from 206 schools from across the globe celebrated the spirit of creativity, explored innovative ideas, and fostered relationships to develop imaginative approaches to impact schools, students, and communities.
Spotlight ENGAGE
In partnership with PJ Library, the Engage program has allowed Jewish day schools to position themselves as centers of Jewish engagement, advancing enrollment in more than 100 schools since inception. With special thanks to the Grinspoon Foundation and Lisa Popik Coll and Arieh Coll.
Applications
Yielding
Yielding
Representing
an Estimated
Representing an Estimated
Revenue
Spotlight Seattle
The Samis Foundation’s partnership with Prizmah yielded a middle income affordability model leading to
In Enrollment
Leveraging
Data to Increase
Enrollment
Having quality data helps our schools make informed decisions that lead to results.
Enrollment Pulse Survey
Our research helped schools understand why 75% of new students stayed in Jewish day school two years after the pandemic, and created marketing messaging to speak directly to prospective day school and yeshiva families.
Benchmarking
with DASL
The Data and Analysis for School Leadership (DASL) platform goes deep into school finance, giving over 100 participating school leaders access to critical comparative data.
Spotlight TORONTO
Partnering with The Julia and Henry Koschitzky Centre for Jewish Education of the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, Prizmah created a benchmarking dashboard for 14 schools in the Toronto community to determine school financial health. Based on that data, Prizmah presented a series of specific recommendations to improve educational excellence and the schools’ perceived value.
Elevating Day School Leadership
Prizmah’s work in developing talented school leadership is addressing a deep need for schools across North America.
| YOU Lead |  |
The 35 leaders participating in the 2022-2023 YOU Lead cohort strengthened their leadership capacity to serve their schools and communities—now and into the future. 97% of this year’s cohort reported strong program satisfaction, with over 92% of participants feeling a stronger sense of belonging and efficacy in leadership, supported in their work, and improvement in their own leadership dispositions.
With special thanks to The Azrieli Foundation
| Jewish Day School Educators Pipeline Working Group |  |
In partnership with the Jewish Education Innovation Challenge, twenty-five thought leaders gathered for a nine-month process to brainstorm solutions to address the shortage of quality Jewish educators. By the end of 2023, the group will develop a playbook of creative and new initiatives to ensure more qualified and committed day school educators are engaged in the pipeline.
With special thanks to the Mayberg Foundation, Melissa Kushner and Jeremy Kaplan, and Evelyn and Dr. Shmuel Katz.
| Orthodox Women in Day School Leadership |  |
Prizmah continues to work with Orthodox women in day school leadership positions and rising leaders across the field to identify conditions and compensation and address disparity. This will help strengthen the pipeline to recruit and retain talented educators to key leadership roles.
With special thanks to Micah Philanthropies, the Walder Foundation, the Kolatch Foundation, and Shari and Nathan Lindenbaum.
| Leadership Search |  |
Prizmah has successfully worked with schools to place 11 school leaders in 2022-2023, infusing schools with passion and energy.
| New Heads Institute |  |
Supporting new heads of school as they grow into their positions gives talented leaders the opportunity to deepen their impact in schools. Prizmah partnered with the Day School Leadership Training Institute on a year-long cohort experience for new heads of school and provided programming for experienced heads of school who are new to their communities.
| Lay Leadership |  |
With the right training for lay leaders, school boards adopt leading practices in governance, support school heads, and strengthen their schools. This year, Prizmah worked with over two hundred lay leaders on the most pressing needs in the field, including hosting multiple workshops and series aimed at building capacity and ensuring quality of leadership.
Learn More:
Rabbi Adina Allen
Co-Founder & Creative Director, Jewish Studio Project, Speaker at the 2023 Prizmah Conference.
Mental Health
Addressing the mental health needs of our school communities builds safer, more creative, and more productive learning environments. Prizmah’s Mental Health Summit, School Counselor Collaborative, and other mental health programming provides a framework that over 200 counselors have utilized to promote wellness in students and faculty.
With special thanks to The Covenant Foundation, BeWell at Jewish Federations of North America, and the Ruderman Foundation.
Unpacked for Educators
Educating students about the State of Israel continues to be a priority for Jewish day schools and yeshivas around the country and the world.
This year, 143 educators across the globe participated in the Unpacked for Educators Collaborative through Prizmah, accessing premium educational resources, advancing knowledge and skills through professional development, and networking with an international community of diverse Israel educators to bring resources and first-hand knowledge to their classrooms.
Judaic Studies
Prizmah continues to strengthen educators in Judaic studies to support every student’s connection to Judaism and tradition.
Educational administrators and faculty teams from 130 schools have engaged in ongoing learning and training to build capacity to strengthen Jewish studies, education and pedagogy through Prizmah cohort programs and educational partnerships with organizations like Pardes, Gateways, Hidden Sparks, and others.
Uplifting Day
School Communities
Communities that work together to build their schools are stronger for their efforts.
Boston: Stronger Together
Boston:
Stronger Together
Prizmah’s Stronger Together Initiative brought 14 Jewish day schools in the greater Boston area together to launch a three-year journey to explore collaboration and resource-sharing efforts, including teacher support and shared programming. With special thanks to Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston and the Beker Foundation.
Amplifying the value
of a jewish day school
education
Telling stories about the impact of a day school education helps drive demand and increase enrollment. Prizmah launched the #JDSalumniproud campaign to tell those stories, highlighting the long-term, generational impact of a Jewish day school education.
More than
Ensuring the Jewish Future
Blue Diamond Giving Society
Prizmah’s work wouldn’t be possible without the support of these generous donors and philanthropic partners. To join these day school heroes in ensuring Jewish continuity through quality Jewish education, please contact Hannah Strasser Olson, Senior Vice President, Development.
VISIONARIES
אנשי חזון (ANSHEI CHAZON)$250,000+
- • Anonymous
- • Aviv Foundation
- • Crown Family Philanthropies
- • Jim Joseph Foundation
$100,000+
- • The Azrieli Foundation
- • The Beker Foundation
- • Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston
- • Paula Gottesman
- • The Marcus Foundation
- • Ann and Jeremy Pava, Trustees, Micah Philanthropies
- • Walder Foundation
PILLARS
עמודים (AMUDIM)$50,000+
- • Anonymous
- • Lisa Popik Coll and Arieh Coll
- • Harold Grinspoon Foundation
- • Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago
- • Dr. Shmuel and Evelyn Katz
- • The Mayberg Foundation and Arnee R. and Walter A. Winshall
- • Ruderman Family Foundation
- • Paul and Lois Volosov
PATRONS
תומכים (TOMCHIM)$25,000+
- • BeWell at Jewish Federations of North America
- • The Covenant Foundation
- • Joyce and David Friedman
- • Robin and Brad Klatt
- • Melissa Kushner and Jeremy Kaplan
- • Shari and Nathan J. Lindenbaum
- • Lippman Kanfer Foundation For Living Torah
- • Yehuda and Chani Neuberger
- • The Segal Family Foundation
- • Wilf Family Foundations
BELIEVERS
מאמינים (MA’AMINIM)$18,000+
- • Lisa Capelouto and Paul Bernstein
- • Sarena and David Koschitzky
- • Ellie and Mark Lainer
- • Samis Foundation
- • Marty and Hili Scheck
- • Deborah Shapira and Barry Stern
- • Michael H. Staenberg, The Staenberg Group
- • Zalik Foundation
BUILDERS
בונים (BONIM)$10,000+
- • Daniel and Gisela Ades
- • Alyce and Philip de Toledo
- • Alisa and Dan Doctoroff
- • Laurie and Bernard Hasten
- • JEWISHcolorado
- • Kolatch Family Foundation
- • Josh and Rena Kopelman
- • Lizbeth and George Krupp
- • Marcia and Alan Leifer
- • Elana and Daniel Miller
- • Debbie and Sam Moed
- • Gail and Elliot Norry
- • Rose Community Foundation
- • Leslie and Mark Sidell
- • Elaine and Joseph Steiner
PARTNERS
שותפים (SHUTAFIM)$5,400+
- • Giti and Jack Bendheim
- • Linda and Steven Blasnik Fund of the Dallas Jewish Community Foundation
- • Joyce and Michael Bohnen
- • Shawn Evenhaim
- • Alana Riss Fine and Brett Fine
- • Jonathan Goodman
- • Andy Hochberg
- • Lauren and Ezra Merkin
- • Valerie and Dan Perla
- • Dr. Heschel and Adinah Raskas
- • Morry and Judy Weiss
PIONEERS
חלוצים (CHALUTZIM)$1,800+
- • Sandra and Howard Hoffen
- • Andrea Lee-Zucker
- • Elissa and Bruce Maier
- • Greater Miami Jewish Federation
- • Hannah and Erich Olson
- • Jewish Federation of Greater Metrowest New Jersey
- • Sara and Yossi Prager
- • Steven and Ruthy Rosenberg
- • Beth Kaplan and Bruce Sholk
- • Rebecca and Marc Wolf
Program Sponsors
Cultures of Belonging
- • Crown Family Philanthropies
- • Lippman Kanfer Foundation for Living Torah
Engage
- • Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston
- • Lisa Popik Coll and Arieh Coll
- • Harold Grinspoon Foundation
- • Jewish Federation of Greater Metrowest New Jersey
Prizmah Conference 2023
- • Anonymous
- • JEWISHColorado
- • Jim Joseph Foundation
- • The Mayberg Foundation and Arnee R. and Walter A. Winshall
- • Rose Community Foundation
- • Ruderman Family Foundation
- • Michael H. Staenberg, The Staenberg Group
Mental Health Programming and Summit
- • BeWell at Jewish Federations of North America
- • The Covenant Foundation
- • Ruderman Family Foundation
Orthodox Women in Leadership
- • Kolatch Family Foundation
- • Shari and Nathan J. Lindenbaum
- • Micah Philanthropies
- • Walder Foundation
Jewish Day School Pipeline Project
- • The Mayberg Foundation
- • Dr. Shmuel and Evelyn Katz
- • Jeremy Kaplan and Melissa Kushner
Project Stronger Together
- • The Beker Foundation
- • Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston
Senior Development Professionals Retreat 2023
- • Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles
- • The Alvin Segal Family Foundation
Small Schools Support
- • Anonymous
YOU Lead
- • The Azrieli Foundation
