Source: The Covenant Foundation
Five promising Jewish educators from across the country are the first-ever recipients of The Pomegranate Prize, established by The Covenant Foundation to honor and nurture exceptional, emerging professionals. The Foundation announced the establishment of the new prize - and the inaugural recipients – at its annual award ceremony during the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America in Denver, CO.
Recipients, representing a range of educational settings and approaches, are:
- Rabbi Marc Baker, Head of School at Gann Academy – The New Jewish High School of Greater Boston;
- Robert Beiser, Campus/JConnect Repair the World Director at Hillel at the University of Washington in Seattle;
- Anna Hartman, Director of Early Childhood Education at Greenfield Hebrew Academy in Atlanta;
- Gilah Kletenik, Congregational Scholar at Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun in New York;
- Rabbi Shira Koch Epstein, Associate Rabbi at Congregation Beth Elohim in Brooklyn, NY.
The Pomegranate Prize takes its place next to The Covenant Award, which since 1991 has honored three exemplary Jewish educators each year for their records of innovation and impact across Jewish education settings. This new Prize, recognizing passionate, emerging leaders in Jewish education, goes to those in the field for 10 years or less.
It is the intention of The Covenant Foundation to create a growing network of Pomegranate Award recipients and provide a laboratory and platform for them as they immerse themselves in foundation-supported professional development and leadership programs, peer-to-peer gatherings, mentorships and other educator initiatives. Each recipient will receive a $15,000 fund to fuel educational projects and their development as change agents in their communities and in Jewish education.