Three Jewish Educators, Leaders of Innovation and Impact in the Field, Receive the 2016 Covenant Award
Source: The Covenant Foundation
Three outstanding Jewish educators who are leaders of innovation and impact - and who by their very successes are pushing the field to take notice of the power of inclusive, creative education – are the 2016 recipients of The Covenant Award. Daniel Henkin, Director of Music at The Ramaz Upper School in New York and at Camp Ramah Nyack (NY); Rabbi Benay Lappe, Founder and Rosh Yeshiva of SVARA: A Traditionally Radical Yeshiva, Chicago; and Ilana Ruskay-Kidd, Founder and Head of School at The Shefa School, New York are the recipients of the Award, which is among the highest honors in the field of Jewish education.
“For over 25 years,” said Eli N. Evans, Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Covenant Foundation, “excellent, innovative Jewish educators have been recognized by The Covenant Foundation. These three recipients now join 75 others who, together, form a contingent of inspired, courageous, motivated and forward-thinking Jewish leaders.”
Along with the recognition that accompanies this award, each recipient will receive $36,000, and each of their institutions will receive $5,000.
The Foundation and the Jewish community will honor the 2016 award recipients at a dinner in Washington, DC on Nov. 13, during the General Assembly of The Jewish Federations of North America.
Daniel Henkin, Director of Music at The Ramaz Upper School in New York and Camp Ramah Nyack, uses music as a portal to sacred text and creates moments packed with individual and collective expression, growth, and excitement. At both Ramaz and Ramah, Henkin elevates an art that transforms not only those who are creating it, but also those who are consuming it.
Rabbi Benay Lappe, Founder and Rosh Yeshiva of SVARA: A Traditionally Radical Yeshiva, Chicago, has created an exciting paradigm in Jewish education—learning that is traditional yet radical, and extremely rigorous yet accessible. She has painted a new picture of what adult education can look like and SVARA has become a compelling model of a new kind of Jewish learning.
Ilana Ruskay-Kidd, Founder and Head of School at The Shefa School in New York, combines a passion for inclusivity with an entrepreneurial drive as she carves a space for children with special needs within Jewish educational life.
Read the entire announcement at the Covenant Foundation website.