Connected-NESS

In the San Francisco Bay Area, five synagogues are transforming religious school education through their participation in the NESS initiative. Teams of synagogue school educators, clergy, families and lay leaders deconstructed their programs, and together with BJE's guidance built unique religious schools that incorporate their synagogues' mission and values.

On February 9th, 2011, synagogue schools from Philadelphia and the San Francisco Bay Area came together to share outcomes from their participation in NESS. This video highlights the changes in curriculum, culture and volunteer participation that have taken place at each synagogue over the past three years, as a result of their participation in the NESS initiative.

NESS -- an acronym for Nurturing Excellence in Synagogue Schools - is a partnership between the San Francisco Bureau of Jewish Education, five Bay Area Synagogues, and three major funders: PELIE, The Jewish Community Federation and The Koret Foundation.

The five Bay Area synagogues are Congregation Beth Jacob in Redwood City, Congregation Kol Emeth in Palo Alto, Congregation Rodef Sholom in San Rafael, Congregation Sherith Israel in San Francisco and Peninsula Temple Shalom in Burlingame.

For more information on NESS, contact Debby Jacoby at djacoby@bjesf.org or 415-751-6983 ext. 111

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  Education