As the leading provider of Jewish adult education and teacher training in the UK, LSJS aims to build institutional global relationships, with the Prizmah conference acting as the ideal event. Over 1,000 professionals and lay leaders from over 300 Prizmah Network schools gathered for three days of high-quality learning and the opportunity to build connections and collaborate.
Rabbi Dr Raphael Zarum, LSJS’ Dean and Jonny Atkins, School Direct Secondary Programme Manager, presented a session together on LSJS/UJIA report on the Future of Jewish Education in the UK: a community project; a piece of research conducted over a year in 2022, with 70 professionals from across the education sector including schools, synagogues, youth movements and other supporting organisations across the religious spectrum, looking at the best way to build post-Covid and find more joined up ways to offer Jewish education. The report has produced many relevant recommendations which are being put into action through a dedicated working group.
Rabbi Dr Zarum also gave a session entitled ‘How Big is God? Encouraging and Responding to Challenging Questions’. “Meeting hundreds of like-minded top-level teachers and headteachers from across America and Canada was thrilling; we made the most of networking opportunities throughout the conference and everyone was fascinated as to how we do things in the UK,” said Rabbi Dr Zarum. “They were especially interested in our approach to strategic and systematic change.” Additionally, there was a lot interest in Rabbi Dr Zarum’s recent book, ‘Questioning Belief’, which has been bought by a wide range of high schools who are integrating it into their curriculums for seniors.
The Prizmah Network is built on the belief that peer-to-peer learning and strong relationships are key to strengthening institutions. The network bolsters schools through facilitated engagement and connection, enabling them to gain support and wisdom from experts and peers, collaborate on field-wide efforts and learn together.
