Center For Jewish Education Inc

PROVIDE SUPPORT TO EDUCATORS, SCHOOLS & INSTITUTIONS DEDICATED TO JEWISH LEARNING.

GRANTS ADMINISTRATION: ALMOST 800 TEACHERS IN DAY SCHOOLS, RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS, AND EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS RECEIVED GRANTS IN FY21. IN ADDITION, 87 STUDENTS IN HIGH SCHOOL RECEIVED GRANTS TO STUDY IN ISRAEL AND OVER $200,000 WAS GRANTED. CJE DISTRIBUTED EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES TO 10 FAMILIES IMPACTED BY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH, AUTISM, OR OBESITY. OVER $135,000 IN GRANTS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO 29 ORGANIZATIONS FOR INNOVATIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING. OTHER GRANTS INCLUDED PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMMING FOR ISRAEL EDUCATION FROM PRESCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.

ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMMING: THE CJE PROVIDED RESOURCES FOR JEWISH FAMILY PROGRAMMING IN FY21. ALTHOUGH CJE OFFICES WERE OPEN, MANY PROGRAMS WERE VIRTUAL WITH SOME IN OUTSIDE VENUES WHERE SOCIAL DISTANCING WAS AN OPTION. THE CJE DISTRIBUTED PJ LIBRARY BOOKS TO OVER 3700 SUBSCRIBERS (CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO AGE 11). VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING INCLUDED 27 PROGRAMS FOR HOLIDAYS, MITZVAH DAYS, BAKING, CRAFTING AND SHABBAT. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE OVER 35 IN PERSON PROGRAMS. SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS WERE SMALL, ATTRACTING 10-25 FAMILIES, WHILE SOME WERE LARGER, ATTRACTING UP TO 70 FAMILIES. IN FY21, THERE WERE 10 EVENTS IN PERSON AND/OR REMOTELY, SPECIFICALLY FOR GRANDPARENTS AND THEIR GRANDCHILDREN. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE OTHESE EVENTS WERE ATTENDED BY A TOTAL OF 122 FAMILIES. THE GRANDPARENTS/GRANDCHILDREN ALSO SELF-PUBLISHED 2 BOOKS, A COOKBOOK AND A MEMORY BOOK. IN FY21, THE CJE RAN 20 PROGRAMS FOR THE RUSSIAN SPEAKING COMMUNITY IN BALTIMORE. SOCIAL MEDIA WAS A BIG DRIVER IN THESE PROGRAMS WITH LISTSERVS, WHATSAPP AND FACEBOOK GROUPS. OUR SPECIAL PROGRAMS TO ENGAGE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CLIENTS RESULTED IN ACCESSIBILITY TRAINING AT OVER 20 ORGANIZATIONS. CJE WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING CAPTIONING FOR VIDEOS, CLASSES AND VIRTUAL PROGRAMS.

SERVICES TO SCHOOLS: CJE PROVIDED BEST PRACTICE AND CURRICULUM CONSULTATION TO 2500 TEACHERS IN 14 EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS, 11 DAY SCHOOLS, AND 14 RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS. THIS INCLUDED STATE APPROVED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CLASSES FOR ALMOST 350 TEACHERS. MENTOR TRAINING WAS PROVIDED FOR 7 TEACHERS. GESHER LATORAH, CJE'S RELIGIOUS SCHOOL FOR DISABLED STUDENTS OPENED WITH A VIRTUAL OPTION. THERE WERE TWO IN PERSON EVENTS, WHICH TOOK PLACE OUTDOORS, WHERE SOCIAL DISTANCING WAS AVAILABLE. CJE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVOCACY FOR 100 FAMILIES WHO HAVE NEED FOR SPECIAL SERVICES AS WELL AS INTERPRETING AND CAPTIONING SERVICES TO SCHOOLS. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE OCJE CONTINUED TO SERVICE THE DEAF COMMUNITY THROUGH INTERPRETING. 9 COMMUNITY CLASSES WERE INTERPRETED VIRTUALLY, INCLUDING A SEDER AT JEWISH COMMUNITY SERVICES. INTERPRETING SERVICES WERE ALSO USED AT A DAY SCHOOL GRADUATION AND AN IN-PERSON EXHIBIT PRESENTED AT ON OF THE SCHOOLS. SINCE THE LIBRARY WAS CLOSED TO BROWSING DURING THE FIRST HALF OF FY21, THE CJE OFFERED CURBSIDE PICKUP AS WELL AS DELIVERY. CIRCULATION INCLUDED 1,300 BOOKS AND 222 E-BOOKS, A NEW ADDITION TO THE LIBRARY. THE CJE CONTINUED TO PROVIDE SCHOOL STORY TIME, BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON, TOUCHING OVER 1,000 CHILDREN. AUTHOR TALK PROGRAMS WERE HELD VIRTUALLY. OVER 100 PEOPLE ATTENDED PROGRAMS DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE JEWISH MUSEUM.