For the past few years, we have been living in a world defined by crisis. COVID, political hyper-polarization, rabid antisemitism, Hamas—just to name a few. For good reason, our communities—including their educational institutions—have scrambled to respond to these crises, and have not only survived but in many cases thrived through them all. Survival is a significant achievement, but thriving is nothing less than remarkable.

What makes schools thrive? What energizes teachers and students and parents so that the schools become places of positivity and growth despite the maelstroms in which we live?

There is no magic bullet to answer those questions, but there are lots of things being done well that contribute to those successes and which are replicable. There are a few things that they share in common. First, they put the students at the center and usually transform them into active partners, not passive beneficiaries. Second, they are prepared to challenge the status quo but in positive ways, offering suggestions for improvement rather than critique, and understanding that just because things were always done one way does not mean that they should continue that way. Third, they overflow their boundaries. What that means is that they are not limited to a specific time or staff member or event, but they become definitional to the culture and the very life of the institution.

The articles in this issue of the journal reflect a sample of the kinds of things happening in different schools, across age levels, denominational affiliations, and geographic-demographic definitions. We were moved, inspired, and sometimes surprised by the ideas that these schools were implementing—boldly flaunting conventions, breaking down barriers, and being prepared to be reflective about what they were doing so that they could continually learn and improve. As one school described it, we were prepared to fail fast and fail forward. These kinds of transformational programs represent the kinds of educational thinking that can help our schools thrive and provide our students with the tools they need to emerge as confident Jews in a turbulent world.

BIVRAKHA,

RABBI ZVI GRUMET, ED.D.