PaJeS

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🎙️ Important Webinar: Exploring the parenting themes raised in the Netflix series, Adolescence Join PaJeS and Jewish Women's Aid, for a thought-provoking webinar inspired by the Netflix series Adolescence. We’ll explore the challenges of raising boys in today’s society—and the far-reaching impact this can have on girls and women. How can we better understand our boys—and why connection, empathy, and belonging matter so much. 💡 This session will offer practical strategies for: - Having meaningful conversations with our children (especially sons) - Supporting them as they navigate complex online influences - Creating a more thoughtful, empathetic culture at home and in schools Sign up today 📅 8th May, 8pm, online 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ewyhvMN3 A must-attend for educators, parents, and youth professionals. Let’s work together to raise the next generation with intention. Please share widely—this is a conversation we all need to be having.

📢 New Blog: All about schools, parents & the screen-time struggle Teachers today do so much more than educate—they’re therapists, social workers, and, at times, substitute parents. As schools take on increasing responsibilities, from breakfast clubs to emotional resilience training, one big challenge remains: how can schools and parents work together to best support children? 💡 This must-read blog, written by Matt Smerin - Deputy Head at Mathilda Marks-Kennedy Jewish Primary School and a Lira Winston Fellow, explores why attention spans are crumbling, how schools and parents can rebuild them and why teamwork (not blame) is the key to raising engaged, resilient children. By setting shared screen-time boundaries, strengthening focus and prioritising real conversations, we can help children truly thrive. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eRgrnTsi 📝 Have your own insights to share? We’d love to feature your blog next! 📩 Email niki.ehrlich@pajes.org.uk for the submission guidelines.

A day of reflection, connection & growth. 🌿   Yesterday, our team, led by our CEO David Meyer OBE, came together for a meaningful and inspiring staff day at @aldenhamgolfandcountryclub. It was a chance to step back, reflect on our work and strengthen our shared vision.   We were warmly welcomed by our Chair of Trustees Dov Black who talked about the difference that PaJeS made to him and to Broughton Jewish Primary when he served as a school governor there.   We were privileged to hear from Menorah Foundation School's Headteacher on what PaJeS means to her, reinforcing the incredible impact of our work in schools.   The day was filled with insightful discussions, personal reflections and team-building sessions including:   ✅ Wellbeing – Taking a moment for ourselves to reflect on where we are in the various aspects of our lives; from physical, spiritual and personal, to professional, psychological and emotional. ☺️   ✅ Sharing personal highlights – What inspires us outside of our working life. In this session we uncovered traits, challenges and wonderful achievements of our colleagues; giving a deeper insight into their personal lives and loves. 💝   ✅ Finding our voice – Exploring text as a bridge between perspectives. In this session our assistant director and public affairs lead Raisel Freedman 🎗️encouraged us to use our critical thinking skills, listening skills and analyse the ideas in a piece of text from Exodus 4:10-17. 💡   ✅ Defining & living our values – This session, led by Sharon Radley Rachel Barbanel was all about strengthening our commitment to Jewish education. We deepened our understanding of our core values and how to articulate them clearly. ✡️   A huge thank you to everyone who contributed and participated in making this a truly valuable day. 👏🏽Swipe through the photos for some highlights! 📸

Our Assistant Directors, Raisel Freedman 🎗️ and Sharon Radley, enjoyed a wonderful visit to JCoSS where they had the opportunity to: ✅ Catch up with inspiring Headteacher Melanie Lee ✅ Engage with friendly and enthusiastic students ✅ Admire the fabulous artwork displayed throughout the school ✅ Witness thoughtful leadership in action It was a pleasure to see the dedication and creativity that make JCoSS such a special school. Thank you for the warm welcome and we look forward to visiting again soon!

Reflecting on a Powerful Day of Leadership Development Last week, we hosted the second part of our Jewish Schools’ Leadership Programme (JSLP) with Larry Shulman—a full-day workshop dedicated to empowering middle and senior leaders. Attendees enjoyed a peer learning group session after lunch with facilitators Louise Davis, Samantha Benson, Adina Collins, Lizzie Caplan and Rachel Barbanel. Participants explored leading and participating in high-performing teams, effective change management, and engaged in peer learning groups to reflect and grow together. We received positive feedback with one participant commenting that they "enjoyed the staged workshops which gave space to discuss and form new discussions with peers." A huge thank you to all the school leaders who joined us for this inspiring day of learning, collaboration, and professional development! And thank you to Mordechai (Richard) Chalk for his dvar torah. If you or your SLT / school teams would benefit from further support in leadership development, team performance, or strategic realignment, we’re here to help. Get in touch to find out how we can support your school’s journey to excellence.

This week I had the privilege of talking about Jewish schools in Barnet at the Children and Education Overview & Scrutiny Sub-Committee meeting. Alongside fellow faith co-opted members who presented on Church of England and Catholic education, we provided valuable insights into the diverse faith school landscape across our borough. Did you know that Barnet has 21 state Jewish schools and 17 independent Jewish schools serving approximately 10,600 pupils across our community - an essential part of Barnet's rich educational mosaic. For the full outline, you can find the brief report here: https://lnkd.in/gwzzMxUT This term's meeting showcased Barnet's outstanding educational achievements with our schools ranking in the top 10% nationally for primary and secondary education! Particular shout out to the progress score at KS4 ranking 3rd in the country, with attainment at 4th. This is a testament to the dedication of our teachers, school leaders and council officers. However, challenges remain. The new 20% VAT on independent school fees and removal of business rates relief will significantly impact our Jewish schools, particularly in the Strictly Orthodox community. Additionally, programs like the National School Breakfast Club require adjustments to account for kosher food and additional security costs. As always, thank you to the Barnet professionals for their hard work and commitment to educational excellence across our borough, and to my fellow faith representatives for their contributions. What other educational challenges do you think our community faces? Are there innovative solutions we should be exploring for our schools? Share your thoughts below or better yet, come to the next committee meeting and chat in person!  📸 Tamzin Arora Barnet Council Cllr Giulia Monasterio Anne Hutton Michael Mire Liron Woodcock-Velleman Kim Miller #JewishSchools #FaithSchools #Barnet #LocalGovernment #Education #CommunityEngagement #SchoolImprovement PaJeS

✨ Creating Truly Inclusive Schools ✨ PaJeS Wellbeing Leads, Julia Alberga and Jessica Overlander-kaye, hosted an insightful workshop for Wellbeing Leads and DSLs on Neuro-affirming Practices with Dr Gemma Handelsman. With 20 schools attending in person and 5 joining online from Manchester and Gibraltar, the session provided a deep dive into how schools can create more inclusive environments for neurodiverse students. 💡 One online participant shared: "That was so helpful and informative – thank you so much for allowing me to join remotely!" Dr. Handelsman explored the benefits of neuro-affirming practice, equipping educators with practical strategies to encourage understanding, support, and true inclusion in their schools. Interested in bringing this training to your school? Contact gemma@handelsmanpsychology.com for more details.

PaJeS, in partnership with the National Library of Israel, was thrilled to host a dynamic professional development session for Jewish studies teachers. This inspiring workshop explored how primary sources can be used to bring the story of Pesach to life in fresh and engaging ways. @Sharon Radley, Director of Education at PaJeS, commented that "empowering educators with innovative teaching tools - the session highlighted the power of historical documents to deepen students' understanding and connection to this meaningful festival." Thank you to Shuvi Hoffman at the National Library of Israel.