(Courtesy of BPY) Very often, schools are thought of as a place where just the students learn and grow. But there is a whole other dimension to school, where the faculty and administrators learn and grow as well. A great school invests in the talents and skills of its faculty and leadership. It is in that spirit that Ben Porat Yosef is proud to announce its very own Morah Aliza Strassman, director of Student Services, has been accepted to the wonderful Prizmah Rising Orthodox Women in Leadership Cohort.

The prestigious inaugural Prizmah Rising Orthodox Women in Leadership Cohort will join women from around the world to learn and gain support from one another. This exclusive group of women includes associate heads of schools, learning specialist directors, school counselors, department chairs, assistant principals, coaches, directors of early childhood programs, curriculum developers, literacy directors, principals, college and gap year advisors and more. The beginning stages of this work include peer to peer support networks of rising leaders and current heads of schools, and research about the cultures and conditions which support or create challenges for Orthodox women in school leadership positions.

Strassman is the recipient of the 2019 Northern NJ Grinspoon Award for Excellence in Jewish Education and currently participates in JNTP’s cohort for new administrators.

Strassman is looking forward to networking with other women in the field of Jewish education and discussing the big ideas that impact her work and her students. Within this group, there are diverse perspectives which will help examine challenges and opportunities from a variety of viewpoints. Being part of a group of like-minded women from around the globe with the goal of growing professionally in Jewish education is exciting and inspiring.

Strassman hopes to integrate her experiences from the cohort through examining challenges and opportunities through multiple lenses, and discussing with a diverse, yet connected, group of women. BPY looks forward to having the grand ideas from around the world of Jewish Education brought home to the classrooms and experiences of the school.