What is it like to be a Jewish educator in North America?

Some of the key findings from the study were that Jewish educators love teaching and have a sense of commitment to serve their community. This sense of mission is a source of resilience to the overcome challenging aspects they face in the field. 

One of these challenges is a perceived low status of Jewish educators and a narrow perception on the kind of work that they do which is seen as outdated. This creates a barrier when appealing to possible new entrants into careers in Jewish education.

Another problem with recruitment is that supplementary-school programs such as camps and social justice initiatives are seen as more trendy and demand less of the educators in regards to a formal degree or other qualifications and therefore the large pool of candidates tend to apply for these jobs rather than day-schools.

There is also a common dissatisfaction with compensation and benefits, which is an issue for most educators, especially female educators who are typically paid less than men.  That, as well as the fact that early childhood education lags in salary. 

Additionally, in many sectors of Jewish education there is no clear advancement ladder for educators and often the only way to grow is in taking on administrate work. 

The research which was led by Collaborative for Applied Studies in Jewish Educations (CASJIE) at The George Washington University, spanned a number of years and its goals is to inform about subjects such as recruitment, retention and development of the educators.

The study defined Jewish educators as "a paid professional who works with people of any age who identify as Jews [in all settings] that aim to help participants find meaning in Jewish texts, experiences and associations."

“If we want to attract and retain great talent and train individuals appropriately, we must have reliable information about who Jewish educators are, why they enter and leave the profession, and what they require to succeed. Now, anyone in the field can access the Career Trajectories study findings to help elevate the expertise, talent, and professionalism of the Jewish education workforce.” Rabbi Mitch Malkus, EdD, co-chair of CASJE’s Advisory Board and Head of School at Charles E. Smith Day School of Greater Washington, DC said.