Support DeLeT: Day School Teachers for a New Generation

Ensure Vibrant Educators for Jewish Day Schools

“DeLeT connects our Jewish values to our day school teaching, and I pass those values to my students every day in the classroom.”

Jewish day schools create dynamic Jewish learning communities for our children and families. DeLeT at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) prepares these schools’ greatest asset: their teachers. DeLeT Fellows are passionate about teaching as they integrate general and Jewish studies by infusing the classroom with meaningful connections between American values and Jewish heritage. As they foster their student’s love of learning and Jewish identity, DeLeT fellows ensure a vital future for the next generations.

What is DeLeT?

DeLeT fosters teaching excellence by preparing innovative classroom teachers of Jewish studies, Hebrew language, and general studies. DeLet Fellows apply a content-rich, learner-centered, and inquiry-oriented approach to education. They imbue values in everything they teach, from math to Torah to physical education. Students learn how to embrace their dual heritage as Americans and Jews.

DeLet Fellows spend one academic year in a mentored internship in a Jewish day school in Los Angeles, San Diego, or the San Francisco Bay area while participating in weekly seminars taught by scholars and practitioners in the growing field of day school education. DeLeT Day School Partners for 2014-15 included the Abraham Joshua Heschel Day School, Brawerman Elementary at Wilshire Boulevard Temple, Ilan Ramon Day School, Rabbi Jacob Pressman Academy of Temple Beth Am, Sinai Akiba Academy, Stephen  S. Wise Temple Day School, and Temple Israel of Hollywood Day School in Los Angeles; San Diego Jewish Academy in San Diego; and Brandeis Hillel Day School, Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Community Day School, and Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School in Northern California. 

Upon successful completion of the program, Fellows receive a Certificate Jewish Day School Teaching and are eligible for a California Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. HUC-JIR is the only Jewish institution accredited to grant California teaching credentials. For over a decade, DeLeT at HUC-JIR, along with its partner program at Brandeis University, has trained more than 200 classroom teachers for over 60 day schools – Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, and Community – in sixteen states and three countries.

In 2015, DeLeT introduced a new Hebrew language track, DeLeT L’Ivrit, to prepare future Hebrew Language and Jewish Studies teachers.

DeLeT is offered by the Rhea Hirsch School of Education at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion with the generous support of the Jim Joseph Foundation. 

Why is DeLeT Unique?

• JEWISH DAY SCHOOL INTERNSHIP MODEL: DeLeT Fellows learn through experience during a year-long internship in a Jewish day school classroom with highly qualified mentor teachers in Hebrew language, Judaic studies, and general studies.
• COMMITMENT TO COLLABORATION: Collaboration is a cornerstone of teaching and building community within the classroom. DeLeT strengthens Fellows’ capacity for working together and sharing knowledge.
• COHORT MODEL: DeLeT Fellows are part of a cohort of up to 14 aspiring teachers working with a team of veteran clinical educators and mentors. The cohort model provides ongoing opportunities for practice in critical dialogue, inquiry, and reflection, we also fostering academic and personal support.
• CLINICAL EDUCATORS: Through supervision and ongoing evaluation, clinical educators visit Fellows in their internships, provide regular feedback and on-site support, and collaborate with both Fellows and their mentors on an ongoing basis.
• FINANCIAL SUPPORT: DeLeT Fellows receive a substantial tuition scholarship, a living stipend, and support for two mentor teachers and one clinical educator provided by HUC-JIR.
• JOB PLACEMENT: DeLeT Fellows are well-prepared to assume full teacher responsibilities. DeLeT has excellent placement, and many fellows are hired for teaching positions in their internship venues.

Support DeLeT

Your generosity enables HUC-JIR to provide the innovative DeLeT experience to new day school teachers every year. What will your gift do? 

• $5,000 suvbents a DeLeT Fellow’s required payment towards one year’s tuition          
• $10,000 supports a DeLeT Fellow’s living stipend for one year     
• $15,000 supports a DeLeT L’Ivrit Fellow’s living stipend for one year
• $20,000 supports a living stipend for a fellow and support for two Mentor Teachers and one Clinical Educator per Fellow
• $40,000 supports the above for two DeLeT Fellows in one school (Costs are reduced for partner schools that host two Fellows)
• $60,000 supports the total cost of Mentor Teachers for the entire Cohort
• $64,000 supports the entire 13-month fellowship program for one Fellow
• $90,000 supports the total cost of Mentor Teachers and Clinic Educators for the entire Cohort
• $200,000 supports entire 13-month fellowship for 3 DeLeT L’Ivrit fellows

Invest in our future Jewish day school educators by supporting DeLet today.

Contact Us

To learn more, please contact us at 212-824-2299 or deletgiving@huc.edu