Every Jewish Community Matters:
ElevatEd's Tiered Model for Small and Medium-Sized Communities
ElevatEd began with a bold vision: to address the critical shortage of early childhood teachers in Jewish settings through holistic interventions in large communities throughout the country. As we build our third cohort, we continue to iterate, learn, and grow - a pilot and laboratory dynamically evolving to meet community needs and ensure the greatest positive impact from national and local investment.
One truth has become increasingly clear: our original ElevatEd model, while effective in larger communities, was not suitable for small and medium-sized communities. In focusing on major metropolitan areas, we were missing the opportunity to support the communities that may need this intervention the most.
Why Small and Medium-Sized Communities Matter
In small and medium-sized Jewish communities, a single early childhood center is often one of the most critical actors in the entire community. For many families, it represents their primary, and sometimes only, connection to organized Jewish life. Yet these communities face unique challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified educators—particularly Jewish educators who can integrate tradition and values into daily learning.
The Challenge and Our Response
The national educator shortage hits small communities especially hard. Between 2006 and 2019, education degrees dropped 22% while overall degrees rose 29% (Pew, 2022). By 2023, fewer than one-third of early childhood centers were fully staffed (Lin & Padilla, 2023). Jewish centers face additional challenges: educators must be skilled in child development and knowledgeable about Jewish traditions, while earning wages 38% less than K-8 colleagues (Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, 2024)
We believe that ElevatEd's quality interventions will be transformational for small and medium-sized communities. To test this, we've created a tiered model for investment and interventions that is right-sized for communities of all sizes. This approach brings proven strategies, combining technology, corporate hiring practices, and community relationships, scaled appropriately for diverse communities.
Early results in larger communities are promising. After their first year, newly trained educators report a 24% increase in self-assessed teaching ability and 25% boost in confidence teaching Jewish traditions. According to Rosov Consulting (ElevatEd's evaluation partner), 96% find their work rewarding, demonstrating that thoughtful investment creates sustainable pathways into this critical field.
What We Hope to Learn
As we expand to small and medium-sized communities, we approach with inquiry and iteration, seeking to understand: how recruitment strategies adapt for smaller candidate pools; what investment levels create sustainable impact; how to build professional learning communities across distances; what unique strengths these communities bring; and how success metrics might differ while maintaining quality. This work reflects our commitment to being a laboratory for learning—testing, refining, and sharing insights to benefit the entire field.
Why This Matters
When there is only one early childhood center serving an entire Jewish community, ensuring high-quality Jewish education becomes even more critical—regardless of educators' Jewish backgrounds or their access to local early childhood education networks. The future of these Jewish communities depends on their ability to educate and bring together the next generation.
Research from CASJE Early Childhood Education study found that when children enjoy Jewish learning and rituals at school, they bring them home, introducing them to the entire family. For young parents, these programs provide a network of Jewish families and a lifelong connection with Jewish life (CASJE, 2020) . Jewish communal leaders know that smaller communities engage disproportionately in civic life, providing crucial exposure to Jewish values and influencing local decision-making far beyond what numbers might suggest (Isaacs, 2025, Kislowicz, 2016).
When a small community loses its early childhood program, it loses what may be its primary engine for engaging young families and transmitting Jewish values. Supporting communities of all sizes reflects core Jewish values of shared destiny and ensures every child accesses quality Jewish education.
Join Us in This Work
ElevatEd's expansion builds on our pilot phase success, supported by Jim Joseph Foundation, Crown Family Philanthropies, and the Samuels Family Foundation, implemented with JCC Association, Jewish Federations of North America, and Union for Reform Judaism. We invite communities of all sizes, funders, communal leaders, and early childhood directors to join us in ensuring Jewish early childhood education thrives everywhere—building a stronger Jewish future for generations to come.
To learn more or explore how ElevatEd can partner with your community, contact Orna Siegel, Executive Director of ElevatEd at orna@elevatedtogether.org
