| |
| Record
Attendance at FMAMS Conference
 |
Florence
Melton (second row, center) and some participants of the
Seventh International FMAMS Conference
|
Sixty
Mini-School directors and FMAMS staff from the United States, Canada, England
and Israel participated in four days of intensive professional development at
the Seventh International Florence Melton Adult Mini-School Conference, February
11-14 in Deerfield Beach, Florida. The conference, organized by FMAMS North American
Director Dr. Betsy Dolgin Katz and the staff of the North American Office in Chicago,
focused on the challenges facing the burgeoning field of adult Jewish learning.
As a pioneer in this field, the FMAMS places great importance on maintaining the
quality of its program, while sustaining its growth throughout the Jewish world.
To this end, in-service training for its coordinators and faculty is a top priority.
"The number seven symbolizes completion of a significant period of time in our
tradition, and our Seventh International Conference truly symbolizes the completion
of a first stage of coming of age," says Dr. Katz. "The high level of professionalism,
the participation and collaboration, and the creative thinking that was evident
in every session has brought our organization to a new level of maturity that
bodes well for the future." The intensive four days of in-service training focused
on change and growth - within the Jewish community in general, and the Mini-Schools
in particular. Participants also had the opportunity to study with FMAMS staff
from the Hebrew University, and network with each other. "Given the high quality
of our local directors, as exhibited at the conference, the future of the Florence
Melton Adult Mini-School is in safe hands," says FMAMS International Director
Dr. Yonatan Mirvis. At the closing awards lunch, five directors received Distinguished
Director awards for their dedication and commitment to adult Jewish learning:
Debbie G. Schwartz of Columbus, OH; Amy Karp of Pittsburgh, PA; Elaine Hirsch
of Phoenix, AZ; Rabbi Efrat Zarren-Zohar of Miami, FL; and Judith Meltzer of Baltimore,
MD. A special Certificate of Excellence was awarded to Esther Zimand of St. Louis,
MO, honoring her "Bat Mitzvah" year as an FMAMS director.
|
| | |
