Your generous donation to the ECE-RJ Funds is deeply appreciated. It is a meaningful way to honor our dedicated early childhood professionals across the country for the vital work they do every day.
Sponsored by the Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism (ECE-RJ)
Overview
The Zukrow–Rolland Seeds of Compassion Fund is designed to support and elevate leadership development across the field of Jewish early childhood education in congregational settings. As a strategic investment in professional growth and advocacy, the fund advances ECE-RJ's core commitment to education, networking, and collaboration.
Purpose
Dedicated to elevating educators' professional identity, this fund fosters a culture of mentoring and the development of compassionate, values-driven leadership. By providing robust support to both emerging and experienced professionals, the fund ensures the long-term strength of a vibrant, connected, and sustainable field.
Through these investments, the fund advances ECE-RJ's vision of increasing the visibility, impact, and leadership of early childhood educators — ensuring the continuity of thriving, high-quality Jewish early childhood programs.
Impact
This fund creates meaningful change across the field by:
- Strengthening Community & Professional Networks: Fostering collaboration and shared learning among early childhood educators across the Reform movement.
- Elevating Professional Growth & Leadership Capacity: Supporting mentoring, coaching, professional learning, coursework, conference attendance, and leadership training.
- Advancing a Sustainable and Thriving Field: Providing leadership stability that ensures the long-term health of Jewish early childhood education.
- Increasing Visibility and Influence: Empowering early childhood educators to step into leadership and advocacy roles within their communities
- Promoting Excellence: Grounding practice in research-informed, values-driven best practices.
This fund represents a lasting investment in leadership, compassion, and excellence in Jewish early childhood education.
The ECE-RJ General Fund
The ECE-RJ General Fund assists in fulfilling the organization's mission. It allows ECE-RJ to offer exceptional programming, special projects, social networking platforms and other opportunities that advance the field of Jewish early childhood education.
The Fund provides conference fees to members who would otherwise not be able to attend ECE-RJ's National Conference. Established in 2006, it was created in memory of Cathy Rolland’s father. Cathy was the first president of ECE-RJ and has been the moving force in the founding and growth of ECE-RJ; her father was extremely proud of all her accomplishments.
The Fund subsidizes the expenses of renowned scholars to ensure ongoing high quality continuing education for educators at our Conferences and Kallot. Established in 2006, it was created to honor the 50th birthday of Rabbi Jan Katzew. Rabbi Katzew was the Director of Lifelong Learning at the URJ and was a driving force in the establishment and growth of the organization.
The Rabbi Aaron Panken Memorial Scholarship
The Fund subsidizes tuition for educators who are pursuing an advanced degree or certification in Jewish Early Childhood Education or Jewish Leadership. It was established in 2018 in the memory of Rabbi Aaron Panken, Ph.D., the 12th President of Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion.
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