"Excellence can be attained if you care more than others think is wise, risk more than others think is safe, dream more that others think is practical and expect more than others think is possible." — Anonymous

2009 SSDSA Biennial

The next USCJ Biennial will take place in Cherry Hill December 6 - 10, 2009. Stay tuned for updates.

Solomon Schechter School USDS Receives $4 Million Gift

USDS Receives $4 Million Gift in the name of Miriam and Larry Robbins to Support and Expand its Campuses and Continue its Delivery of Excellence in Conservative Jewish Education and Development of 21st Century Learners. Gift by Larry Robbins to Honour the Blessed Memory of Miriam Robbins.
Learn more »

New Publications

Download the pdfs here:
Towards a Theory of Practice by Saul Wachs
Matok: 10-year report

SSDSA Strategic Plan 2008-2012

strategic_planThe Board of Directors of the Solomon Schechter Day School Association has drafted a strategic plan for the Association. In the spring of 2007, the Board initiated a disciplined process to ensure the Association's continued stability and agility in fulfilling its mission to support the excellence and dynamic viability of its member schools.

Key result areas of the Strategic Plan for the SSDSA
  • Promoting Excellence
  • Increasing Effective Advocacy and Public Awareness
  • Creating Synergies
  • Aligning SSDSA Governance with Mission & Strategic Plan
  • Provision of Resources
Read the executive summary
Read the SSDSA Strategic Plan

A Webinar and Conversation Series

Two webinars were conducted by the SSDSA on the crucial topics of development and fundraising. During the first webinar on May 26th PEJE consultant Sheila Alexander focused on short-term goals and strategies. On June 10th, Herb Tobin of PEJE and Barbara Shapiro, Development Director of the Solomon Schechter School of Westchester, brought their combined expertise to consider relationship based fundraising, and establishing legacy and endowment campaigns. The PowerPoint presentations are available under Article Resources.

Saul Wachs Paper Now Available

Towards A Theory of Practice: Conducting Services for and with Children and Teens in Schechter Day Schools. Read the article here »

Survey Results

Early Childhood Directors and Day Schools - Survey Results about Communication and the Information Pipeline. The survey results are on this page.

Making the Case - first article

Why is This School Different From All Other Schools? The Schechter Difference by Rabbi Jim Rogozen — "... What makes a school a "Schechter" school? What are the extra ingredients that make Schechter schools stand out?" Read on »

SREL Fellows Speak Up

SREL Fellows, past and present, Making an Impact on Children and Schools! Read their words »

Community News - Federation Support of Jewish Day Schools Soars

CHICAGO — More than $1.5 million will go to 15 Jewish day schools that benefit from the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago's Jewish Day School Guaranty Trust Fund — a 20-fold increase in the two years since JUF launched its major innovation in supplemental day-school funding. The annual distribution is 43 percent higher than last year's payment from the Trust Fund, which was created to guarantee a permanent source of cash the schools can rely on every year. Since the breakthrough funding initiative was announced in early 2006, the Trust Fund's endowment has skyrocketed to nearly $27.5 million in commitments. Read more »
SSDSA Motto

Learn more about the SSDSA

USCJ Logo The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism promotes the role of the synagogue in Jewish life in order to motivate Conservative Jews to perform mitzvot encompassing ethical behavior, spirituality, Judaic learning, and ritual observance. The Solomon Schechter Day Schools are affiliated with the United Synagogue and share with it these goals. Combining an awareness of communal responsibility with a strong sense of commitment, the United Synagogue and its affiliated Solomon Schechter Day Schools are a dynamic force within the Conservative Movement. [Read More]

Portrait of the Association
The Solomon Schechter Day School Association (SSDSA) is a voluntary association of all the 76 schools in the Schechter network, spanning 18 states in the USA and 2 provinces in Canada. [Read More]

Objectives of the Association
1. To develop and expand Judaic and General Studies curricula, materials and other education programs in the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of schooling.
2. To promote the love of, and learning of, Hebrew in both its modern, spoken and literary forms, and as a means for accessing the sacred texts of the Jewish people.
3. To encourage its affiliates to provide the highest... [Read More]

Partnership between Schools and Parents
Today, increasing numbers of parents are choosing a Schechter education for their children. They seek a values-based program which teaches an approach to the sanctity of daily living in a nurturing, child-centered environment. They are attracted to an educational philosophy which seeks to integrate Jewish and general studies and demonstrates how each can influence the other. Our mutual goal is to produce boys and girls infused with... [Read More]