Deena Rabinovich appointed Associate Dean of Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education

Deena Rabinovich has been appointed as associate dean of Yeshiva University’s Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education. Rabinovich, who has taught at Stern College since 2005, currently serves as chair of the Rebecca Ivry Department of Jewish Studies and will continue teaching at Stern while taking on her new role at Azrieli.

Rabinovich, who earned her doctorate in Administration and Supervision from Azrieli in 2004, has long been involved with the graduate school’s programs. She directs Stern’s Legacy Heritage Foundation program, a feeder program to Azrieli, and worked as a supervisor in the Professional Enhancement Practicum (PEP) — Azrieli’s student teaching program — where she recently became the project’s coordinator.

Rabinovich has also conducted various projects with Azrieli, such as the On the Move Fellowship, which allows Jewish educators to take virtual tours of day schools across America to learn about different teaching techniques. She is also involved in the MafTEACH School Community Fellowship, which introduces students to careers in Jewish education.

In her new role, Rabinovich says she will continue to expand such efforts. One current project partners Azrieli with the Jewish New Teacher Project (JNTP) mentoring program to develop a certificate pathway for new teachers. The model leverages on-site mentors embedded in each school. Because JNTP’s training content overlaps with Azrieli coursework, participating teachers can earn up to three Azrieli graduate credits that stack into a certificate.

According to Rabinovich, projects like these are what excite her in entering her role at Azrieli. 

“I love finding creative ways to bring the science and the art of pedagogy to people who are in the field,” she told The Commentator. “Sometimes, it is the science, what does the theory tell us? Sometimes, it’s the art, because good teaching is a combination of both. Sometimes, it’s the practical tips that take a seasoned teacher years to accumulate and you need to find your own toolbox of what is going to work for you, but being given some suggestions that work can jumpstart it.”  

Rabinovich’s vision for her role as associate dean is inspired by “the importance of supporting teachers, of training teachers, making sure that they know the content,”  she said.

According to Rabinovich, this is only one of many things a teacher needs to know to be effective in today’s day and age. “You need to know how to teach the content so the students are learning and you need to know how to create an environment.”

In addition, Rabinovitch is motivated to find solutions for the lack of Jewish educators. “Fewer and fewer people are choosing this as a career,” she told The Commentator. “We need to find a way to increase the pipeline of people choosing this and staying with it.”

Although Rabinovich will primarily focus on Azrieli, she will continue to teach at Stern and direct the Legacy Program’s junior and senior cohorts. 

“There are fantastic people on the Beren Campus that I have had the privilege of working with, in the Education department, the Jewish Studies department, the Deans, the academic advisors,” she told The Commentator. 

“Obviously, I will miss that, but by the same token I’m excited about these new challenges and vistas that await … I think very fondly about the years I spent on Beren, especially as a graduate of Stern.”

Jill Katz will serve as the interim chair of Stern’s Jewish Studies Department for this academic year. Dean Cypess will convene a national search to hire the next department chair, according to the announcement email.

Photo Caption: Deena Rabinovich 

Photo Credit: Yeshiva University