If you have first hand experience with Reform Jewish children and their families' involvement with Jewish day schools, PARDeS wants to hear your stories in order to illuminate the impact of day schools on the Reform movement, from many perspectives.

Tell us a story about:

• (Adults) how being part of a day school community has had an impact on the life of a Reform Jewish child you know.
  
  
• (Students) how the experience of attending a Jewish day school has had/is having an impact on your life; on the life of someone close to you.
  
  
• (Parents, grandparents, etc) how enrolling Reform Jewish children in a Jewish day school has had an impact on your own, or family's, Jewish identity.
  
  
• (Teachers, Donors, Board Members) how Reform family involvement in Jewish day school education has surprised you.
  
  
• (Rabbis, Heads, Administrators) how working in a Reform Jewish day school has had an impact on your career.
  
  
• (Anyone) Reform Jewish day schools can participate in making your dreams for the Jewish people in the 21st century come true.

2010 is a Milestone anniversary year for Reform day school community. It is now 40 years since the first Reform day schools in the 20th century opened their doors at Temple Beth Am in Miami and Rodeph Sholom in New York City. PARDeS is celebrating our 18th anniversary as a URJ affiliate, and it is 25 years since the Reform movement officially endorsed day school education for Reform Jewish children and their families.

At the Biennial in Toronto, there will be a learning session entitled The Impact of Day Schools on the Reform Movement scheduled for Nov. 4, 2009 3:45 - 5:15 pm in the Toronto Convention Centre. Ten distinguished presenters from across our movement and our colleague Rabbi Josh Elkin, Executive Director of PEJE, Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education (www.peje.org) will be sharing stories and anecdotes that illuminate, from their perspective, how our movement has been transformed and changed by the presence of day schools across North America.

The audio file from their presentations will be posted here in mid-November.

Click here to type your story.

Questions? Call Jane West Walsh, Executive Director, 410-350-6962