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November 28, 2003/Kislev 3 5764, Vol. 56, No. 10
Local philanthropist partners with educational organization
BETH OLSON
Staff Writer
Sheila Schwartz of Phoenix is the newest partner of the Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education, a national philanthropic organization.
Schwartz is a long-time advocate for Jewish education and helped develop the Jess Schwartz Jewish Community High School.
"It's our survival - educating children," said Schwartz. "That's who our leadership is going to be in communities and Jewish communities throughout the country."
PEJE was founded in 1997 by Michael Steinhardt and Rabbi Yitz Greenberg to strengthen Jewish day school education in North America. Schwartz is the 14th person to become a PEJE partner since the founding of the organization.
While the original focus of PEJE's work was to assist with the opening of new day schools, the group shifted focus in 2002 to strengthen the current day school system, according to Joshua Elkin, executive director of PEJE.
PEJE's program areas for 2003-2006 include grantmaking, coaching and peer exchange, conferences and publications, research and knowledge development, and advocacy.
Elkin said Schwartz is particularly important to the partnership because she is the first representative from the Southwest - an area with a quickly-growing Jewish population. Additionally, he said, her proven dedication to Jewish education will make her a strong public advocate for Jewish day school education.
"It's very exciting to have a new partner who has been so pivotal in the growth of the new high school movement," said Elkin. "She's a very seasoned leader and she's an absolute pleasure to work with. She brings a tremendous amount of dedication, integrity and passion for the cause to the table."
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