Jewish educators are the builders of Jewish identity. From Buenos Aires to Budapest, from Melbourne to Montreal, from Seattle to San Antonio, teachers pass on far more than Jewish knowledge - they cultivate belonging, values, memory, and purpose.
Whether teaching youngsters to read Hebrew, introducing teens to the history of Israel, exploring the intricacies of the Talmud, or explaining the finer points of Jewish law, they make a profound impact on their students, helping shape the Jewish identity of young people around the world.
>> Nominations Are Now Open for the Global Jewish Teachers Award!
To recognize the value and importance of Jewish educators worldwide, The Jerusalem Post, the Israeli Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, and its partner organization UnitEd - the educational initiative that empowers Jewish day schools worldwide - have created the Jewish Teachers Award, recognizing extraordinary Jewish educators and celebrating the transformative role they play in shaping our collective future.
On October 12, 2026, these organizations will honor up to ten exceptional Jewish teachers from around the world at the Global Jewish Educators Conference in Jerusalem. At this four-day summit, educators from Jewish schools and educational leaders from around the world will shape the future of Jewish education. Recipients of the award will be fully hosted at the conference as guests of the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism.
“Behind every confident Jewish child and every engaged Jewish community,” says Jerusalem Post Group CEO Inbar Ashkenazi, “stands a teacher who made a lasting difference. Through the Jewish Teachers Award, we are proud to recognize the educators whose passion, leadership, and commitment are strengthening Jewish identity and ensuring that our shared heritage continues to flourish for generations to come.”
Amichai Chikli, Israel’s Minister for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, explains the origins of the Jewish Teachers Award. “This award grew out of a simple belief: Educators are the mainstay of the Jewish people’s continuity, heritage, and unique identity, second in importance only to parents. They transmit to the next generation not only knowledge, but also identity, a sense of belonging, and responsibility. In recent years and even more so since October 7, we have come to understand the extent to which Jewish education is a strategic component of the Jewish people’s resilience.
“Those whose identity is strong will fight for it; those whose identity hangs by a thread will abandon it in times of crisis. Our message is that the State of Israel regards Jewish educators around the world as full partners in this national mission. We value their work, understand the challenges they face, and want to tell them clearly: You are on the front lines of the struggle for the future of the Jewish people.”
What are the characteristics of an exceptional Jewish educator? Explains Chikli, “An outstanding Jewish educator is, first and foremost, someone who understands that their profession draws its strength from 3,500 years of tradition and speaks to the soul, with the aim of elevating the student to ever-greater heights. Jewish educators must spark curiosity, inspire pride, and give their students the tools to confront a complex reality in which Jewish identity is frequently challenged.”
Chikli adds that he hopes the award will become a symbol of recognition for educational excellence while strengthening the sense of partnership between Jewish educators worldwide and the State of Israel. He notes that enhancing the status of Jewish educators is one of his ministry’s most important missions.
Beyond honoring individual teachers, Chikli says, the award aims to highlight their work, encourage innovation, share success stories, and strengthen educators’ standing within their communities. Empowering a single educator, he notes, can positively affect hundreds of students and help secure the future of an entire community.
The professional educational partner for the Jewish Teachers Award is UnitEd, a global nonprofit organization partnering with the State of Israel, through the Israeli Ministry for Diaspora and Combating Antisemitism, to strengthen Jewish day schools worldwide, empowering the next generation of Jewish leaders and ensuring vibrant Jewish communities for generations to come.
Rachel Fink, Director of Education at UnitEd, says that the award is an opportunity to acknowledge the vital service provided by Jewish educators, who are often overlooked. “UnitEd works today with over 850 Jewish schools, spanning more than 50 countries around the world, alongside thousands of Jewish educators. Every day, I see the depth and dedication behind the work of teaching, and I have the privilege of meeting devoted teachers for whom educating the next generation is their life's mission. As a people, we have built ourselves through learning and education, and yet, teachers don't always receive the respect and recognition they deserve. This competition is an opportunity for us, as a global community, to pause for a moment and say to Jewish educators: we see you, we see the wonderful work you do, and you deserve our thanks.”
>> How will the world’s outstanding Jewish educators be nominated, and who will select them? Nominations for the Jewish Teachers Award can be submitted at jewishteachersaward.com.
Eligible candidates for the award are educators who currently teach Jewish Studies, Hebrew, or Israel Studies at a Jewish day school outside of Israel, have at least three years of teaching experience, are actively teaching at the time of application, and are not serving as Israeli Shlichim/Shlichot (emissaries).
All nominations will undergo an initial review by the award team of The Jerusalem Post Group to verify eligibility and compliance with submission requirements. A professional panel of education experts from Herzog Global, the international outreach department of Herzog Academic College, will evaluate eligible nominations according to the established selection criteria. Rabbi Professor Avishalom Westreich, President, Herzog Academic College, says that honoring Jewish educators for their accomplishments is essential. “For decades, Herzog Academic College has viewed strengthening Jewish education around the world as part of its core mission. Especially in these challenging times, celebrating exceptional Jewish educators sends a powerful message: education is our strongest response to uncertainty, and our greatest investment in the future. Through our longstanding work with educators and Jewish schools across the globe, we are privileged to help ensure that this award reflects excellence, diversity, and a shared commitment to the future of the Jewish people.”
The finalists will be evaluated by an international judging panel comprising distinguished Jewish educators and thought leaders from around the world, who will select the award recipients.
The panel of judges will be chaired by Amichai Chikli, Israel’s Minister for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, and includes Rabbi Dr. Howard Deitcher, Professor Emeritus, Seymour Fox School of Education, Hebrew University; Chair, Advisory Committee, UnitEd, Dr. Erica Brown, Vice Provost for Values and Leadership at Yeshiva University and Founding Director of the Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks-Herenstein Center for Values and Leadership; and Manette Mayberg, President of the Mayberg Foundation.
>> To nominate a teacher for the Jewish Teachers Award, visit jewishteachersaward.com.
This article was written in cooperation with the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism.