Yeshiva U. to Launch Project Leap’ $750,000 in Seed Monies for New Program

Project LEAP (Leadership through Education, Advancement, Planning), an innovative, many-sided Jewish education program designed to attract and hold Jewish youth, has been instituted by Yeshiva University, it was announced by Dr. Samuel Belkin, president. To coordinate the program, scheduled to begin in Sept., Dr. Belkin announced the appointment of ### year-old Rabbi Robert S. Hirt of Monsey, N.Y. asis director of university planning for Jewish education at Yeshiva University. Also announced were recently acquired gifts of $750,000 to the university as “seed monies” to launch the effort.

Rabbi Hirt said that while Project LEAP, “which is indeed an energetic attempt to “leap the Jewish education gap,’ will work in many areas, we will be making special efforts at attracting and holding our Jewish youth so that they might provide the base for tomorrow’s Jewish community.” The gifts, Rabbi Hirt said, were also indicative of a new sense of concern by Jewish lay leaders. “These gifts represent a truly pioneering effort,” he said, “by people who have come to the realization that survival begins in the classroom. Without our young, without teachers and administrators, there can be no Jewish continuity.”

As part of the program, students will be encouraged to chart careers in Jewish education as early as high school. Plans call for the university to work directly with students, faculty, high school principals and parents. This would be followed by a broad-based college and university program planned specifically for careers in Jewish education.

FOCUS ON FIVE MAJOR AREAS

The new project will focus on five specific areas: coordination of course offerings and professional education programs towards creating uniform standards throughout the university; development of interdisciplinary courses and inter-school courses on the undergraduate and graduate levels; encouragement of greater interaction between faculty and students in teacher preparation programs throughout the university; formation of a university-wide planning committee for Jewish education to include administration, faculty and students; and creation of university-wide career guidance program and placement service.

Also, in conjunction with the establishment of the new Stone-Sapirstein Chair and Center for Jewish Education at Yeshiva U., being coordinated by Rabbi Hirt, efforts will be made to attract gifted faculty, recruit promising students and identify Jewish educators currently serving in the field for further preparation for administrative and supervisory roles.