Beth Kramer was born in Rochester, New York and raised in Sudbury, Massachusetts.  Growing up, her family was actively involved in Sudbury’s Congregation Beth El, an innovative and trend-setting Reform congregation led by Rabbi Lawrence Kushner.  Throughout her childhood and adolescent years, Beth’s Jewish identity strengthened through an active extended family, involvement in her creative synagogue, many summers of Jewish camp in New Hampshire and two summers of touring and studying in Israel. 

Beth earned her B.A. at the University of Rochester in 1993, with concentrations in Religion and Psychology.  She completed her M.A. in Interdepartmental Jewish Studies in the winter of 1995 from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City.  Her career in Jewish education began during her years as a graduate student in New York City when she served as a religious school teacher at Congregation Rodeph Sholom and worked in the education department of The Jewish Museum.  She then served as the first Family Educator and the Assistant Director of the Religious School of Temple Beth-El of Great Neck.  Beth’s career in Rockland County began in 1997 when she became the first full-time Educational Director of Temple Beth Sholom in New City where she added many new programs to the school. 

In 2002, Beth became the first full-time Educational Director of Temple Beth El in Spring Valley and has enhanced the Religious School with a wide variety of new family education, art, holiday and Shabbat programs.  She teaches many adult education sessions including a weekly Torah Topics class, co-leads Tot Shabbat services, serves on several committees and teaches in the Confirmation program.   Beth is an active member of the Rockland County Educator’s Association and has helped to organize many joint-synagogue programs as well as the county’s annual Mini-CAJE Conferences for Jewish educators.  She is a longtime member of the professional organizations NATE and CAJE. 

Beth has been married since 1996 to her college sweetheart and best friend, Ross Mazer.  They are blessed with two precious gifts: their daughters, Shoshana Eden and Jordana Rae.   

Leadership Institute for Congregational School Educators

We are happy to announce that Beth Kramer has been chosen as one of thirty-eight congregational school educators from the metropolitan area to participate in the Leadership Institute for Congregational School Educators. This initiative fosters collegiality, leadership development, and Jewish learning. Backed by a $2 million dollar grant from UJA-Federation of New York, the Conservative and Reform institutions − The Jewish Theological Seminar and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion have partnered again for the second cohort to provide professional development for congregational Jewish educators.

The Institute began in February, with an overnight retreat at the Glen Cove Mansion, and during the course of two and a half year educators will have participated in twelve day long symposia, two intensive Summer Seminars, and a nine day Israel Seminar. The fist Summer Seminar was recently held from June 29^th-July 2^nd and July 7^th-11^th at HUC-JIR in Manhattan. The focus of the Seminar was “Or Chadash: Vision and Reflective Practice.” The first week featured sessions led by: Dr. Jonathan Woocher (JESNA), Dr. Joseph McDonald (Steinhardt School of Education, NYU), and Jo Kay (HUC-JIR). The second week turned towards the area of school culture and school change, featuring: Dr. Evie Rotstein (Leadership Institute), Dr. Lisa Grant (HUC-JIR), and Cyd Weissman (Re-Imagine Project). Additional classical text study sessions were taught by Dr. Aaron Panken (HUC-JIR), Dr. Amy Kalmanofsky (JTS), and text study in preparation for our Israel Seminar was led by Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman (HUC-JIR).

Other components of the Leadership Institute include:

An Action Research Project (ARP) for faculty professional development with a grant for $2000. An Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) in which participants design a continuing education project to further leadership, pedagogical or Jewish learning. In addition, each Leadership Institute fellow works closely with a mentor, who guides and supports the learning throughout the two and half years. During this time, educators will also have the opportunity to gather with participants from the first cohort to hear their successes after being a part of the Institute, and to continue to learn with them. All seminars and symposia will take place on the campuses of JTS and HUC-JIR.

Beth’s participation in this prestigious two and one half year program has been generously funded by the Men’s Club of Temple Beth El, the Women of Reform Judaism of Temple Beth El and by the Jewish Federation of Rockland County.