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Brandeis Today

Current Brandeis Today Issue

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  • Spring 2026: An Opportunity to Engage: Shaping the Next Chapter of Brandeis

    Over the past eight months, a committee of Brandeis leadership team members, current parents, and alumni parents have been meeting regularly to develop the school’s next Strategic Plan. This thoughtful process builds on the strong foundation established by Brandeis’ previous strategic plan and reflects our shared commitment to ensuring the school continues to thrive for generations to come.

    For those who may be less familiar with the process, independent schools regularly engage in strategic planning as a way to examine their priorities and publicly articulate their goals. At Brandeis, this work is closely connected to the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) reaccreditation cycle, which takes place every seven years. We are proud to share that Brandeis received full reaccreditation through the 2031–2032 school year last spring. As part of that process, the visiting team also identified a set of “future planning” goals, which have helped shape the starting point for this new plan as we look ahead to the next five to seven years.
     
    The Strategic Planning Steering Committee, led by Director of Admissions Angela Dalfen, and co-chaired by Brandeis trustees Anat Shiwak Harry, Ruth Katz, and Head of School Dr. Dan Glass, has been reviewing a wide range of information, including recent surveys from parents, students, faculty, and staff. We have been fortunate to draw on the guidance of longtime consultant Ariel Raz of the Stanford d.school, whose expertise in design thinking has helped many K–12 schools spark innovation and creativity. His work with the committee has helped us approach this process with curiosity, collaboration, and a focus on the future. Together, the group has been exploring ideas and opportunities that will help Brandeis continue to grow while staying deeply rooted in its mission and values.

    Several big-picture themes are emerging as central to the next phase of the school’s development, including:
    • Continuing to strengthen academic and instructional excellence across both General and Judaic Studies
    • Deepening a culture of belonging, connection, and shared responsibility within the community
    • Ensuring the financial strength and sustainability of the institution for the future
    The committee has already developed an early draft of the Strategic Plan and has begun gathering feedback from faculty and staff. Following a close review by the Board of Trustees, the committee will continue refining the plan this spring. In the coming months, we will also invite broader community feedback before publishing the final version ahead of the summer.

    For alumni and alumni families, this process represents a meaningful opportunity to reconnect with the school and help shape its future. Your experiences and perspectives are an important part of the Brandeis story, and we hope many of you will choose to share your insights as the process continues.

    Strategic planning at Brandeis has always been a community effort. As we look ahead to the next chapter, we are excited to engage voices from across our extended community,past, present, and future, to help guide the vision for what comes next. Please be on the lookout for an email inviting you to participate.

    *2025-26 Strategic Plan Steering Committee: Anat Shiwak (trustee, current parent, alumni parent), Ruth Katz (trustee, alumni parent), Lynette Stejskal (trustee, alumni parent), Udi Ledergor (trustee, current parent), Franklin Huang (trustee, current parent, alumni parent), Mark Bernstein (current parent), Danielle Foreman (trustee, current parent), Joseph Tartakovsky (trustee, current parent), Angela Dalfen (staff, alumni parent), Dan Glass (staff, current parent, alumni parent), Malika Densby (staff), Stacy Youkilis (staff, current parent, alumni parent), Sivan Tarle (staff, current parent), Jenny Rinn (staff).

Archived Brandeis Today News

List of 9 items.

  • Winter 2025: Our First Sukkot in Sonoma

  • Fall 2025: Teaching Democracy, Living Jewishly

  • Summer 2025 Celebrating Debby Arzt-Mor: A Legacy of Jewish Learning at Brandeis

     
    On June 8, 2025, the Brandeis community came together to celebrate the retirement of our beloved Director of Jewish Learning, Debby Arzt-Mor. The afternoon was filled with warmth, laughter, and heartfelt tributes to Debby’s extraordinary impact on Jewish life at our school. We’re honored to share the text of the speech delivered by Head of School Dr. Dan Glass, capturing the spirit of the moment and Debby’s enduring legacy.

    It’s hard to believe we’ve reached the moment of celebrating Debby’s retirement. Not because it was unexpected—Debby has approached this transition with her characteristic thoughtfulness—but because it’s nearly impossible to imagine Brandeis without her daily presence. For over two decades, Debby has been at the heart of Jewish learning at our school, shaping not just curriculum, but community, values, and a shared sense of purpose.

    From the beginning, Debby has led with vision, integrity, and compassion. She redefined what Jewish education could look like at Brandeis—not something limited to a classroom or a subject line on a report card, but something lived. One of her earliest moves after I became Head of School was changing her title from “Director of Judaic Studies and Hebrew” to “Director of Jewish Learning.” It was a small but powerful shift that reflected Debby’s deeply held belief: Jewish learning is everywhere. It happens during tefillah, on field trips, in acts of justice, in lunchtime conversations, and in the stories we tell and hear every day. It belongs to all of us.
     
    That expansive, inclusive vision is the hallmark of Debby’s leadership. She invited every member of the Brandeis community—students, teachers, parents, visitors—into Jewish learning with warmth, humor, and deep respect. She helped create a culture where we all saw ourselves as educators and learners, where Jewish practice was joyful, meaningful, and relevant.

    Debby also empowered our teachers to keep learning and growing. Under her guidance, faculty pursued advanced degrees, brought new traditions into the classroom, and deepened their own relationships with Jewish texts and practices. She nurtured a spirit of inquiry and curiosity that radiates through our hallways.

    As a tribute to her remarkable impact, we commissioned a special artwork by Brandeis alumni parent and artist Aimee Golant. Inspired by Debby’s love of walking by the sea and her commitment to Torah and learning, the piece features a quote from Pirkei Avot:

    “Hillel says: Be of the disciples of Aaron—loving peace and pursuing peace, loving people and bringing them close to Torah.”

    When I think of Debby, I picture her laughing with us as we wrestle with big questions about Brandeis and Jewish life—and I see her leaning in close as a fifth grader chants Torah for the very first time. She has lived her role as a disciple of Aaron, seeking peace and embodying a profound love for Judaism, for the Jewish people, and for humanity.

    Debby, you have been a teacher, mentor, thought partner, friend, and colleague. You’ve left an indelible mark on this school and on all of us lucky enough to work and learn alongside you. On behalf of the entire Brandeis community, and all those whose lives you’ve touched—thank you.

    Mazal tov on your retirement. You will be deeply missed and always celebrated.

  • Spring 2025 Welcoming Rabbi Genevieve Greinetz as Our New Director of Jewish Learning

    The Brandeis School of San Francisco is thrilled to announce that starting this summer, Rabbi Genevieve Greinetz will join Brandeis as our new Director of Jewish Learning. This appointment follows an extensive search process that yielded over 40 applications and included two exceptional finalists who spent daylong visits with our community. Based on thoughtful feedback from faculty, trustees, students, alumni, and staff, the hiring committee unanimously recommended Rabbi Greinetz for this pivotal leadership role.

    Rabbi Greinetz brings a dynamic combination of experience, passion, and creativity to our school. Raised in the Bay Area, she holds a BA in Philosophy and Religion from Colorado State University, an MA in Jewish Studies from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, and was ordained at Hebrew College in Newton, Massachusetts. Currently serving as Assistant Rabbi and Director of Education at Peninsula Temple Beth El in San Mateo, Rabbi Greinetz is also a published poet, yoga and meditation teacher, and avid surfer. The hiring committee was particularly inspired by her experience teaching school-age children, leading inclusive, student-centered prayer services, and integrating mindfulness into Jewish study. Throughout her visit, Rabbi Greinetz demonstrated a palpable joy in connecting with our students and faculty, along with a deep admiration for Brandeis and a clear desire to become part of our community.
     
    Reflecting on this exciting new chapter, Rabbi Greinetz shared:
    “Years ago, I was struck by the writing of one of my favorite thinkers, Gaston Bachelard. He reflected on the necessity of reverie in the workplace and wrote about how important it is that our occupations offer a space for dream and wonder, which will, in turn, illuminate what we do in the world. I fell so in love with his words as I read them that I didn’t know what to do! So, I wrote them into a notebook and always held onto the idea. As I sought a new role, my dream was to find work that elicited something as soulful as what Bachelard described. I didn’t need the handwritten paragraph to tell me that I had found such a position when I started to get to know Brandeis.

    Already, I feel so inspired and excited to dedicate my professional energy and skills toward Jewish learning at Brandeis. I can feel that sense of dreaming that Bachelard gestured toward, and I hope to offer that sense of wonder and imagination to others in Jewish learning and tefillah at Brandeis.

    I would have moved across the world for this amazing opportunity, but lucky for me, Brandeis is right here at home in San Francisco. There are many ways that becoming the Director of Jewish Learning feels brand new—there is certainly much learning and growing to be enjoyed, and there are also ways that transitioning into this role feels like coming home. The ability to work here in San Francisco is clearly a plus, but the true feeling of homecoming is radiating from Brandeis’ refreshingly authentic community. I am so excited to continue to get to know Brandeis and to become a part of your community. I can’t wait to see what we dream up and discover as we engage in Jewish learning and practice together.”

    Rabbi Greinetz will officially begin her role in July and will have dedicated time to collaborate with Debby Arzt-Mor as she transitions into this position. We are also looking forward to celebrating Debby’s extraordinary contributions to Brandeis at a special school-wide gathering on the afternoon of Sunday, June 8. Please stay tuned for more information about this important and festive event.

    For now, please join all of us at Brandeis in giving a warm welcome to Rabbi Greinetz!

    by Dr. Dan Glass, Head of School

  • Winter 2024 The Enduring Impact of Brandeis on Our Alumni

    “My time at Brandeis gave me a foundation for my Jewish identity and showed me how many different ways being Jewish can look like. This flexibility has driven me towards being Jewish in a way that means a lot to me personally.”   - Emma Friedman-Lowenthal ‘20

    We invited alumni from the Classes of 2017-2024 to participate in a survey reflecting on how Brandeis influenced their journeys. Over 120 alumni shared their experiences, highlighting the lasting impact of The Brandeis School of San Francisco and Judaism on both their personal and academic lives. Many described their Brandeis experience as transformative, sparking a passion for learning, a commitment to social justice, and a strong sense of purpose in their studies. Jewish traditions and teachings at Brandeis have made a lasting impression, helping graduates deepen their identities and strengthen their connection to their heritage. Together, these influences provide a strong foundation that empowers alumni to move through life with confidence and direction.

    Brandeis alumni also shared how the school’s academic excellence and Jewish values have prepared them to tackle life’s challenges with thoughtfulness and integrity. They value the sense of community and moral grounding they found at Brandeis, which often inspires them to become leaders and active contributors to positive change. Alumni remain deeply connected to the Jewish community, enriching it while applying the lessons and values they gained at Brandeis to make a broader impact. This enduring legacy reflects the school’s extraordinary ability to nurture graduates who are both accomplished and dedicated to making a difference.

    Brandeis alumnus Manu Rapaport ‘21 created a custom Brandeis Rapreport based on the survey data in conjunction with Cameron Yuen-Shore, Director of Special Projects at Brandeis. You can find more of Manu’s work here. 

  • Fall 2024 Joy, Creativity, and Connection at Brandeis

  • Summer 2024 60th Anniversary Community Celebration

  • Spring 2024 And We Gathered

  • Winter 2023 From One Generation to the Next

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