Dr. Shelley Buxbaum Receives Prestigious Honor from The Florence Melton Adult School of Jewish Learning
Dr. Shelley Buxbaum, MJCCA's Director of the Lisa F. Brill Institute for Jewish Learning and the Florence Melton Adult School of Jewish Learning, recently returned from the 18th Annual Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning International Directors Conference, held in Israel. Buxbaum was honored with a new Melton award for Excellence in Recruitment in recognition of her leadership and best practices in this field. To learn about the MJCCA's Brill Institute or Melton classes offered at various locations throughout Atlanta, visit atlantajcc.829stage.com.
On Dr. Buxbaum's achievement, Melton CEO Judy Mars Kupchan said, “Shelley's amazing energy and her commitment to adult learning set the bar very high for all of us. The relationship she has built in the community with congregations and day schools beyond the walls of the JCC offers a model for Melton in every community.”
The Melton school, a project of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, is found in 48 communities globally. The Marcus JCC has sponsored Melton's high-quality adult learning for fifteen years, and provides classes from the Melton Scholars Curriculum for graduates as well as Foundations of Jewish Family Living, a tailor-made course for parents raising Jewish children. As a pluralistic, non-denominational program of study, the Marcus JCC is proud that more than sixteen-hundred students have graduated from Melton, from many congregations, day schools and throughout the community.
The annual International Directors Conference brings directors from the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and South Africa to focus on professional development, sharing best practices, and growing Jewishly. This year's conference theme, The Changing Jewish Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities, featured workshops and networking designed to support the growth and sustainability of Melton schools, as well as memorable presentations by rabbis and scholars.
Shelley Buxbaum
Shelley is a three time graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary, having earned Bachelor of Religious Education, MA and PhD degrees. Additionally, she graduated from Barnard College with a BA in Religion and Anthropology. Along the way to earning her PhD, she attended Bank Street College and was invited to the Hebrew University as a visiting scholar.
After serving as a Jewish educator in New York City, Stamford, CT, and West Palm Beach, Florida, Shelley moved to Atlanta in 2009 when she joined the staff of the MJCCA as Director of the Lisa Brill Institute of Jewish Learning, and Director of the Florence Melton Adult School of Jewish Learning. She has taught Judaic programming at the MJCCA since July, 2009. The program now has 400 students, 25+ classes, and 8 locations all over metro Atlanta including Columbus, GA.
Gail Luxenberg, MJCCA CEO said, “We are so proud to have a person at Shelley's level and dedication leading our Melton program here at the MJCCA. The MJCCA's Melton School is one of the largest in the Melton worldwide network.” Luxenberg continued, “Shelley is a highly respected educator in the area of Jewish adult education, and she has put us on the map as a leader in the field. With all of the wonderful relationships she has built in the community, Shelley has gone beyond the walls of our JCC, bringing our classes to people throughout Metro-Atlanta.”
About The Florence Melton Adult School of Jewish Learning
The MJCCA's Melton school is sponsored in affiliation with the internationally-acclaimed Melton Center for Jewish Education in the Diaspora, at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. The Florence Melton Adult School of Jewish Learning is the largest pluralistic adult Jewish education network in the world. Classes integrate Jewish history, law, language, practices, and ideas through study of primary sources and group discussion. Designed to accommodate “real life” - there are no prerequisites, grades, exams, outside reading, or homework.
For More Information about the MJCCA's Lisa F. Brill Institute for Jewish Learning, or the MJCCA's Florence Melton Adult School of Jewish Learning
Contact Shelley Buxbaum at 678.812.4152, Shelley.buxbaum@atlantajcc.org.
For a complete schedule of classes, visit atlantajcc.829stage.com.
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