Akiva, PJ Library, and the GJCC Selected for National Prizmah Engage Initiative

Akiva School is excited to be part of a national initiative spearheaded by Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools, designed to strengthen Jewish community connections. Together with PJ Library Nashville and the Gordon JCC, Akiva was selected to participate in Engage: Growing School and Community Partnerships, a year-long program for Jewish Day Schools across North America.  

Engage provides both grant support and expert guidance to help Jewish day schools work more closely with community organizations to meet families and support them as they make choices about Jewish education. 

Celia Lerch, Director of Enrollment and Outreach at Akiva Schools reflects that, “at its core, Engage is about relationships. We’re bringing together school professionals and community partners to learn about thoughtful outreach and long-term stewardship of families of our Nashville Jewish community.” Lerch adds that the guidance from Prizmah is focused on data-informed decision making and strengthening the bridges between the early childhood experience and a Jewish day school education. 

For Akiva, participation in this program supports the long-held belief that Jewish education thrives when schools, preschools, and community institutions work together rather than in silos. This partnership allows Akiva to connect with families earlier, build trust and relationships, and create shared experiences that feel joyful and accessible.  

Since the program began, the partnership has already brought several collaborative events to the community, including a Purim pajama party, and challah bake and storytelling. This winter, Puppets & Play, featuring the Nashville Public Library’s Puppet Truck, will visit Akiva and provide another opportunity for a meaningful collaboration.  

For the Gordon JCC, this collaboration has had its own unique impact as well.  Alyssa Seibers, Director of Children’s Services for the GJCC explains, "This partnership represents exactly the kind of community-building we believe in at the Gordon JCC. When we work together across organizations, we can create more meaningful touchpoints for families and show them the strength and warmth of Nashville's Jewish community from their very first experiences with us. These events allow us to meet families where they are and build genuine relationships over time.” 

These events are designed as touchpoints in building relationships with the community and other local organizations, and with the idea that Jewish learning can be both meaningful and fun. 

For the greater Jewish community in Nashville, Engage helps align our efforts, share resources, and ensure that families have a more connected and supportive Jewish network. As Akiva, PJ Library, and GJCC continue this collaboration, the goal is simple but powerful: to strengthen Jewish life in Nashville by starting early, working together, and creating experiences that connect families to our vibrant Jewish community for the long term.