2026 Distinguished Educator Nomination

Each year the ARJE selects Distinguished Educators to honor. The DEH Award recognizes educators who exemplify the values of ARJE and make significant contributions to Reform Jewish education in all its forms. Past recipients can be found here.

DEH Award winners must 

-have served in the field of Jewish education for at least 10 years (at a professional/managerial level)

-serve in an educational role as an ARJE member in good standing or be a retired educator who was a member of ARJE

-contribute to Reform Jewish education in some way

-uphold ethical standards

Please use this form to nominate educators. Self-nominations will not be accepted.

Fundraising Requirement:

As a nominator, if your nominee is selected, you have agreed to take on the responsibility of raising a minimum of $1,800 for the Distinguished Educators Fund. The Distinguished Educators Fund is used to honor educators for professional milestones and provides seed money for new or innovative professional development programs that will be of benefit to ARJE members. This fundraising requirement is separate from any ads taken out in the ad journal. If you have not raised the $1,800 minimum requirement, please know that on Feb 15, your organization will receive a bill for the balance. 


Deadline for nominations is December 15, 2025. 

Please verify that you have checked the “I'm not a robot” checkbox.

Nominee Information
Please provide the following information on your nominee for the ARJE Distinguished Educator Honor.

Impact of the Nominee
Please describe how this individual is a distinguished Reform Jewish educator. You are welcome to type responses directly into this form or submit all answers in a single Microsoft Word document below. Please be descriptive and use specific examples of work the nominee has done in your answers.

Describe how or in what ways the nominee is a leader in the field of Jewish Education.  Please provide at least one specific example.  The DEH committee is looking for educators who promote excellence in Jewish education, are an exemplar of good Jewish educational practice, have impacted Reform Judaism or their community, and/or have been a mentor to other professionals in Jewish communal life. 

Please share one or two anecdotes that that exemplifies why the nominee is a Distinguished Jewish Educator.

What other information would you like to share with the selection committee about the nomination?

You are welcome to upload your responses as a Word Document in lieu of typing your answers directly into the form.

20MB max
Nominator Information
If your nominee is selected for the Distinguished Educator Honor, you will be responsible for raising at least $1800 for the ARJE Distinguished Educator Fund. These funds are often raised through the employer of the nominee, its members, students impacted by the nominee, and family and friends of the nominee. The Distinguished Educator Fund helps support innovation in Jewish education and support for ARJE-affiliated educators.

I agree to coordinate raising at least $1800 for the ARJE Distinguished Educator Fund if my nominee is chosen.