Inspired by Teach for America, which recruits a diverse group of leaders to teach in public schools, in 2002 Laura founded DeLeT to recruit and train teachers for leadership positions at Jewish Day Schools. DeLeT is both an acronym for Day School Leadership Through Teaching and the Hebrew word for “door”. The 13-month program enables participants to earn a Jewish Day School concentration of a Master of Arts in Teaching at Brandeis University in Boston and at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles and includes an internship teaching at a Jewish Day School.
Since its founding, more than 200 students have graduated from the DeLeT program. To harness their ongoing learning and leadership, Laura conceived of and launched the DeLeT Alumni Network (DAN) in 2010. The mission of the DAN is to provide DeLeT alumni with ongoing professional development and leadership opportunities; promote and sustain quality, reflective teaching in Jewish Day Schools; mobilize a community of practice for DeLeT graduates; and provides a forum for them to share and innovate in curriculum, pedagogy, and school culture throughout their careers. The vision of the DAN is to nurture an alumni community embracing reflective, collaborative and inquiry-based teaching. The DAN advocates on behalf of Jewish Day School educators throughout their careers, reflecting practitioners’ voices within the diverse communities of North American Jewish Day Schools.