DEEP Consortium’s Concierge Desk Empowers Jewish Day Schools With Tailored Professional Development and Grants

Personalized support and engagement in High Quality Professional Development (HQPD) helps schools strengthen teaching, retain staff, and create lasting change

Since its launch in February 2025, the DEEP Consortium’s Concierge Desk is quickly becoming a valuable resource for Jewish day schools and yeshivot across North America. The service is free, confidential, and straightforward: first, school leaders engage in an intake conversation with a DEEP Concierge to unpack their school’s strengths and needs; then, they can opt for a whole-faculty anonymous survey to provide more data; and, finally, they wrap up with a review of the Concierge’s report with tailored recommendations for professional development.

At the heart of the Concierge Desk are two professionals with deep expertise in High-Quality Professional Development (HQPD) and day school operations, Sarah Rubinson Levy and Tal Gale. Participating schools can work closely with the Concierge to identify what they do well and where they can improve. The goal is more than just providing advice, but also to help schools invest in High Quality Professional Development (HQPD). Research shows that HQPD has two important benefits: it boosts teacher quality and student success, while also helping schools keep their best teachers by showing they’re valued. And those effects are key to remaining competitive in the school market.

So far, eight schools—representing a diversity of geographies, sizes, and grade levels—have worked with the Concierge Desk. The feedback from school leaders has been consistently enthusiastic. Hanna Shekhter, director of innovation and professional learning at Brauser Maimonides Academy in Fort Lauderdale, described the experience as “thoughtful, well-paced, and deeply responsive to our school’s unique context,” and credited the Concierge Desk with giving her the support and confidence to lead professional development efforts.

Other leaders noted the Concierge’s impact on school culture. Sara Rosenfeld, head of school at Barkai Yeshivah in Brooklyn, said the process helped her team focus on the need to align their leadership with their school’s mission and vision—a first step toward building a holistic professional learning framework.

The Concierge Desk’s work doesn’t end with recommendations. Any school that participates has access to a Catalyst Grant—up to $7,500—intended to help put those recommendations into action. Three schools have already received this funding. At Bornblum Jewish Community School in Memphis, Head of School Dr. Daniel Weiss described how the grant is being used to partner with Gateways: Access to Jewish Education, with the goal of equipping teachers to better support atypical learners and foster a culture that “embraces neurodiversity and meets the needs of every learner.”

Pressman Academy in Los Angeles, another early grantee, found the Concierge Desk invaluable as the school worked to refine its Israel Education and Hebrew programs. For Judaic Studies and Hebrew Principal Yonatan Rosner, the support provided both a roadmap and a renewed sense of confidence: “The Catalyst Grant will enable us to expand upon the work we’ve done already and… gives us the confidence to know that we are on the right path.”

Each school that applies for the grant submits a detailed plan and budget, ensuring that the funds are put to use strategically. The DEEP Consortium expects to work with up to five more schools over the coming year, continuing its mission to help Jewish day schools and yeshivot implement meaningful, lasting professional development.