Eli Schaap, speaker - COJECO

Our programs:

Adult B'nai Mitzvah Journey

COJECO is excited to launch its Adult B’nai Mitzvah Journey, a program for Russian-speaking Jewish adults in New York! This unique experience encourages and enables the participants to join meaningful Jewish learning, celebrate their Bar/Bat Mitzvah, and bring the joy of Jewish living to their families.

BluePrint Fellowship

The program empowers RSJ change makers to create their own community-building initiatives, with the support of a network of peers, educational workshops, one-on-one mentorship, and mini-grants for project implementation.

B'nai Mitzvah RSJ Family Journey

A customized, year-long family program for Russian-speaking Jewish parents and their children leading up to Bar/Bat Mitzvah.

COJECO Virtual Academy of Jewish Heritage

The Virtual Academy of Jewish Heritage offers a series of top-notch Jewish and Israel-related educational sessions in English and Russian. Learn more on how to attend these free virtual lectures and help support the academy!

RJKrug

Interested in a unique Jewish learning program co-created by Russian-speaking Jewish families and leading Jewish educators? RJKrug, an Innovative Jewish Learning Program For Children and Parents, will soon begin its cohort for 2023-2024.

Germany Close Up

Bringing Russian-speaking Jewish young adults on a 9-day educational trips to Germany to explore the past and present of Jewish life in Germany, and to experience modern Germany first hand.

COJECO New Jersey

We have launched a successful program for adults, children, teens, and families in Northern New Jersey, in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey.

Ukraine: Refugee Resources & Ways to Help

As the war in Ukraine rages on, our community is welcoming more refugees from Ukraine every day. COJECO has been working tirelessly to help people impacted by the War in Ukraine to resettle in New York and New Jersey. Read more about our efforts and Join!

COJECO Anniversary Gala

Join COJECO in celebrating its annual gala honoring the RSJ Community. Stay tuned for details about the 2025 annual gala!

Eli Schaap

Senior Vice President The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life

EliSchaap@steinhardtfoundation.org

Eli Schaap’s focus is on transforming Jewish education through consensus decision-making, action research, and other elements of change organizing. Previously, he worked as a consultant to several national Jewish organizations and also served as the Associate Executive Director of CAJE. Prior to that, he worked for twenty years in the business community. As a volunteer, he founded and served as president of the Partnership Fund for Teaneck, a non-profit devoted to improving Teaneck intergroup relations. Eli received his training in a Ph.D. program in Ecology and Evolution at SUNY at Stony Brook. He has conducted action research and published several articles on the culture of employment, recruitment and retention of Jewish educators, on early childhood Jewish education, and on institutional finances. He has frequently presented his research at the Conference of the Network for Research in Jewish Education. He has also been deeply involved in the development and operation of Hebrew language charter schools and currently serves on the boards of Hebrew Language Academy Charter School in Brooklyn, NY and Hatikvah International Academy Charter School in East Brunswick, NJ.

Organization

The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life

http://www.steinhardtfoundation.org

Mission: The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life was founded in 1994 by Michael H. Steinhardt to strengthen and transform American Jewish life so that it may flourish in a fully integrated, free society.

Our philanthropy seeks to revitalize Jewish identity through educational and cultural initiatives that reach out to all Jews, with an emphasis on those who are on the margins of Jewish life, as well as to advocate for and support Hebrew and Jewish literacy among the general population.