Contact us:
JEXNET: The Network for Experiential Jewish Youth Education
6 East 39th St, 10th floor
New York, NY 10016
P: 212-792-6285
F: 212-279-1155
info@jexnet.org
Our Mission
JEXNET (formerly the North American Alliance for Jewish Youth) is the Network for Experiential Jewish Youth Education. The network is committed to supporting those professionals and volunteers who work together to create formative experiences for our Jewish Youth community.
The goal of the network is to ensure the cultivation of a committed, caring generation of Jewish youth by strengthening the professional and lay infrastructure that supports their Jewish experiences.
Our Story
JEXNET: the Network for Experiential Jewish Youth Education was formerly known as the North American Alliance for Jewish Youth (NAA). In 1996 the Executive Directors of the major national Jewish Youth Initiatives in North America came together to form the first ever collaborative, non-denominational table of Jewish professionals whose primary goal was to strengthen the Jewish Youth community. In its first nine years of existence, the NAA achieved that goal by establishing an annual conference on Informal Jewish and Zionist Education, and by creating a shared sense of responsibility to continually produce meaningful Jewish experiences for the next generation of Jews.
Now in its 10th year of existence, the NAA is transitioning to become a network for experiential Jewish Youth Educators. JEXNET has helped to transform the strong base built by the NAA into a network that provides resources, support and advocacy for those professionals and volunteers who are connected to creating Jewish youth experiences.
Our Leadership
JEXNET is an established 501c(3) and is in the process of reshaping its governance structure. Currently, its leadership teams are two distinct groups that work together: the Professional Advisory Committee, chaired by Rabbi Ramie Arian, and the Executive Board, which is currently being assembled. If you are a professional or a volunteer who is interested in taking a leadership role in JEXNET, please contact Rabbi Ramie Arian, PAC Chair, or Rabbi Dara Z. Klarfeld, JEXNET Executive Director.
Why "Experiential?"
JEXNET is committed to strengthening the infrastructure which provides Jewish youth with thought-provoking, poignant and engaging Jewish life experiences.
The word "Experience" is defined as
- Having been affected by gaining knowledge through participation
- The conscious events which make up a person's life
- Something personally encountered
Helping professionals, communities and organizations to build Jewish experiences for our youth is what JEXNET is all about.
The Network
Membership in the network is self-selective. Members can create a network profile at no charge. Once a part of the network, members can search the website for online resources, current job listings and professional development opportunities, and can contact and connect with other network members. Membership profiles are reviewed by JEXNET staff and leadership prior to being posted.
