Dr. Chaim Botwinick, March 10, 2025
Not unlike the field of general education, our Jewish day school and yeshiva community is currently experiencing one of the most rapidly changing and complex challenges and transformations in recent memory. In fact, these challenges are currently evolving at breathtaking and meteoric speed and frequency; and, are now on a trajectory of unlimited scope and magnitude.
As we know, many of todays’ technological advances have evolved for years and are only now beginning to be recognized as transformative, also as evidenced in many of our schools. In fact, these evolutionary technological changes in our schools represent mirror images of the challenges and realities which we are currently experiencing in our general society… especially in the areas of science and through super-intelligence technology.
Although one can write volumes describing these challenges, from a practical perspective this article focuses on those specific areas which have the potential to change or improve our Jewish day school and yeshiva as institutions which are evolving in an ever-expanding 21st century technological ecosystem.
Today’s technological realities in education can be divided into two broad categories: those which are in our control; and those which require a significant paradigm shift in values and culture and the zeitgeist of our community.
Irrespective of whether these changes are or are within our control, one reality is almost certain…… the impact of technology, especially AI technology, is evolving fast and is impacting virtually every aspect of our lives. It therefore behooves all of us in educational leadership positions to understand, utilize and respect the impact of this technology on our communities and institutions.
The one particular area of focus which requires serious review is the tremendous impact of technology and/or artificial intelligence (AI) in our schools and on the teaching-learning process.
This critical conversation is no longer about whether technology should or should not be permitted or accepted in our Jewish educational institutions or whether its uses are or are good or bad, “healthy” or “unhealthy”……. but rather how we as a community utilize and celebrate the AI technological revolution as a beneficial 21st century reality and as an integral part of our educational community and society.
It is important to note that this reality does not suggest that all AI technology is 100% beneficial or “safe” for schools and students. Like all man-created innovations, especially those that are ubiquitous such as AI or “super” AI technology, it is essential that our schools, their leadership and educational communities utilize these technologies responsibly and with high levels of the a priori knowledge, understanding, insight, sensitivity, transparency and accountability.
I was motivated to write this article in follow-up to a fascinating conversation I recently had with several well-respected forward-thinking Jewish educators in the corridors of a major Jewish day school.
The conversation suggested that our Jewish educational community, must be more knowledgeable and mindful about the efficacy of AI technology to the same extent as we are (or were) when Google was first introduced in 1996.
When Google was launched in 97/98, many critics and opponents including senior educators, scholars and religious leaders were very concerned and uncertain as to how the use of this global technology would affect or impact our educational system, on society in general and in particular on the student-learning process.
Several decades later we now witness a tremendously impressive proliferation and impact of this technology on education and on society. To be sure, the speed in which information is now amassed and disseminated and the ability and capacity to spread information, knowledge and opinions within milliseconds have had and continues to have a profoundly positive impact on our lives, our institutions and communities.
There are currently a series of very impressive and enlightening articles on this important topic. They include the recent publication of Yeshiva University’s December 2024 edition of Torah-To-Go, entitled Illuminating the Future: Jewish Values and AI.
In that Issue we are presented with a wide array of fascinating perspectives regarding moral responsibility, AI and halachic decision making and other AI related perspectives which impact upon our Jewish communities and their institutions.
It goes without saying that like all man-created innovations, technology requires specific “guardrails” in order to ensure its proper ethical, moral, and legal application.
The AI Revolution and its Impact on our Jewish day school and Yeshiva Administrative Operations and Education
With the recent explosion of AI technology, our Jewish educational institutions are currently experiencing administrative and educational advances as never before imaginable – from recordkeeping, payroll, maintenance contracts, inventory control, the purchase of school materials and supplies, the processing of student admissions registration and teacher applications – to competitive bids and the processing and selection of scholarship applications, student transcripts, report cards and accreditation requirements – AI technology supported by its algorithmic formulas is now an indispensable and a formidable reality in our schools
In addition to the unlimited ways in which AI improves and enhances our day school and yeshiva operational and administrative processes, functions, procedures, capacities and effectiveness, it also has tremendous power, capacity and capability to improve and enhance the educational student-learning process of our students both in and out of the classroom.
Having said that, the impact of AI technology on quality assurances and practices in education is in its infancy and the jury’s still out regarding its actual impact on the quality of educational learning and instruction. But most experts opine that the challenge of educational quality are currently being resolved at lightning speeds and its gaps are beginning to close fast.
AI Education Applications
Not unlike its administrative and operational utility, AI technology possesses amazing technological application and potential for student learning and teaching and instruction in our schools
Several of these may include, but not be limited to:
- ongoing tutoring assistance;
- classroom lesson planning ; and simulated testing, quizzes and academic assessments;
- The provision of state-of-the-art reference material for student learning and faculty instruction;
- Havruta study and the provision of Judaic texts and reference materials;
- teacher/faculty performance assessments via digitized algorithmic generated feedback data and metrics;
- In- depth lesson and unit planning;
- personalized learning modules for students with a variety of learning styles and exceptionalities;
- scalability and interpretation of academic grades and assessment scores;
- AI generated connectivity for teacher and faculty professional development (PD) programs and training modules;
- coding for increased AI connectivity;
- test assessment preparation;
- AI guided and generated Judaic texts and commentaries in accordance with the philosophy and hashkafa of the institution;
- teacher, faculty and administrator self-assessments; and
- the design and development of new curricula in Judaic and general studies;
End Notes
As our Jewish day schools and yeshivot begin to experience the positive use of AI technology as well as its transformational application on the structural, operational and educational levels, more and more school leaders will begin to appreciate and embrace its profound impact on education and our schools.
From a Jewish day school and yeshiva perspective, the next AI educational challenge or frontier will be to utilize AI effectively in the home, classroom and school community.
It is one level to understand, appreciate and embrace AI generated innovation; it’s another level to learn how we can use it and apply it as well as celebrate its use in our schools.
At the end of the day, it’s all about the proper and appropriate application of AI, which may take decades to improve and refine.
In order to round-out our conversation, Part II of this article will focus on AI utilization, application and best practices from a Jewish day school and yeshiva perspective.
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Dr. Chaim Botwinick is a senior executive coach and organizational consultant. He served as president and CEO of the Central Agency for Jewish Education for Baltimore and for Greater Miami. In addition, he was head of school and principal of several Jewish day schools and yeshivot. As a Jewish communal influencer, educator and teacher, he has published and lectured extensively on topics relating to education, strategic planning, resource development and leadership development in education.
Dr. Botwinick is co-founder and president of LEV Consulting Associates; and is the author of Think Excellence: Harnessing Your Power to Succeed Beyond Greatness, Brown Books, 2011
