This past Monday afternoon, Rabbi Levi Solomon, Principal of Emek Hebrew Academy Teichman Family Torah Center, was caught by complete surprise when, during a school-wide assembly, he was named Jewish Educator Award (JEA) recipient for 2015.

Leading the unexpected presentation was Milken Family Foundation Executive Vice President, Richard Sandler.  BJE Executive Director Dr. Gil Graff officiated as well. 

The JEA program was established in 1990 by the Milken Family Foundation, in cooperation with BJE, as an adjunct to the Foundation’s National Educator Awards program. Each year the program gives public recognition and unrestricted $15,000 cash awards to teachers, administrators and other educational professionals in the Greater Los Angeles area who have made significant contributions to education in day schools affiliated with BJE.  

The award recipients are selected by a committee of educators, professional and lay leaders from the Jewish community who have a long-standing concern for and involvement with education in Jewish schools. 

Rabbi Solomon is a perfect choice for this award, as he has been teaching passionately for the past nineteen years in both London and California. Rabbi Solomon became our school principal in 2012 and has since worked together with our administrative team to establish a number of benchmarks that integrate 21st century learning skills and techniques into the school curriculum. He was born in London, England and currently resides in Valley Village, CA with his wife Erica (Rosenthal), Emek alumni, and his six children, three of whom are current students at Emek. Rabbi Solomon graduated in 1993 from the Rabbinical College of America, Morristown, NJ, where he received his B.A. in Rabbinical Studies. In 1997 he completed the QTS (qualified teacher status) program through the University of London, and in 2007 received his Master of Arts Degree in Educational Leadership from Touro University.

 We are blessed to have Rabbi Solomon as a vital part of the Emek Administrative team and we take pride in all of his accomplishments.