Education
EdD, Jewish Theological Seminary of America
Double B.A., Barnard College and Jewish Theological Seminary of America
Bio
Dr. Rachel Lerner is the Dean of the School for Jewish Education and Leadership at American Jewish University, where she oversees the MAEd, MAT, MAEd in ECE, and BA in ECE completion programs, training future and current Jewish educators. She is passionate about expanding educators' abilities to include a wider population within Jewish educational settings, making classroom learning a more active experience, and making informal education deep and meaningful.
Dr. Lerner earned her Ed.D. degree from JTS, where she studied how vision-guided education is implemented through the socialization of new teachers. Rachel has taught Masters-level education students at both the American Jewish University and the Jewish Theological Seminary, supervised student teachers in day schools and part-time Jewish schools, and held leadership positions in Jewish overnight camp. She has worked as an administrator and teacher in Jewish day schools—at both the elementary and high school levels.
Rachel and her husband, Aaron, live in Los Angeles with their three daughters: Lily, Gavriella, and Ziva. In her "free time" she enjoys spending time with her family and getting lost in a good book.