NewCAJE17: 50th Anniversary: Full Schedule

2:00pm EDT

Building Bridges: Creating Empathy Across Cultures Through Jewish Food

Sunday July 26, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

This workshop will be a look at how an introduction to how Jewish foods can be used to teach teens and adults about Jewish culture, it's similarities to other cultures around the world, and how that culture was impacted by 20th century Jewish history. The goal of this workshop is to build empathy, fight anti-semitism, and encourage people of all cultures to look for the similarities and the good in others.

Speakers

Cathy Polakoff

Storytelling Director, Teach the Shoah

Cathy Polakoff is a Storytelling Director at Teach the Shoah. She has held a variety of roles in education since earning her M.Ed in 2014. She now focuses on guiding people in telling factual stories to educate others about the Holocaust. Cathy frequently volunteers at her synagogue... Read More →

Sunday July 26, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
College Hall Rm 323

History, Storytelling

Audience Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers, Principals
Track Holocaust
Type Main

2:00pm EDT

Teaching Israel in a Post-Oct. 7 Reality

Sunday July 26, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

College Hall Rm 202

Teaching about Israel, Zionism, antizionism, and how these ideas can intersect with Jew-hatred is a prerequisite skill for Jewish educators in the 21st century. In this session we will explore how to teach learners in order to engage deeply with the subjects, create shared understanding, build historical knowledge, encourage real curiosity, and build Jews who see themselves as part of the story.

Speakers

Rachel Fish

Sunday July 26, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
College Hall Rm 202

Israel, Teaching Tools & Techniques

Company Spirituality/Tefilah, Teaching Tools & Techniques
Audience Adult Students, High School, Lower Elementary School, Middle School, Teachers, Upper Elementary
Track Israel
Type Virtual, Main

2:00pm EDT

Creating New Authentically Jewish Rituals

Sunday July 26, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

College Hall Rm 236

This class will explore how new Jewish rituals can be created, and how traditional rituals can be renewed, to meet the emotional and spiritual needs of contemporary life. We will examine what makes a ritual meaningful and rooted in Jewish tradition, while responding to experiences that may not have established communal practices.

Using a ritual template created by Andrea for women who have gone through the loss of pregnancy, participants will analyze effective ritual. We will identify moments in Jewish life that may call for new or revitalized rituals and consider how tradition can serve as a framework for healing, transition, memory, and connection. Through discussion and reflection, participants will gain tools to engage in the evolving work of Jewish ritual innovation.

Speakers

Andrea Shupack

Cantorial Soloist

Andrea Shupack is a cantorial soloist, musician, educator, and storyteller in the Pacific Northwest. She is studying for Rabbinic and Cantorial ordination at the Academy for Jewish Religion in New York. For the past 25 years she has worked in Conservative, Reform, and Renewal communities... Read More →

Ritual Handout pdf

Stillbirth Ritual pdf

Sunday July 26, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
College Hall Rm 236

Jewish Life & Identity, Spirituality/Tefilah

Company Jewish Life & Identity, Spirituality/Tefilah
Audience Adult Students, Teachers
Type Main

2:00pm EDT

Is It a Mitzvah to Vote?

Sunday July 26, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

College Hall Rm 319

We want our lessons to be relevant to our learners. Ahead of the midterms, come learn the Jewish perspective on voting. Participants will walk away with physical and digital materials that they can use with their students.

Speakers

David Schwartz

Education Director, Temple Har Zion

David Schwartz is the Education Director at Har Zion in Chicago. When he’s not doing that he is a B’nai Mitzvah tutor and Jewish storyteller. David is also on the Board of the JEA and an MTEI graduate. However, his most important role is husband to Miriam and Abba to 10-year-old... Read More →

Is It a Mitzvah to Vote docx

Sunday July 26, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
College Hall Rm 319

Jewish Life & Identity, Text/Bible/Theology

Company Spirituality/Tefilah, Text/Bible/Theology
Audience Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers
Type Main

2:00pm EDT

All My Values Come from the Movies (and streaming and binging...)

Sunday July 26, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

College Hall Rm 237

What can Ryan Gosling, Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba and Jenna Ortega teach our teens about Jewish Values? A lot when they star in a popular film or series...and then YOU help them unpack what is on the screen! We will explore how to bring clips from current releases and classics and make your classes come alive. This session comes with a three year warranty!

Speakers

Ira Wise

Ira currently serves as Temple Educator at Temple Beth Tikvah, a Reform congregation in Madison, CT, and has served as a mentor for other synagogue educators through the Leadership Institute, HUC-JIR and Beit T'shuvah. He has attended and presented at CAJE and NewCAJE off and on... Read More →

Sunday July 26, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
College Hall Rm 237

Teaching Tools and Techniques, Teens/Youth Engagement

Company Spirituality/Tefilah
Audience Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers, Principals
Type Main

2:00pm EDT

Walking Together: Helping Teens Support Others through Uncertain Times

Sunday July 26, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

Maria Hall Multipurpose I

Judaism recognizes that life includes moments of illness, grief, and loss. Rather than avoiding these moments, Jewish tradition offers guidance for how we care for one another when life is most difficult. This session explores how we, as educators, can guide tweens and teens to support those who are suffering and show up with compassion, presence, and courage. Take-home tools: Jewish texts, conversation starters, and experiential activities to effectively engage with teens in your educational setting.

Speakers

Nina Woldin

Adult Educator, Artist, Consultant, Exhibitor, Non-Profit Staff/CEO, curriculum writer, Chai Mitzvah

Nina Woldin, Managing Director of Chai Mitzvah, has worked in Jewish education for decades, creating student materials and programs for all ages, pre-K – adult. Her work has been published by Behrman House, Ktav, Kar Ben Publishing, Addison Wesley and Grolier. She created one of... Read More →

Sunday July 26, 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Maria Hall Multipurpose I

Teens/Youth Engagement, Teaching Tools & Techniques

Company Teaching Tools & Techniques
Audience Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers, Principals
Type Main

4:45pm EDT

Coming of Age with Anne Frank

Sunday July 26, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT

College Hall Rm 320

Anne Frank’s diary is one of the most published books of all time. Written between the ages of 13 and 15 years old, modern bar and bat mitzvah age students still find her passages relatable to their own experiences. This workshop will explore ways to include Anne Frank’s legacy in meaningful ways during the B’nai Mitzvah years through interactive lessons and an impactful mitzvah project opportunity.

Speakers

Danielle Glass

Danielle Glass is educator with extensive experience in Jewish community programming. She holds a master's degree in education and is a self-taught artist. Danielle strives to inspire students through engaging and interactive learning experiences and brings her passion for teaching... Read More →

AFC 2 Memorable Quote Activty ALL FILES COMBINED pdf

AFC 3 BoBS D'var Torah Workshop Activity ALL FILES COMBINED pdf

AFC 1 It's a Mitzvh Lesson Plann ALL FILES COMBINED pdf

Sunday July 26, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT
College Hall Rm 320

B-Mitzvah, Jewish Life & Identity

Company Spirituality/Tefilah, Jewish Life & Identity
Audience Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers
Type Main

4:45pm EDT

How We Talk Matters: Communication Skills for Educators

Sunday July 26, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT

Maria Hall Multipurpose I

Every educator faces moments when conversations feel challenging. In this interactive workshop, grounded in the MTEI principle How We Talk Matters, we’ll build practical skills for listening with empathy, speaking with clarity, and responding thoughtfully in the moment. Through real-life scenarios and guided practice, participants will explore how to turn everyday interactions into opportunities for connection, trust, and meaningful learning.

Speakers

Seymour Kopelowitz

Program Director, MTEI

Seymour Kopelowitz is the program director of MTEI at the Mandel Foundation. He has served as a day school principal, Director of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, and Executive Director of the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland. Seymour has a Ph.D. in educational leadership... Read More →

Deborah Niederman, RJE

Leader of Recruitment, Mandel Teacher Educator Institute

Deborah Niederman, RJE is the Leader of Recruitment for the Mandel Teacher Educator Institute (MTEI) and Director of Education at Temple Shalom in Dallas, TX. With over 30 years in Jewish education, she is passionate about mentoring leaders, fostering innovation, and integrating learning... Read More →

Sunday July 26, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT
Maria Hall Multipurpose I

Classroom Management, Administration

Audience Adult Students, Teachers, Principals
Track Adminstrative track
Type Main

4:45pm EDT

Rhythm & Voice: Engaging Students through Spoken Word

Sunday July 26, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT

College Hall Rm 202

Interactive spoken-word tools can empower classroom engagement. Discover how spoken-word activities—like call-and-response ‘Daily Blessings,’ guided ‘David & Goliath’ rap-battles, and group ring shouts—can energize your classroom. These easy-to-lead exercises foster student participation, focus, and joy, even without musical expertise.

Speakers

Rachel Haymer

Co-director of rappers and rabbis, Rachel Haymer is a Honolulu native now in NYC for over a decade. With an extensive Jewish and secular résumé, she brings her experience as.Tkiya music, leader, cantorial, soloist, Jewish educator, and the new creative program director of the women’s... Read More →

Sunday July 26, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT
College Hall Rm 202

Teens/Youth Engagement, Teaching Tools & Techniques

Company Spirituality/Tefilah, Teaching Tools & Techniques
Audience Adult Students, High School, Lower Elementary School, Middle School, Teachers, Upper Elementary
Type Main, Virtual

4:45pm EDT

Violence Against the Earth in the Abrahamic Religions

Sunday July 26, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT

College Hall Rm 239

In this session we'll examine key texts, ancient and modern, from the major Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—to learn how each teaches its adherents about caring for the environment. We'll discuss what the differences in their approaches mean, and how to use the texts either in our own settings or with an interfaith group.

Speakers

Paul Solyn

Adult Educator

Paul Solyn is an adult educator in Elmira, NY. He received an M.J.Ed. degree and family educator certificate from Hebrew College, Boston, and a graduate certificate in eco-spirituality from Hartford International University.

yoreh compassion and self concern pdf

RA Teshuvah on Sustainability pdf

Redwan When the Earth Speaks Against Us Environmental Ethics in Islam pdf

Laudato Si pdf

Handout Violence Against the Earth pdf

Violence Against the Earth pdf

Sunday July 26, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT
College Hall Rm 239

Text/Bible/Theology, Adult Education

Company Spirituality/Tefilah, Adult Education
Audience Adult Students, Teachers
Type Main

9:00am EDT

Teach the Shoah: Giving Voice to Their Stories

Monday July 27, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT

College Hall Rm 347

Participants will use Holocaust testimony as well as images of an artifact to create a brief story as a tool for teaching the Holocaust. We will follow the approach of Teach the Shoah, first listening to a story and unpacking the process behind it, and then trying it ourselves.

Speakers

Tanya Wisoker

Adult Educator, Storyteller

Tanya Wisoker is a Jewish educator, playwright, and storyteller.
Tanya is a Board Member, Instructor, and Facilitator for Teach the Shoah, bringing the testimonies of those who experienced the Holocaust, their descendants, and anyone committed to the task of bearing witness to li... Read More →

Tanya Wisoker Giving Voice to Their Stories NewCAJE2026 pdf

Being Aware of Your Audience Teach the Shoah pdf

Monday July 27, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
College Hall Rm 347

History, Storytelling

Company History, Storytelling
Audience Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers
Track Holocaust
Type Main

9:00am EDT

Building Muscles for Challenging Conversations: Israel and Zionism

Monday July 27, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT

College Hall Rm 340

Struggling to talk with your students about Israel, Palestine, and Zionism? During this session we will explore how to approach this in a dual-narrative context. You can expect a collaborative session on utilizing primary sources and varied learning modalities to create a supportive environment promoting individualized understanding and safe discourse. I will share student projects from this school year to show how each student emerged after this unit with a personalized and rigorous understanding of their relationship, in this moment, to Israel and Zionism.

Speakers

Samara Weinberg

Sami Weinberg is a Resident at Makom Community in Philadelphia, as well as the Anafim and Teen educator. She has worked with just about every age and grade from 2 years old to teens. Sami grew up all over the East Coast United States. She loves anything to do with yarn, clay, or... Read More →

Monday July 27, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
College Hall Rm 340

Israel, Teaching Tools & Techniques

Company Teaching Tools & Techniques
Audience Middle School, High School, Adult Students
Track Israel
Type Main

9:00am EDT

Writing Your Own Torah: Creative Expression as a Source for Discovery

Monday July 27, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT

College Hall Rm 323

“…Write this song for yourselves and teach it to the Children of Israel. Put it in their mouths, that this poem may be My witness within the people of Israel.” (Deut. 31:19).

This last commandment in the Torah tells us to each write our own Torah, to teach it, and bring it to the mouths of others. Art is a powerful tool to bring our unique selves into the text and to engage and empower our students.

Andrea will share from her Torah song cycle “She Flows From Eden” and demonstrate techniques that inspire her writing process. After a text study, participants will tap into their own artistic expression, discovering and sharing insights gained through individual writing.

Speakers

Andrea Shupack

Cantorial Soloist

NewCAJE Writing Your Own Torah handout 2026 pdf

Monday July 27, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
College Hall Rm 323

Jewish Life & Identity, Spirituality/Tefilah

Company Jewish Life & Identity, Spirituality/Tefilah
Audience Adult Students, Teachers, Middle School, High School, Not Age-Specific
Type Main

9:00am EDT

Adding Elders to the Classroom: Enhancing Jewish Learning with Intergenerational Connections.

Monday July 27, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT

College Hall Rm 348

DOROT has been connecting generations for nearly 50 years for meaningful learning and Jewish engagement. Students of all ages can grow and deepen their relationship to Jewish traditions and text through ongoing relationships with older adults (65+). Learn practical ways to incorporate intergenerational learning into your Pedagogy. In this session we will experience and discuss tools to inspire identity formation and joyous Jewish learning through intergenerational connections.

Speakers

Shai Rosenfeld

Director - Intergenerational Program Enagagement, DOROT

Shai is the Director of Intergenerational Program Engagement for DOROT, a non-profit social services agency in New York City with a mission to bring generations together for mutually beneficial learning and connection. He and his team create spaces of play and possibility for youth... Read More →

Texts pdf

DOROT – Intergenerational Practices, NewCAJE17 2026 pdf

Monday July 27, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
College Hall Rm 348

Teens/Youth Engagement, Teaching Tools & Techniques

Company Spirituality/Tefilah, Teaching Tools & Techniques
Audience Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers
Type Main

11:00am EDT

Holocaust Discussion Hands-on Tools

Monday July 27, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT

College Hall Rm 319

This interactive session equips educators with practical, ready-to-use tools for engaging students in meaningful Holocaust education. Through art, poetry, storytelling, and guided discussion strategies, participants will learn how to foster empathy, critical thinking, resilience, and historical understanding in age-appropriate ways. Educators will leave with hands-on activities and resources designed to help students connect Holocaust lessons to contemporary issues of identity, courage, kindness, and human responsibility.

Speakers

Jennifer Alembik

Cheryl is an educator and advocate for Holocaust remembrance and youth empowerment. She is the Founder and President of the Holocaust Youth Survivors Legacy Foundation, Inc., where she creates arts- and poetry-based programs that bring survivor voices to students. Her work is dedicated... Read More →

Monday July 27, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
College Hall Rm 319

History, Big Picture of Jewish Education

Company History, Big Picture of Jewish Education
Audience Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers, Principals
Track Holocaust
Type Main

11:00am EDT

Judaism and Positive Intelligence - Gym for the Soul

Monday July 27, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT

College Hall Rm 340

Discover a powerful "operating system" for spiritual life by integrating Positive Intelligence (PQ) with Jewish tradition. This interactive workshop will help participants identify their saboteurs (internal critics) and learn strategies for grounding themselves and amplifying spirituality in their lives and the lives of their students or school. This session will help you transform ritual into a mental fitness gym and move from self-generated distraction to soulful, decisive action by using Jewish PQ reps like sensory anchors to activate the five Sage Powers and ancient Jewish values.

Speakers

Bonnie Cooper

Life Coach, Pre K Teacher, Religious school teacher, Rumson Jewish Center @ CBI

Bonnie Cooper is currently a Preschool teacher at Rumson Jewish Center and Congregation B'nai Israel as well as A Religious School Teacher for Judaics for 3rd and 4th graders. She is also a Certified Life Coach focusing on Positive Intelligence.

Positive Intelligence and Judaism for NewCAJE pdf

Monday July 27, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
College Hall Rm 340

Self-Care/Wellbeing, Spirituality/Tefilah

Company Self-Care/Wellbeing, Spirituality/Tefilah
Audience Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers
Type Main

11:00am EDT

A Taste of Bartenura

Monday July 27, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT

College Hall Rm 320

This session will illustrate the sources of the iconic commentary of Rabbi Ovadiah [Yare ben Avraham] of Bartenura (1450-1516) as an entry point to the further study of Rabbinic sources and an understanding of the development of Halakha up to his tine period, based primarily on the rulings of Maimonides

Speakers

Robert Alpert

Rabbi Robert Alpert has served as a substitute Judaic studies teacher at the Leffell School in Hartsdale, NY. He has taught electives and prepared students for comprehensives at the Academy for Jewish Religion.

Monday July 27, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
College Hall Rm 320

Torah Lishma, History

Audience Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers
Type Main

4:45pm EDT

Circle Singing Workshop

Monday July 27, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT

College Hall Rm 348

Join me for a joyful circle-singing workshop inspired by Jewish music, where we’ll create spontaneous music together through rhythm, harmony, and playful vocal improvisation. No experience is needed—just your voice and your curiosity. We’ll build layered soundscapes, listen deeply, and celebrate the magic that happens when a group becomes one living instrument. Come add your voice to the circle and explore the power of shared creativity.

Speakers

Jen Keren

Rabbi Cantor Jen Keren, a native Texan, received her B.A. from the University of Miami, J.D. from Nova Southeastern University, cantorial ordination and M.A. in sacred music from JTS , M.A. in Jewish education from Towson University and rabbinic ordination from AJR. She is currently... Read More →

Monday July 27, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT
College Hall Rm 348

Music, Spirituality/Tefilah

Company Music, Spirituality/Tefilah
Audience High School, Adult Students
Type Main

4:45pm EDT

Between Word and Deed: Music, Middot, and Meaning-Making

Monday July 27, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT

Maria Hall Multipurpose 2

Between Word and Deed: Music, Middot, and Meaning-Making invites educators into a dynamic, hands-on exploration of how language, values, and lived experiences shape identity and action. Through music, Jewish text, and storytelling, participants interpret anonymous acts of giving, uncovering the diverse motivations and middot behind them. This interactive workshop highlights how different pathways lead to similar actions, offering fresh insights and practical tools for fostering empathy, meaning-making, and relationship-centered learning in Jewish educational spaces.

Please bring a charged smartphone and Bluetooth earbuds (or headphones) for one interactive activity. A limited number of loaner earbuds will be available.

Speakers

Deborah Peretz

Deborah Peretz is an Israel educator and AJU doctoral student focused on language in Israel education. In her role with IsraelLINK, she designs curriculum, leads trainings, and works with educators across the Northeast and Canada. She’s passionate about creating spaces that are... Read More →

Monday July 27, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT
Maria Hall Multipurpose 2

Storytelling, Music

Company Spirituality/Tefilah, Music
Audience Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers
Type Main

9:00am EDT

Unpacking and Previewing the 2026 Israeli Election

Tuesday July 28, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT

Maria Hall Multipurpose 2

This session will provide educators the space to think about the 2026 Israeli election. After a brief overview of the political system. participants will think about the views of key figures through primary source quotes and political ads.

Speakers

Jonathan Golden

Dr. Jonathan Golden is a Senior Educator at OpenDor Media who works in the Unpacked for Educators and ConnectED divisions. He teaches at the Hebrew College in Boston and for the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. Previously, he served as the Israel Curriculum Coordinator and... Read More →

Tuesday July 28, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Maria Hall Multipurpose 2

Israel, History

Company History
Audience Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers
Track Israel
Type Main

9:00am EDT

Moments of Memory: Using Storytelling to Enhance Your Holocaust Education Program

Tuesday July 28, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT

College Hall Rm 319

This workshop would include a discussion of what constitutes age-appropriate content/curricula and examples of useful resources and websites. The next part of the workshop would cover the use of stories and anecdotes to enhance a Holocaust lesson, and how to find stories that are both factual and appropriate. There would also be a discussion on how to present stories without having storytelling experience. The workshop would finish with the development of a rough outline for a Holocaust lesson plan that attendees can take with them.

Speakers

Cathy Polakoff

Storytelling Director, Teach the Shoah

Tuesday July 28, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
College Hall Rm 319

Storytelling, History

Company Spirituality/Tefilah, History
Audience Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers, Principals
Track Holocaust
Type Main

9:00am EDT

Level Up Your Classroom: The Power of Team-Building Games

Tuesday July 28, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT

College Hall Rm 348

Unlock the potential of play to transform your learning environment. This session explores how teambuilding games serve as more than just "icebreakers"—they are essential tools for building a strong, inclusive community where every student feels they belong. Beyond social connection, you’ll learn how to seamlessly integrate these activities into your existing curriculum to increase student engagement. Discover creative strategies to use games to reinforce core lesson content and turn learning into an interactive, high-energy experience. Wear comfortable clothes as we will learn and build kehillah by participating in these games.

Speakers

Jill Eisen

Jill Eisen is the Director of Program Partnerships at Pearlstone, the Headquarters of Adamah. She has her BA from Penn State and two Masters from Baltimore Hebrew University. Working at Pearlstone entwines the environment and Jewish values she holds dear. Each day holds a new adventure... Read More →

NewCaje TeamBuiling in Classrrooms docx

Tuesday July 28, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
College Hall Rm 348

Teaching Tools and Techniques, Classroom Management

Company Spirituality/Tefilah, Classroom Management
Audience Lower Elementary School, Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers, Principals, Not Age-Specific
Type Main

9:00am EDT

Vayikra for Vegetarians: Teaching Objectionable Texts

Tuesday July 28, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT

Maria Hall Yoga Room

Both young and adult students raise objections, sometimes stringently, to many texts from the Tanakh. We do no one any favors by avoiding all such texts, but how do we respond to valid ethical objections and teach the texts successfully? We'll explore issues ranging from animal sacrifice to women's rights and genocide and work together to develop a consistent framework for teaching them.

Speakers

Paul Solyn

Adult Educator

Vayikra for Vegetarians pdf

Tuesday July 28, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Maria Hall Yoga Room

Text/Bible/Theology, Teaching Tools & Techniques

Company Spirituality/Tefilah, Teaching Tools & Techniques
Audience Upper Elementary, Middle School, Adult Students
Type Main

11:00am EDT

Resilience: Amazing Courageous Stories of Young Holocaust Survivors

Tuesday July 28, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT

College Hall Rm 319

Resilience is an educational program designed for educators to bring themes of strength, survival, and hope into the classroom through poetry, art, and testimony inspired by young Holocaust survivors. It provides age-appropriate materials, discussion guides, and reflective activities that help students connect history to empathy, resilience, and personal responsibility. Educators are empowered to facilitate meaningful conversations about the Holocaust while fostering critical thinking compassion and deeper understanding of human dignity and resilience in today’s world.

Speakers

Jennifer Alembik

Tuesday July 28, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
College Hall Rm 319

History, Storytelling

Company History, Storytelling
Audience Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers
Track Holocaust
Type Main

11:00am EDT

Comparing Shabbat Service Sections

Tuesday July 28, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT

Maria Hall Yoga Room

You may have been to Shabbat services, but have you thought about how the different services on Shabbat work? In this section we’ll explore how the different Shabbat services are similar, comparing structures, prayers, and nusach (traditional chanting). You’ll leave with a new appreciation and understanding that will enrich your Shabbat service experience from now on!

Speakers

David Schwartz

Education Director, Temple Har Zion

Neil Schwartz

Tuesday July 28, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
Maria Hall Yoga Room

Spirituality/Tefilah, Torah Lishma

Company Spirituality/Tefilah
Audience Lower Elementary School, Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers, Principals
Type Main

3:00pm EDT

Beyond the Workshop - Wool Needle Felting and the Energy of Separation

Tuesday July 28, 2026 3:00pm - 4:30pm EDT

College Hall Rm 340

This unique study combines the tactile, meditative art of wool needle felting with a deep dive into the holiness of separation—a principle rooted in the biblical prohibition of mixing wool and linen. The Art of Wool Needle Felting is a dry-sculpting technique that uses specialized barbed needles to tangle animal fibers—typically sheep’s wool—into solid forms. The repetitive motion of "strategic stabbing" is often described as a relaxing, stressfree creative outlet.

Speakers

Jill Eisen

Tuesday July 28, 2026 3:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
College Hall Rm 340

Administration, Self-Care/Wellbeing

Company Spirituality/Tefilah, Self-Care/Wellbeing
Audience Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers, Principals
Type Main

4:45pm EDT

Expanding Holocaust-Era Persecution: Jewish Experiences in the Middle East, North Africa, and Beyond

Tuesday July 28, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT

College Hall Rm 319

This session expands Holocaust education by examining the impact of Nazi persecution beyond Central and Eastern Europe, focusing on Sephardi, Mizrahi, and Maghrebi communities. Participants will explore case studies from the Balkans, North Africa, and the Middle East, and engage with resources such as JIMENA’s Sephardi & Mizrahi Educational Toolkit. The session equips educators with historical knowledge and practical strategies to integrate these narratives into curricula and connect them to contemporary antisemitism.

Speakers

Ty Alhadeff

Director of Education, JIMENA

Ty Alhadeff is Director of Education at JIMENA, where he leads initiatives promoting Sephardi and Mizrahi history, including the Sephardic Leadership Institute and projects such as Distinctions: A Sephardi and Mizrahi Journal, the Sephardi & Mizrahi Education Toolkit, and AIMEE, a... Read More →

Tuesday July 28, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT
College Hall Rm 319

History, Jewish Life & Identity

Audience Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers, Principals
Track Holocaust
Type Main

4:45pm EDT

Yearly Cycle of Festival Services

Tuesday July 28, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT

College Hall Side Foyer

Religious services during the "Shalosh Regalim" (Pesach, Shavuot, & Sukkot/Sh'mini Atzeret) have much in common with Shabbat services, but the chants ("Nusach") are very different, and there are additional texts. Come explore these differences, both for your own understanding and to help teach these to your students.

Speakers

David Schwartz

Education Director, Temple Har Zion

Neil Schwartz

Tuesday July 28, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT
College Hall Side Foyer

Holidays, Spirituality/Tefilah

Company Spirituality/Tefilah
Audience High School, Adult Students, Teachers, Principals
Type Main

4:45pm EDT

Why Singing Together Works: The Neuroscience of Music, Breath, and Bonding

Tuesday July 28, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT

College Hall Rm 340

Music is one of the most powerful pathways we have for Jewish engagement and education. For songleaders, music specialists, and educators who use music with kiddos and their grown-ups, this workshop teaches brain-based principles that turn song into strategy: preventative care, engagement enhancement, and chaos control. We explore how singing syncs breath, builds bonding, anchors memory, and supports mood modulation and meaning-making. Songs are modeled throughout to demonstrate each principle in practice.

Speakers

Emily Aronoff

Dr Emily Celebrates

Dr. Emily Aronoff cultivates connection through songleading that sparks joy, makes meaning, & secures a Jewish future. With 25 years of practice, she leads music & movement with kiddos & their families, offers professional development, consulting, & curriculum to Jewish institutions... Read More →

Tuesday July 28, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT
College Hall Rm 340

Music, Jewish Life & Identity

Company Music
Audience Early Childhood, Lower Elementary School, Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers, Not Age-Specific
Type Main

4:45pm EDT

Built to Last: Jewish Practice and Lifelong Resilience

Tuesday July 28, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT

College Hall Rm 239

On hard days, our sense of mission can feel elusive. This session offers something grounding: evidence from neuroscience and epidemiology research that building ritual literacy, fostering belonging, and transmitting meaning can be directly linked to children's long-term ability to manage anxiety and depression, resist addiction, and recover from trauma. Your work as a Jewish educator is, quite literally, protective! We'll discuss empowering practical strategies for classroom choices and for parent communication aligned with these important findings.

Speakers

Julie Hirschfeld

Dr.Julie Hirschfeld (MA, Oxon., PhD, NYU) is a clinical psychologist and founder of The Jewish Resilience Initiative, which promotes awareness of the mental health benefits of Jewish practice. Trained in family therapy, spiritually integrated psychotherapy, and Mussar facilitation... Read More →

Tuesday July 28, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT
College Hall Rm 239

Teaching Tools and Techniques, Big Picture of Jewish Education

Company Spirituality/Tefilah, Big Picture of Jewish Education
Audience Early Childhood, Lower Elementary School, Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers, Principals, Not Age-Specific
Type Main

4:45pm EDT

Waterworld or Desertville: Why Does Torah Tell Us Two Different Creation Stories?

Tuesday July 28, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT

College Hall Graduate Lounge

Quickly: when and how were humans created, according to the Book of Genesis, Breisheet?
Did you know that there are two COMPLETEY different accounts of Creation: chapter one and chapter two?
Water-world and desert-scape. Humans last, then a human first.
What? WHY?! Which one is the “real” one??
Interested? Hope so – this is a tremendously valuable key to understanding basic Jewish theology regarding the connections between humans and the planet, human and humans, and humans and their Creator.
Bonus question: Where was Adam while Havah had the exchange with the serpent & ate the “fruit”? Learn about a certain cover-up conspiracy…

Speakers

Ruz Gulko

Rabbi/Cantor/Educator, Gan Argaman

Ruz Gulko accidentally became a Hebrew teacher in 1986, and then a lay cantor / rabbi, thus proving that no matter how you plan your life, God always has some other interesting ideas. She has worked with most of the Jewish educational and religious institutions in the greater Seattle... Read More →

Tuesday July 28, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT
College Hall Graduate Lounge

Text/Bible/Theology, Teaching Tools & Techniques

Company Teaching Tools & Techniques, Text/Bible/Theology
Audience Lower Elementary School, Upper Elementary, Middle School, High School, Adult Students, Teachers, Principals, Not Age-Specific
Type Main

9:00am EDT

Ayin Tovah - A Good Eye - Focusing on the Good: Cultivating a Positive Outlook through Creative Movement and Expressive Arts

Wednesday July 29, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT

Maria Hall Multipurpose 2

How can we develop Ayin Tovah, a positive, healing outlook? Through creative movement! We will “move” and “be moved by” its Hebrew letters, עין טובה, explore their kabbalistic meaning, and further our understanding via drawing/journaling. Learn my holistic approach to teaching Hebrew letters, whose gestural, spatial designs connect us to Jewish spirituality. For both children and adults!

Speakers

Davida Adelberg

Teaches Jewish Studies and Beginning Hebrew, Congregation Sinai

Davida Adelberg teaches Jewish Studies and Beginning Hebrew at Congregation Sinai in San Jose, CA. She enjoys creative movement and Jewish spiritual connection, uniting both in "moving" the Hebrew letters with the gestural Alef-Bet, created by Stan Tenen, z"l. Davida is blessed... Read More →

Ayin Tovah Workshop Handouts (1) pdf

Ot HaShavua Posters pdf

Wednesday July 29, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
Maria Hall Multipurpose 2

Spirituality/Tefilah, Hebrew/Yiddish

Audience Lower Elementary School, Upper Elementary, Adult Students, Teachers, Not Age-Specific
Type Main

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