NewCAJE17: 50th Anniversary: Full Schedule

2:00pm EDT

Walking Together: Helping Teens Support Others through Uncertain Times

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

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

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

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

Motivations, Misconceptions, and Missed Opportunities in Engaging Today's Jewish Teens

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

College Hall Rm 202

Today’s Jewish teens care deeply, but parents and stakeholders often misunderstand what matters to them. Explore the gap between what teens want and what the Jewish community offers. Through discussion and interactive activities, we’ll examine teen motivations, adult misconceptions, and identify missed opportunities. Leave the workshop with insights to foster authentic connection with your teens.

Speakers

Loen Amer

Loen Peltz Amer (she/her/הִיא) is The Jewish Education Project’s Senior Manager, Teen Education and Engagement. A thirteen-year synagogue experiential educator, Loen most recently worked at Temple Israel of Great Neck and Bet Torah in Mt. Kisco. Loen lives on Manhattan’s Upper... Read More →

Link to Slides for Sched Motivations, Misconceptions, and Missed Opportunities pdf

Looking to build more joyful, proud Jewish experiences? pdf

PD. Resources. Inspiration. It’s all waiting for you. The Jewish Educator Portal pdf

Monday July 27, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
College Hall Rm 202

Teens/Youth Engagement, Jewish Life & Identity

Company Jewish Life & Identity
Audience Middle School, High School
Type Main, Virtual

11:00am EDT

Stirring Up Engagement: Culinary Programming for Youth and Teens

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

College Hall Rm 348

Food is an evergreen tool for building community, developing leadership, and getting kids excited. In this session, I'll share programs I've run—from teen-catered kiddush luncheons and challah bake fundraisers to cooking chuggim, recipe-testing events, and even entire pop-up restaurants. Whether you have a handful of children or more hands than you'd know what to do with, this session will provide practical ideas, lessons learned, and ready-to-use materials for creating meaningful, engaging, and even revenue-generating culinary programs.

Speakers

Emily Catalano

After accidentally gaslighting a rabbi, Emily Catalano, a bartender, found a fulfilling career in Jewish engagement and education. Now a seasoned youth director and educator, she has worked with children and teens of all ages (infants, too!) for nearly a decade. She works at PJTC... Read More →

Tuesday July 28, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
College Hall Rm 348

Teens/Youth Engagement, Jewish Life & Identity

Audience Middle School, High School
Type Main

4:45pm EDT

The Jewish Future: Investing in Teen Leadership Development

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

College Hall Rm 202

This workshop is a crash course for educators, youth leaders, and program coordinators ready to take their teen programming to the next level. Participants will explore the question of how to get more teens invested in leadership and discover various structures for youth group boards and how teens can build overall ownership in their programming. By the end of this workshop, participants will walk away with a toolkit to strengthen the teen leadership within their communities.

Speakers

Brandon Gabay

Youth and Teen Engagement Manager, Temple Sinai Atlanta

Brandon (he/him) serves as one of the Youth and Teen Engagement Managers at Temple Sinai in Atlanta, Georgia. Brandon is an alumnus of Florida State University, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in Communications in 2022. Brandon is a lover of all things books, baking, and... Read More →

The Jewish Future Slides pdf

Tuesday July 28, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT
College Hall Rm 202

Teens/Youth Engagement, Teaching Tools & Techniques

Company Teaching Tools & Techniques
Audience Middle School, High School
Type Main, Virtual

NewCAJE17: 50th Anniversary

2:00pm EDT

Nina Woldin

4:45pm EDT

Rachel Haymer

9:00am EDT

Shai Rosenfeld

11:00am EDT

Loen Amer

11:00am EDT

Emily Catalano

4:45pm EDT

Brandon Gabay

Get help with the event