NewCAJE17: 50th Anniversary: Full Schedule

9:30am EDT

Saturday July 25, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT

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 →

Saturday July 25, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT
College Hall Rm 202

Type Shabbat

4:15pm EDT

Rabbi and the Scholar Part I

Saturday July 25, 2026 4:15pm - 5:00pm EDT

College Hall Rm 202

Speakers

Cherie Koller-Fox

NewCAJE

Rabbi Cherie Koller-Fox is well known in the Boston area and beyond. She was ordained by the Academy for Jewish Religion in New York which is a pluralistic Jewish seminary. She has served as rabbi at Congregation Eitz Chayim in Cambridge, Temple Emanuel of Marlborough, Newton-Wellesley... Read More →

Saturday July 25, 2026 4:15pm - 5:00pm EDT
College Hall Rm 202

Type Shabbat

5:10pm EDT

Rabbi and the Scholar Part II

Saturday July 25, 2026 5:10pm - 5:55pm EDT

College Hall Rm 202

Speakers

Cherie Koller-Fox

NewCAJE

Saturday July 25, 2026 5:10pm - 5:55pm EDT
College Hall Rm 202

Type Shabbat

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

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

Sing Around the Calendar

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

College Hall Rm 202

Want to add some awesome new holiday songs to your toolkit for school-age kids? Want to explore music as a powerful tool to teach content, engage emotions, move the body, and inspire the spirit? Want to have a lot of fun singing together? Come sing around the calendar!

Speakers

Eliana Light

Educator, Musician, and 2025 Covenant Foundation Family Education, The Light Lab

Eliana is working towards a world of One-ness, guided and inspired by Jewish heritage. She focuses on translating liturgy, prayer practice, and g?d-concepts in ways that are deep and accessible for all people at any age. Eliana’s music, gatherings, and teaching reflect a spirit... Read More →

Monday July 27, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
College Hall Rm 202

Holidays, Music

Type Main, Virtual

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

3:00pm EDT

Beyond the Workshop - Conference Partner Spotlight

Monday July 27, 2026 3:00pm - 4:30pm EDT

College Hall Rm 202

We hope you will visit the conference partner tables in the cafeteria. But a chat that lasts a few minutes tableside isn't always enough to learn what these amazing partners have to offer our schools and our students. These sessions are designed to allow for deeper exploration. Stop by for a sequence of 20-minute presentations, and enjoy a sweet cold treat while you learn!

Monday's Conference Partners include:
Gateways ~3:00PM
Unpacked ~3:20PM
The Jewish Education Project ~3:45PM
ARJE ~4:10PM

Speakers

Brian Coonley

Gateways

Stacy Rigler

Non-Profit Staff/CEO, ARJE

Rabbi Stacy Rigler, RJE is CEO of the Association of Reform Jewish Educators. She served as a Rabbi Educator at Keneseth Israel in Elkins Park, PA, then worked at the Foundation for Jewish Camp. Stacy volunteers with RAC-PA Onward Hebrew and Camp Harlam. She received her MAJE and... Read More →

Loen Amer

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 →

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 3:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
College Hall Rm 202

Track Adminstrative track
Type Main

4:45pm EDT

Making the Most of Madrichim

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

College Hall Rm 202

Investing time, energy, and money in having a team of Madrichim (teen teaching assistants) can be a costeffective way to support students who need extra help, get younger children focused on learning, and bring in a fresh perspective on Jewish education. But without clear goals and support, many madrichim wait impatiently to be told what to do, display disdain for being asked to put away their phones, or find other ways to undermine teachers. Join Rabbi Daniel Brenner, VP- Education for Moving Traditions, Melissa Pescatore, Director of Youth Learning and Engagement of Temple Shaarei Emeth in Manalapan, NJ, and other education directors who partner with Moving Traditions to learn how schools are supporting high school students in making the most of their opportunity to serve as Jewish educators.

Speakers

Melissa Pescatore

Director of Youth Learning and Engagement, Temple Shaari Emeth

Melissa Pescatore is the Director of Youth Learning and Engagement at Temple Shaari Emeth in Manalapan, NJ. Serving as Education Director in the congregation where she grew up, she is passionate about instilling a love of learning and building a strong, positive Jewish identity in... Read More →

Daniel Brenner

Chief of Education and Program, Moving Traditions

Daniel Brenner is a rabbi who serves as the Vice President-Education for Moving Traditions.

Monday July 27, 2026 4:45pm - 6:15pm EDT
College Hall Rm 202

Classroom Management, Teens/Youth Engagement

Company Classroom Management
Audience Middle School, High School, Teachers, Principals
Type Main, Virtual

9:00am EDT

Cultivating Connection: Why Spiritual Development Matters at Every Age

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

College Hall Rm 202

Jewish tradition has been cultivating spiritual development for thousands of years, and Dr. Lisa Miller's research now demonstrates it is one of the most powerful protective factors for lifelong well-being. This workshop defines spirituality, examines the research, walks through the developmental stages, and equips educators with practical tools to nurture spiritual growth at every age. Participants will leave with language, a framework, clarity, and practices they can use right away.

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 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
College Hall Rm 202

Big Picture of Jewish Education, Spirituality/Tefilah

Audience Early Childhood, Lower Elementary School, Upper Elementary, Teachers, Not Age-Specific
Type Main, Virtual

11:00am EDT

Music That Rocks the Preschool Classroom, part 2 (Tu B'shvat to Yom HaAtzmaut)

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

College Hall Rm 202

Come sing the songs that ROCK with preschoolers! Early childhood music specialist, Lisa Baydush, will share the songs that delight and engage her students throughout the year. Learn how to make these songs POP! and get dozens of ideas to energize your music program. In addition to teaching repertoire, Lisa will discuss how to plan a set list that achieves your goals. This session will focus on holidays in the second half of the year, Tu B’shvat – Shavuot. (Just to let you know in case you’ve taken Lisa’s workshops before, this workshop will have NEW repertoire!)

Speakers

Lisa Baydush

Early Childhood Music Specialist, Temple Beth Ami (Rockville, MD), Congregation B'nai Tzedek (Potomac, MD)

Lisa Baydush is an engaging early childhood music specialist who delights in transmitting the values, stories and traditions of Judaism through the medium of Jewish music. A dynamic teacher and Tot Shabbat service leader at two congregations in Maryland, Lisa is also a prolific... Read More →

Music That Rocks the Preschool Classroom song list pdf

Music That Rocks the Preschool Classroom, 2026, NewCAJE pdf

Tuesday July 28, 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm EDT
College Hall Rm 202

Music, Early Childhood Education

Company Spirituality/Tefilah, Early Childhood Education
Audience Early Childhood
Track ECE
Type Main, Virtual

3:00pm EDT

Beyond the Workshop - Relationship Status? Its Complicated…

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

College Hall Rm 202

Relationship Status? It's Complicated…
Exploring questions of peoplehood and the Jewish connection to Israel. Understanding the importance of Israel in Jewish Education

Deputy Consul General Liron Finkelstein

Tuesday July 28, 2026 3:00pm - 4:30pm EDT
College Hall Rm 202

Israel

Track Israel
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

9:00am EDT

When an IEP Arrives: Supporting Inclusion in Jewish Educational Settings

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

College Hall Rm 202

What should an educator do when a family shares an IEP? This workshop helps administrators and educators understand how to respond thoughtfully, support students with diverse learning needs, communicate effectively with families, and create meaningful accommodations in Jewish education settings. Participants will explore practical strategies, confidentiality considerations, and inclusive practices grounded in Jewish values of dignity, belonging, and accessible learning for every child.

Speakers

Nancy Wilkenfeld

Nancy Wilkenfeld is an attorney specializing in special education law and a dedicated Jewish educator with more than 30 years of experience. She currently teaches fifth, sixth, and seventh grade at Temple Beth Am, where she is committed to fostering inclusion in the classroom. She... Read More →

JEAP.docx pdf

iep form (3) docx

Sample Issue pdf

mentimeter qr code png

Wednesday July 29, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EDT
College Hall Rm 202

Special Needs/Inclusion, Classroom Management