Adapting: The Future of Jewish Education

“This moment in history calls on us to think about what is our relationship with the natural world, which is G-d’s creation.”  Jakir Manela, CEO of Hazon and Pearlstone, joins David Bryfman to share his views on Jewish environmentalism, the growing JOFEE (Jewish Outdoor Food Farming & Environmental Education) movement, and the fundamentally deep ties between Jewish tradition and the natural world. They discuss how to cultivate deep authentic Jewishness and universalism simultaneously, how Gen Z is driving sustainability conversations in the Jewish community and beyond, and how Jewish educators can help students embrace a sense of “holy wow.”  Adapting: The Future of Jewish Education is a production of The Jewish Education Project. Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. This episode was produced by Dina Nusnbaum and Gabriel Weinstein.  The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media.  If you enjoyed the show please leave us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released.To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York.  Additional Resources:Hazon WebsiteTeva Learning CenterJOFEE Seeds of Opportunity StudyIsabella Freedman Jewish Retreat CenterPearlstone Hazon: The PodcastThe Shmita ProjectFarm and Forest School at PearlstoneThis Is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared: The Days of Awe as a Journey of Transformation on AmazonWe Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast on Amazon

Join David Bryfman and Rabbi Nicki Greninger of Temple Isaiah in Lafayette, California for an animated conversation on what Rabbi Greninger insists we shouldn’t call "Hebrew School." Rabbi Greninger shares what makes today’s programs different from yesterday’s, what she’s doing to change the way students learn Hebrew, and how JQuest—Temple Isaiah’s education program for children 2 years old through 7th grade—is building Jewish identity, knowledge, and community through Jewish education.Adapting: The Future of Jewish Education is a production of The Jewish Education Project. Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. This episode was produced by Dina Nusnbaum and Gabriel Weinstein.  The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media.  If you enjoyed the show please leave us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released.To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York.  Additional Resources:JQuest @ Temple IsaiahJQuest on YouTube“Let’s Stop Calling it Hebrew School” on eJewishPhilanthropyLet's Stop Calling it "Hebrew School": Rationales, Goals, and Practices of Hebrew Education in Part-time Jewish Schools — CASJE Study2021 Part-Time School Census by The Jewish Education ProjectHow the Creation of “Tracks” Re-invigorated our Religious School on eJewishPhilanthropy

Technology has become an integral part of every Jewish educator’s toolbox. Online classrooms, video tours, and web conferencing to name a few, have changed the ways students and educators engage with each other and their sacred content. The Jewish Education Project recently launched a pair of online platforms—Truvie and The Jewish Educators Portal— that curate resources for educators and empower students to curate their own online Jewish education. In this bonus episode, David speaks with Jonathan Fass, Managing Director, Educational Technology and Strategy, about the intention behind these platforms, and how he sees technology transforming the field of Jewish education. Adapting: The Future of Jewish Education is a production of The Jewish Education Project. Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. This episode was produced by Dina Nusnbaum and Gabriel Weinstein.  The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media.  If you enjoyed the show please leave us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit  jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York.  Additional Resources:The Jewish Educator PortalTruvie.org

The Jewish world often finds itself divided on issues related to Israel, Jewish practice, and intermarriage. At times, our divisions seem to threaten the very idea of global Jewish peoplehood. On this episode Zack Bodner speaks about the imperative to “do Jewish,” what motivated him to write his new book Why Do Jewish? A Manifesto for 21st Century Jewish Peoplehood, and the way Bodner, CEO of the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto, California, thinks West Coast Judaism is redefining American Jewish culture for the 21st century. Adapting: The Future of Jewish Education is a production of The Jewish Education Project. Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. This episode was produced by Dina Nusnbaum and Gabriel Weinstein.  The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media.  If you enjoyed the show please leave us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released.To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York.  Additional Resources:Zack Bodner’s WebsitePre-order Why Do Jewish? A Manifesto for 21st Century Jewish PeoplehoodTiffany Shlain — 24/6 The Power of Unplugging One Day a WeekOshman Family JCC WebsiteZ3 Project

This week Jewish people around the world from Jerusalem to New York are commemorating the festival of Sigd, a Biblical tradition commonly associated with the Ethiopian Jewish community that has become increasingly popular in recent years. Avezu Fanta, Jewish Agency Israel Fellow at Hillel at Temple University, and a member of the Ethiopian Jewish community, joins David Bryfman, CEO of The Jewish Education Project for a discussion on Sigd and much more.Avezu shares her personal experiences in the Israeli army and on Temple University's campus, her family's aliyah to Israel, and her hopes for today's modern, globally diverse Jewish world.  This episode was produced by Dina Nusnbaum and Gabriel Weinstein.  The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media.  If you enjoyed the show please leave us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released.To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York.  Additional Resources:Resources for teaching Sigd and Exploring Ethiopian Jewry on The Jewish Educator Portal

Every Jewish educator finds themself, at some point, offering the type of support this week’s guest calls “mental first aid.” Educator, comedian and activist Pamela Schuller speaks with The Jewish Education Project’s CEO David Bryfman about the need to offer teens and teen educators broader resources to support mental health in teen Jewish communities. Pamela leads HereNow, a program through The Jewish Board which is proudly funded by UJA-Federation of New York. HereNow offers teens space to write and speak about their own mental health, and inspire others on similar journeys. Pamela shares her perspective on how COVID-19 has impacted teen Jewish communities, and what she hopes to see in the near future.Adapting: The Future of Jewish Education is a production of The Jewish Education Project. Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. This episode was produced by Dina Nusnbaum and Gabriel Weinstein.  The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media.  If you enjoyed the show please leave us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released.To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York.  Additional Resources:Project Here Now BlogDownload Project Here Now App on Apple Store | Google PlayMental Health in Young Adult Literature — Resources from Project Here NowTop Questions About Teen Mental Health, Answered by Pamela SchullerDealing With College Rejection By Joanna Valente for Project Here NowGeneration Now: Understanding and Engaging Jewish Teens Today — from The Jewish Education ProjectOpening Remarks at Jewish Community’s First Fail Forward Conference by David BryfmanOur School Of Education “Covid-Keepers:” Evergreen Lessons That Will Shape The Future by Dr. Betsy StoneThe Jewish Education Project’s Jewish Educators PortalThe Jewish Board

Does Jewish early childhood education have the potential to radically transform the Jewish community? What impact would federally funded early childhood education have on Jewish early childhood centers in the United States? What exactly is Jewish early childhood education? This week’s guest is Anna Hartman, recipient of the 2021 Covenant Award for her pioneering work in the field of Jewish early childhood education. Anna shares the story of how she first found herself in a classroom, what that means for the field, and what she’s doing to empower Jewish educators in her hometown, Chicago, and across the country.Adapting: The Future of Jewish Education is a production of The Jewish Education Project. Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. This episode was produced by Dina Nusnbaum and Gabriel Weinstein.  The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media.  If you enjoyed the show please leave us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York.  Thanks for listening. Additional Resources:The Paradigm ProjectAnna Hartman Covenant Award ProfileAnna Hartman at Jewish United Fund“Early Childhood Compensation Can Change” by Anna Hartman on eJewishPhilanthropy“Marking One Year of COVID in Jewish Education” by Anna Hartman on eJewishPhilanthropyCASJE Study — “Exploring the Associations between Jewish Early Care and Education and  Jewish Engagement: Research to Inform Practice”CASJE Study — “Promising Practices for Engaging Jewish Families through Jewish Early  Care and Education Programs: Lessons Learned””What Jewish Engagement Means for Families with Young Children” InfographicExplore The Jewish Education Project’s Work with Early Childhood & Family Engagement

What does the future hold for Jewish day schools? Is growth seen during the pandemic sustainable? Join us for this critical discussion featuring The Jewish Education Project’s CEO David Bryfman, Paul Bernstein, CEO of Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools, and Nicole Nash, Head of School at Hannah Senesh Community Day School. Together, they discuss what day schools have learned from the pandemic, the unique role schools play in building and sustaining Jewish community, and what that means for the future of Jewish education. Adapting: The Future of Jewish Education is a production of The Jewish Education Project. Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. This episode was produced by Dina Nusnbaum and Gabriel Weinstein.  The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media.  If you enjoyed the show please leave us a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York.  Thanks for listening. Additional Resources:Seizing The Moment: Transferring to Jewish Day School During the COVID-19 PandemicGrowing Jewish Day School Enrollment – a Blip or the Start of a Trend?A Year In Review: Data & Reflections On Jewish Day Schools & Yeshivas 2021Teacher Wellness: Relaxation and RecoveryHannah Senesh Community Day School WebsitePrizmah: Center for Jewish Day SchoolsExplore The Jewish Education Project’s Work with Day Schools and Yeshivot

Dr. Ruth Westheimer learned from her late father that "education is the one thing that can't be taken away from you." On this episode of Adapting, Dr. Ruth discusses her amazing life and the power of education to transform lives with The Jewish Education Project's CEO David Bryfman and Chief Advancement Officer Nessa Liben. Access the shownotes for this episode and watch the LIVEcast recording here.This episode was recorded on  June 23, 2021. Adapting is produced in partnership with   jewishLIVE. Learn more about  The Jewish Education Project.

The Pew Research Center released its "Jewish Americans in 2020" report on May 11. What are implications for Jewish education and engagement? How will day schools, yeshivot, early childhood centers, synagogues, camps, youth groups, and teen travel programs, amongst other educational settings, respond?  The Jewish Education Project's CEO Dr. David Bryfman, Dr. Arielle Levites of CASJE, Dr. Moshe Krakowski of Yeshiva University, and Dr. Analucía Lopezrevoredo of Jewtina y Co. discuss the Pew Research Center's "Jewish Americans in 2020" report. This special LIVEcast was presented in conjunction with CASJE. Access the shownotes for this episode and watch the LIVEcast recording here.This episode was recorded on  May 26, 2021. Adapting is produced in partnership with  jewishLIVE. Learn more about  The Jewish Education Project.