On Wednesday, July 19, Herzog Global hosted a Jewish Educators Day in partnership with Yeshiva University’s Azrieli Graduate School and Bar-Ilan’s Lookstein Center. This was part of the The 2023 Yemei Iyun B’Tanakh in Alon Shvut. It was attended by Tanakh teachers from yeshivot and midrashot in Israel, and by educators and school principals from overseas, including Yeshiva Torat Emet in Houston; Yeshivat Frisch in Bergen County; NJ; Yeshivat Har Torah in Queens; Berman Hebrew Academy, MD; Joe Dwek Ohr HaEmet Sephardic School in Toronto, Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto; the Prizmah Center for Jewish Day Schools; the Mayberg Foundation in Maryland; and Moriah College in Sydney, Australia.
There were workshops on teachers’ perceptions and classroom culture, empowering students as Tanakh learners, understanding the intellectual and emotional needs of our students, and different approaches to teaching Tanakh that make it more relevant to students’ Jewish identity. Herzog Global also launched their new curriculum for middle schools: “Tanakh Is Our Story”, developed together with UnitED. It is designed to make Bible study exciting for kids in Jewish community schools, by showing them that it is still relevant to their daily lives, and using stories from Tanakh to strengthen their Jewish identity. (Click here for more information about this curriculum.)
The workshops were livestreamed and can be viewed online here.
Organizer of the event Rabbi Dr. Shalom Berger explains: “We recognize that teachers need more than just inspiration to stay strong in the classroom. They need tips and tools for delivering their lessons in a relevant and engaging way. That’s why we brought together top pedagogues to share their experiences. 40 educators came from Israel and overseas to hear lectures and participate in workshops that highlighted teaching materials and methods developed here in Israel. We look forward to continuing these relationships throughout the year and to inviting teachers back to Israel for Yemei Iyun events in the future.”