Due to popular demand, Unpacked for Educators, a division of OpenDor Media, held its first Israel education conference in Miami on August 7-8, hosted by the Jewish Leadership Academy, made possible with generous funding from the Gisela and Daniel Ades Foundation and the Maimonides Fund.
In partnership with the Jewish Federation of Broward County, the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools in North America, the Jewish Education Project, and the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education, 45 educators, representing 23 educational institutions were given essential theoretical and practical skills required to navigate difficult conversations surrounding Israel.
Since Oct. 7, educators have encountered countless unforeseen challenges in and out of the classroom surrounding Israel education. Now more than ever, it is critical to support educators in bringing Israel and Zionism to life for their students.
The Unpacked for Educators conference taught participants how to address the big questions surrounding Israel’s history as well as current events in a nuanced way. Informative sessions such as ‘Teaching the Israeli-Palestinian conflict’ and ‘A fresh approach to Israel Education,’ were hosted by renowned speakers including Matti Friedman and Dr. Jonathan Golden. The opening panel, a discussion between Dr. Noam Weissman and Rabbi Dr. Gil Perl on ‘Israel Education: Where we were and where we are going,’ was a thought-provoking highlight of the event.
“Jewish students, educators, and community members are struggling to navigate these unprecedented times,” said Sarah Gordon, Senior Director of Israel Education at Unpacked for Educators. “We wanted to offer a platform to build community and resilience and to give educators appropriate tools by making systemic changes to how we educate on Israel.”
“Jewish and Israel education has faced significant changes since Oct.7,” said Doug Berkowitz, an educator and participant who attended the conference. “As educators, we’ve been searching for support as we face these fluctuating needs. Unpacked for Educators hosted many meaningful sessions, providing us with amazing resources, which we are excited to bring into the classroom and our communities.”
With much to do in this space and at a critical time, the team are looking forward to welcoming many more educators to Unpacked for Educators conferences scheduled over the coming months.
