Educators in part-time Jewish education
- After School and Beyond
- Camp
- Congregational Learning
- Family Engagement
- Teen Engagement
Sefi Kraut has had the privilege of teaching Judaic Studies since 2004. She began her professional career teaching Tanakh to middle school students at a Jewish day school in Paramus, NJ. Upon moving to Israel in 2013, Sefi taught in several gap year programs before joining the faculty of the Pardes Center for Jewish Educators where she is thrilled to be involved in training the next generation of Jewish educators.
Additionally, Sefi is the Director of the Pardes Mahloket Matters project. She frequently leads Mahloket Matters fellowships and seminars for educators, rabbis, and lay leaders. Sefi has also co-created a new curriculum for teens called, “Mahloket Matters: Navigating Inner Challenges and Societal Discord through Jewish Text and Social-Emotional Learning.”
Mikhael Kesher is a curator of educational experiences and resources, whose professional passion is supporting Jewish educators and learners in building informed, constructive, and committed relationships with am yisrael (the Jewish people) and medinat yisrael (the Jewish state). As a British-born Israeli-by-choice and new American, he cares deeply about strengthening each Jew’s connection to global Jewry. Before joining The Jewish Education Project as Director, Israel Education, Mikhael worked at Harvard Hillel, MIT Hillel, and Hebrew College. He holds Master’s degrees in Philosophy (University of Cambridge), Near Eastern & Judaic Studies (Brandeis University), and Jewish professional leadership (Brandeis University). At home, Mikhael is an avid reader, ḥevruta enthusiast, and devoted abba to two young children.
Gary Pretsfelder is Senior Manager, Professional Learning and Growth at the Jewish Education Project in New York, where he consults with, and coordinates professional development for, Yeshivot and Day School educators in the New York area in support of educational and cultural change in their schools. Gary is a former long-time, day school Principal and teacher in New York who built communities that put students and active learning at the center.
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How can we talk about Israel? Today's Jewish educators and learners often feel anxious, isolated, or overwhelmed when it comes to talking about Israel in their schools and classrooms. This fellowship—from Pardes and The Jewish Education Project—combines a disagreement pedagogy rooted in Jewish
Mensch-ify is an alternative learning program that is held twice a month for families with children in Pre-K to 6th grade. It is a developmentally appropriate program, built upon the parent-child co-learning experience, that combines stories, songs, art, movement, and play to provide families with the tools they need to live a Jewish life that works for them.
Mayim, our initial example of "Additional" Models, could be placed in a Multi-aged, Project-Based Learning, or Experiential Learning bucket. Mayim is a K-5 learning community in which depth of relationships and depth of learning are intentionally fostered and visible everywhere.