Israel through Children's Eyes: Day of Learning with Dr. Sivan Zakai
This in-person workshop in Manhattan will bring together Jewish educators working across ages and settings to explore what recent research on child development can teach us about effective, responsible Israel education. Through hands-on experiences, guided reflection, and conversation with Dr. Zakai, participants will examine how learners' questions, assumptions, and understandings of Israel shift across developmental stages—and what that means for our educational choices.
Educators will leave with shared language, practical frameworks, and age-appropriate strategies they can adapt to their own contexts, strengthening their capacity to teach Israel with intention, care, and developmental integrity.
- After School and Beyond
- Early Childhood Education
- Educator Training
- Camp
- Congregational Learning
- Day Schools and Yeshivas
- Early Childhood
- Family Engagement
- Teen Engagement
Sivan Zakai, PhD, is the Sara S. Lee Associate Professor of Jewish Education at HUC-JIR/Los Angeles. Her books include My Second Favorite Country: How American Jewish Children Think About Israel (winner of a 2022 National Jewish Book Award) and Teaching Israel: Studies of Pedagogy from the Field.
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.
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This year’s conference will be a hybrid event – speakers on Zoom and school communities coming together to learn.
Congregation Kol Ami White Plains, NY. Mesorah (tradition) is a choice-based model for 7th-12th graders that includes CORE learning and hands-on, experiential, project-based learning electives.
Temple Emanuel of the Pascack Valley (TEPV), Woodcliff Lake, NJ. This online, opt-in, home-based learning model for 7th-9th graders is a partnership with JETS Israel (Jerusalem EdTech Solutions).