Is It October 8th? A Healing Space for Jewish Educators
For two years, Jewish educators have been living in real time what it means to teach a changed Jewish people against the backdrop of war, antisemitism, and the ongoing hostage crisis.
Now, with the arrival of the proverbial October 8, we are living in the intersection of hope and complexity. At once, educators may be holding the happiness of the return of the living hostages, ongoing sadness about the 19 remaining in captivity, questions about responsibility, healing, and our own roles.
Educators are once again on the front lines of making meaning for our learners and communities, and in order to do our work as well as care for ourselves, we invite you to reflect, unpack, and process with our community of colleagues.
Join The Jewish Education Project in conversation with Dr. Betsy Stone to explore what it means to be a Jewish educator on October 8. In this healing space, we will reflect on the new stage of our world and our work, and will support one another in our shared next steps.
- After School and Beyond
- Early Childhood Education
- Educator Training
- Camp
- Congregational Learning
- Day Schools and Yeshivas
- Early Childhood
- Family Engagement
- Teen Engagement
Dr. Betsy Stone received her Doctorate in Psychology from Yale University. She is a psychologist and for the last seventeen years has served as an adjunct lecturer at Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion. Her classes include Human Development for Educators, Adolescent Development and Teens In and Out of Crisis. She also teaches a family education class in her synagogue, Temple Sinai of Stamford, for 6th and 7th graders and their parents, and likes to travel and teach about teenagers and their families. Her most recent book is Refuah Shlema.
Dr. Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath, Ed.D., is the Senior Director of Knowledge, Ideas and Learning at The Jewish Education Project. A lifelong Jewish educator and learner, Samantha has lived and worked in Jewish communities in Israel, Washington DC, Cleveland, and New York. Samantha is a recognized expert on Israel education, Jewish teens, antisemitism education, and Jewish peoplehood. She is the author of #antisemitism: Coming of Age During the Resurgence of Hate, a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award in the category of Education and Jewish Identity. She is an alumna of the University of Pittsburgh, the Jewish Theological Seminary, and Gratz College. Samantha lives in Westchester with her husband, two children, and two beloved rescue dogs.
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Dr. David Bryfman, Chief Executive Officer, The Jewish Education Project
Dr. Zohar Raviv, International VP of Educational Strategy, Taglit Birthright Israel
Elizabeth Sokolsky, Executive Director, Birthright Israel North America