Marking the One-Year Anniversary of October 7th: Resources for K-12 Educators

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.

Rabbi Na’ama Levitz Applbaum is the Director of Wellspring Camp and Experiential Education Initiatives at Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. She has over two decades of experience fostering inclusive and intentional communities, designing meaningful educational experiences for teens, students, and young professionals, and building bridges between Israel and North America.

Prior to joining Hartman, she served as Director of Ramah Israel Seminar and Director of Education for Camp Ramah in California. Na’ama has been on the faculty of the Hadar Institute, Hillel International, the Schechter Institute, and the Dorot Foundation.

She is a lay leader of Minyan Hakhel, a ba’alat tefilla (prayer leader), co-host of a radio show on Israel’s Galei Tzahal, and creator of a new podcast, sisters@war.

Na’ama received her rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Daniel Landes in Jerusalem, has studied at The Schechter Institute and Hebrew University, and is a fellow in M2’s Mabat, Senior Educator Cohort.
 

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.