Mishlachot Areyvut / Delegations of Responsibility: Israel Trips for Educators
The Jewish Education Project (TJEP) and The iCenter, in collaboration with The Jewish Agency, will be sending Jewish educators to Israel in order to bear witness to the events of October 7th and its aftermath – particularly, to meet with Israelis who have been directly impacted by these events, and to begin discussions about the future of Jewish education in the post October 7th world.
Trips sponsored and organized by The Jewish Education Project will run according to the following schedule:
For NYC, Westchester, and Long Island Educators: Monday, March 18 (5pm Israel time) – Thursday, March 21 (6pm Israel time) - Full
Monday, April 8 (5pm Israel time) – Thursday, April 11 (6pm Israel time) - Full
Monday, May 27 (5pm Israel time) – Monday, June 3 (6pm Israel time) - Full
Monday, June 17 (5pm Israel time) – Thursday, June 20 (6pm Israel time) - Full
For questions regarding trips organized or funded by The Jewish Education Project, please be in touch with Tova Perlow
Cost
All programmatic costs will be covered through a generous grant funded by the Jim Joseph Foundation (April, June), Maimonides Fund (February, May), and UJA Federation of New York (March). Note: The extended eight day trip from Monday, May 27 - Monday, June 3 has a registration fee of $500.
For trips sponsored and organized by The Jewish Education Project, participants will be asked to arrange and cover their own travel costs to and from Israel and purchase travel insurance. If the cost of travel is prohibitive to participation, please be in touch with us to discuss details. Limited scholarship funds may be available.
For other organizational trips (listed below), trip length and cost may vary.
Goals
The Jewish educator experience of Mishlachot Areyvut will focus on three key goals:
- Jewish educators will be given the opportunity to meet with and hear from diverse Israeli voices that are representative of those who have been directly impacted by the events and aftermath of October 7th.
- Jewish educators will be exposed to educational frameworks and potential partners in Israel whose work can impact Jewish and Israel education in North America.
- Jewish educators will be provided with meaningful opportunities to process their experiences with peers and colleagues and will be able to begin conversations about transformative Israel education in their respective settings.
Outcomes
As a result of participating in Mishlachot Areyvut, educators will be expected to:
- Participate in ongoing professional networks in order to process their experiences and to learn/reflect on best practices for implementation of new pedagogies related to Israel education.
- Share lesson plans, curriculum, and other educational resources that they develop with the broader field of Israel educators.
- Share their experiences and teach other educators within their networks about the new realities in Israel today.
Who Should Apply?
These trips are for educators who...
- Are ready to transform Israel education in your community
- Are change agents in their institution or community
- Are practitioners of serious, meaningful Israel education
- Have been to Israel in the last ten years
- Are educational leaders in programs for learners in middle school and high school
- Are comfortable with the beliefs that Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish, democratic state, has the right to defend itself, and the idea of Zionism as an expression of Jewish identity
- Are comfortable grappling with complexity and engaging with opinions different from their own
- Are able to commit to engaging in pre- and post-trip learning and work with The Jewish Education Project, including participation in networks, convenings, etc.
Trip Details
For those accepted to participate in a trip sponsored and organized by The Jewish Education Project, you will be asked to book your own travel such that you will join the group by 5pm on the first day of your trip (see above) and will not depart before 10pm on the final day of your trip (see above). Participants will be expected to be with the group at all times. Days will be long, including evening activities, and if you want to see friends/family while in Israel, you should plan to extend your trip and connect before the trip begins or after it ends. Information for trips being run in conjunction with our partners is listed below.
Participation is by application only, and application does not guarantee acceptance. Trips are meant for those who are able to enact change in the educational program of your synagogue, youth movement, day school, camp, or other institution of Jewish learning. Your supervisor must sign off on your participation, recognizing that they will work with you to bring your learning and subsequent work to your community. Independent educators are also encouraged to apply. You must be able to commit to pre- and post-trip learning.
Upcoming Trips
Association of Reform Jewish Educators/HUC School of Education Alumni Association: For ARJE members and HUC Alumni. February 15-21, 2024.
Foundation for Jewish Camp: Ideal participants are full time, senior camp professionals working at a Jewish non-profit overnight or day camp in the FJC network. February 19-22, 2024 and February 26-29, 2024.
iCenter: For educators and those whose work can impact Jewish and Israel education in North America and Israel. March 18-21, 2024.
Prizmah: For educators who are currently working to reimagine and/or develop an updated approach for Israel education in their schools. March 4-7, 2024.
RootOne: For professionals who are the education strategy decision makers from RootOne affiliated organizations. February 26-29, 2024.
The Jewish Education Project: For educational leaders ready to transform Israel education in your community, congregation, or organization. March 18-21, April 8-11, May 27-June 3, June 17-20.
