Teaching Israel through Disagreement: A Mahloket Matters Intensive for Day School Educators
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 intensive—from Pardes and The Jewish Education Project—combines a disagreement pedagogy rooted in Jewish tradition with a focus on the most contentious topic in American Jewish communal life today. Fellows will gain SEL (Social Emotional Learning) tools and Jewish frameworks for leading challenging conversations about Israel with children and adults, as well as mentorship and an empowering educator network.
This is a critical professional development opportunity for day school educators working with learners 5th grade or higher. The intensive is a two-day in-person gathering in Manhattan in mid-July, with optional follow-up webinars to be scheduled. Fellows are expected to attend both days and to implement a related learning project in their school or educational setting during Fall 2026.
Questions? Contact Gary Pretsfelder (gpretsfelder@jewishedproject.org).
- Day Schools and Yeshivas
- Empathy
- Growth Mindset
- History
- Israel - Contemporary
- Jewish Peoplehood
- Jewish Text and Thought
- Pluralism
- Politics
- Social Emotional Learning
- Supportive Conversations
Jonah Peretz-Lange is an educator and curriculum designer whose work centers on Israel education and the development of constructive conflict skills. He is passionate about helping young people know themselves, engage in disagreement thoughtfully, and build meaningful relationships across differences. He believes that Jewish tradition contains deep wisdom for modern youths and communities navigating polarization. A former community day school educator, Jonah has taught grades 5–12 in Boston and New York City. He has designed Israel curriculum for American and Canadian teens, having completed graduate study in Jerusalem, experiences that continue to shape his approach to Israel as complex, relational, and lived rather than abstract. He holds a Masters of Jewish Education from Hebrew College/Pardes Educators Program.
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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