Sosland Online Resource Center
Complementary Education
Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants Featured
This seminal article by author Marc Prensky assesses the new (at the time) 21st century student culture of "digital natives," the first generation of young people who are "native speakers" of the digital language of computers, video games & the internet (more boradly referred to as social media). How does this transition from digital immigrants to digital natives affect the classroom, and the very nature of our educational system? Though there have been many more advances in the field of social media since this article was first published, it remains a relevant reference when assessing the broad transition of student culture to the digital world of the 21st century. Digital_Natives_and_Imigrants (43.61 kB)
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Growing Jewish Education in Challenging Times: A Roundtable Series with JESNA's Lippman-Kanfer Institute & eJewishPhilanthropy Featured
Quality Jewish education is our most powerful tool for ensuring a vibrant Jewish future. But, it can't have an impact on those who don't participate. What can we do to make Jewish education more attractive, accessible and affordable, even under current conditions of economic pressure on both "providers" and "consumers"? How do the challenges of expanding educational participation play out today in specific arenas - day school, "complementary" education, camp, Israel education - and for specific critical populations - families with young children, teens, young adults, etc.? What new approaches are being tried and where are there signs of success? What has yet to be tried, but ought to be? Leaders from a wide range of settings and representing a variety of perspectives were invited to address these questions in a Roundtable series of essays that appeared over several weeks on eJewishPhilanthropy and on the JESNA website. We've now gathered their analyses and proposals together in this publication, along with the comments of readers to several of the essays who add their own opinions to the mix. We encourage you to use this publication to stimulate further discussion on the critical issues the essays address. Please note: The views expressed in the essays and in the comments published here reflect the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the thinking of the Lippman Kanfer Institute, JESNA or eJewishPhilanthropy.com. Growing Jewish Education in Challeng ...
- Articles
Innovation in Jewish Education Blog Featured
Innovation in Jewish Education (IJE) is the blog of the Office of High School Programs at Brandeis University. The IJE draws upon BIMA and Genesis, Brandeis University’s two summer programs for high school students, that service as living laboratories. Experiential Jewish education is at the heart of IJE's work; blog posts from a plethora of Jewish Educational leaders cover topics relating to all aspects of informal/experiential education and Jewish youth.
- Interactive Resources - Blogs
Partnerships for Learning: Promising Practices in Integrating School and Out-of-School Time Program Supports Featured
Across the country many schools and communities are trying to create and support efforts to institutionalize partnerships for learning, including those that rethink the use of time across the school day and year, and across the developmental continuum. These partnerships are not merely transactional in nature but rather transformative: partnering entities work together to integrate and complement their services with the shared goal of supporting children’s learning. Partnerships for learning can be structured differently according to local community needs, can be housed in a variety of school and community-based settings, and can involve a range of partners, including schools, afterschool and summer programs, physical and mental health services, and other community resources. This new report from the Harvard Family Research Project is aimed to help school and OST program leaders, decision-makers, and funders, to understand and implement effective OST–school partnerships for learning. Specifically, it Describes the benefits of OST–school partnerships for children, schools, and OST programs. Presents five research-derived principles of promising OST–school partnerships, offering specific strategies and examples for each. Profiles three “on-the-ground” partnership efforts based on the in-depth interviews conducted at the three selected sites. Discusses conditions for optimal success in developing sustainable OST–school partnerships. Download the re ...
- Research Reports and Studies
Technology & Jewish Education: a Revolution in the Making? Featured
In May 2010, JESNA's Lippman Kanfer Institute and The Berman Jewish Policy Archive at NYU Wagner co-sponsored the convening, "Technology and Jewish Education: a Revolution in the Making." This convening built upon JESNA's Jewish Education 3.0 project, and featured two panels on the current state of technology in the world of Jewish education and possibilities & challenges for the future, as well as post-panel discussions & a special talk by Professor Jeffrey Shandler. The convening included live participants as well as another virtual group who were brought into the room via online conferencing.The entire convening was recorded through JESNA's online conferencing platform, and can be viewed here in its entirety. You may select the clips you wish to view from the menu below. You may also download the bios of all the evening's speakers here: Panelist Bios (39 kB)Video clips:Welcome from Jon Woocher, JESNA Chief Ideas OfficerPanel 1 1) Intro & Lisa Colton 2) Lisa Colton 3) Meredith Lewis 4) Dan Sieradski 5) Dan Sieradski 6) Dan SieradskiDiscussion 1 Clip 1 Clip 2 Clip 3 Clip 4Dinner speaker Jeffrey Shandler Clip 1 Clip 2 Clip 3 Clip 4 Clip 5 Panel 2 1) Intro & Russel Neiss 2) Russell Neiss 3) David Bryfman 4) David Bryfman 5) Lilit MarcusDiscussion 2 Clip 1 Clip 2 Clip 3Final Words from Jon Woocher
- Interactive Resources - Webinars
- Video
Teva Seminar on Jewish Environmental Education Featured
Teva's 15th annual summer seminar on Jewish environmental education will take place June 7-10, 2010, at beautiful Surprise Lake Camp in Cold Spring, NY. Participants can choose from four different tracks: Congregational Education, Ethics and Texts, Camp and Wilderness, or Organic Agriculture and Educational Gardening. Sponsored by the Jewish National Fund, the Teva Learning Center's mission is to renew the ecological wisdom inherent in Judaism. By immersing participants in the natural world and providing structured activities which sensitize them to nature's rhythms, participants develop a more meaningful relationship with nature and their own Jewish practices.
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Webinar-- "Teaching Mishna: Problems and Creative Solutions" Featured
Join MOFET JTEC on Wednesday, February 17th for this free webinar on challenges and solutions in teaching Mishna, presented by Rabbi Dr. Avraham Walfish. Instructions for registering for this live online encounter can be found at the MOFET JTEC website listed above.
- Interactive Resources - Webinars
"Eight Up" The College Years: the Jewish Engagement of Young Adults Raised in Conservative Synagogues, 1995-2003
A study by Ariela Keysar and Barry A. Kosmin. "Eight Up" is a follow up on the study "Four up: The High School Years," examining the same group of students after they have lived away from home, independent of parental influence and expectations. 'Eight Up' The College Years: 1995-2003 (Link)
- Research Reports and Studies
"Four Up" The High School Years: The Jewish Identity Development of the B'nai Mitzvah Class of 5755, 1995-1999
A study by Ariela Keysar and Barry A. Kosmin examining teens who are educated by the Conservative movement. The study tracks religious, social and cultural attitudes and behavior of nearly fifteen hundred adolescents four years after they celebrated their b'nai mitzvah. 'Four Up' The College Years: 1995-1999 (Link)
- Research Reports and Studies
@jesna.org - Spring 2002
The spring 2002 issue of JESNA's former newsletter, both print and electronic. @jesna.org, Spring 2002 (703.32 kB)
- Newsletters - @jesna.org
@jesna.org - Summer 2003
The summer 2003 issue of JESNA's former newsletter, both print and electronic. @jesna.org, Summer 2003 (2.02 MB)
- Newsletters - @jesna.org
A Census of Jewish Supplementary Schools in the United States 2006-2007
A significant percentage of Jewish students in the United States receiving a Jewish education are enrolled in programs that meet on weekends and/or late weekday afternoons when their full day public or private schools are not in session. No single term covers the range of these programs, which are variously referred to as religious schools, Hebrew schools, congregational schools, and more recently as "complementary schools," - i.e. they complement the education offered in public or private schools. Most commonly these programs are known as supplementary schools.This report presents the findings of the first census of supplementary school enrollment in over a quarter century. It offers key findings and implications for educators and policy makers. A Census of Jewish Supplementary Schools in the United States 2006-2007 (Link)
- Research Reports and Studies
A Vision for Excellence - Report of the Task Force on Congregational and Communal Jewish Education
A JESNA report from August 2000 examining the state of "supplementary" or part-time Jewish education. The task force was convened to assess the current system and propose new ways to strengthen congregational and communal education. A Vision for Excellence - Report of the Task Force on Congregational and Communal Jewish Education (345.71 kB)
- Research Reports and Studies - Task Force Reports
ADCA Webinar 2: "The Current Situation in Complementary Education"
#2 in the ADCA webinar series, this webinar features an in-depth assessment and conversation around the current situation in complementary education, facilitated by Jon Woocher, Chief Ideas Officer at JESNA. Due to file size restrictions, this video has been broken down into 6 clips of approximately 9 minutes each, which can be viewed here in order. Before viewing, you may wish to view the first offering in this webinar series, "Leading Without Authority."
- Interactive Resources - Webinars
ADCA Webinar: A Discussion with Jack Wertheimer
A webinar for the members of ADCA (Association of Directors of Central Agencies for Jewish Education), presented as a discussion with Jack Wertheimer on the topic of his publication Schools That Work: What We Can Learn From Good Jewish Supplementary Schools. Watch the full webinar here. Discussion with Jack Wertheimer (PowerPoint presentation) (643.5 kB)
- Presentations
- Interactive Resources - Webinars
Agenda: Jewish Education, Congregational and Communal Education
Issue No. 15 of Agenda: Jewish Education, a JESNA publication. Agenda: Jewish Education is a catalyst for informed dialogue around policy issues related to Jewish education. Agenda: Jewish Education seeks to actively engage lay and professional decision makers from across the spectrum of Jewish education institutions, organizations and federations by means of published articles, forums and online discussions. Agenda: Jewish Education, Congregational and Communal Education (389.47 kB)
- Newsletters - Agenda: Jewish Education
Alban Roundtable Blog
The Alban Institute was founded in 1974 as a major resource for American congregations facing the challenges of a changing society. While today's challenges are even more pressing than they were three decades ago, the opportunities have never been clearer for congregations to be vital communities of faith, health, and leadership. Alban stands at the forefront of knowledge and experience regarding congregational vitality and positive trends across denominations and faith traditions. The Alban Roundtable Blog is a means by which to convey thoughts and display resources; it is a place where ideas are respected and many perspectives are gathered. The Alban Institute seeks to develop strong congregational leaders who have the creativity, the endurance, and the joy to do the work needed to fulfill their particular congregations' callings.
- Interactive Resources - Blogs
American Jewish Religious Denominations
Report 10 in the UJC Series on the National Jewish Population Survey 2000-01. This report examines denominational identity in two ways: self-identification (including those who call themselves "just Jewish") and synagogue membership. Overall denominational population estimates and percentages are provided, as are trends involving switching into and out of the various movements. Detailed comparisons between denominational categories are then given, as are selected comparisons between self-identified and synagogue Jews by denominational category. The final section consists of analytic conclusions and selected policy questions raised by the denominational findings in the preceding sections. American Jewish Religious Denominations (Link)
- Research Reports and Studies
Audio Discussion of Schools That Work: What We Can Learn From Good Jewish Supplementary Schools
An audio file of Jack Wertheimer talking about the report Schools That Work: What We Can Learn From Good Jewish Supplementary Schools.
Auerbach Central Agency for Jewish Education of Greater Philadelphia, Organizational Development, Excerpts from the School Committee Manual
Includes resources on selection of school committee members, tips for running effective meetings, sample agenda, sample minutes, checklist for successful schools.
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