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Experiential Education (NEW!)
Eco-Jewish Education -- How to Make It Effective Featured
The author discusses the range of ways in which environmental issues are integrated into Jewish education curricula. He identifies four elements of experiential education that involve students' relationship to their learning experience: 1) each other; 2) their teacher; 3) their curriculum; and 4) their physical setting. The author provides examples of Jewish environmental educational approaches which incorporate these elements. In Jewish Education News, Summer 2008.
Experiential, Environmental Education: A Natural Connection Featured
Experiential environmental education includes awareness, interconnectedness, and responsibility. It is usually taught to our children only upon request, once or twice a year, by guest educators who come to the classroom to do specialized programming. We need a rethinking and reshaping of how these teachings can enhance the Jewish educational system, beginning with the current curricula in rabbinical schools and Jewish teacher training programs.
Incorporating Social Justice into Jewish Education Featured
This panel discussion was recorded at JESNA's Enriching LIFE Fellowship seminar in July 2011, featuring guest speakers from Hazon, Repair the World, The American Jewish World Service, and AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps. You may view the recording of this panel in the window below, as well as download the articles the panelists shared with the fellows:
Hazon Theory of Change (105.27 kB) Social Service or Social Change Kivel (
Intro to Jewish Experiential Education Featured
In April 2012,Grsinpoon-Steinhardt Awards winners participated in a webinar on Jewish experiential education with guest speaker Mark Young of the JTS William Davidson Graduate School. You may wish to download the PowerPoint presentation from this session before watching the video:
Introduction to Jewish Experiential Education (1.35 MB)
If you are a current or former Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award winner, we encourage you to fill out this brief survey after viewing the webinar. (Total running time: 70 minutes)
Jewish Outdoor Adventure Education: An Exemplar of Successful Experiential Jewish Education Featured
This thesis examines four case studies of previously existing Jewish outdoor adventure programs: TorahTrek, Outdoor Jewish Adventures, Shalom Institute, and the Adventure Rabbi program. The founders of each of these programs were interviewed to ascertain their reasons for founding these organizations, their desired impacts for the populations served, and their vision of the broader Jewish community. Each program promotes Jewish outdoor adventures as a way to allow the individual to experience Judaism in a new way, strengthen his/her Jewish identity and participate in the Jewish community. Attesting to the success of these programs, a questionnaire of more than 50 participants of Jewish outdoor adventures from these four organizations showed a 30% increase in participation in Jewish communal and cultural activities and a heightened personal spirituality as a result of participation ...
- Research Reports and Studies
National Society for Experiential Education Featured
National Society for Experiential Education (NSEE) is a nonprofit membership association of educators, businesses, and community leaders. Founded in 1971, NSEE also serves as a national resource center for the development and improvement of experiential education programs nationwide.The mission of NSEE is to foster the effective use of experience as an integral part of education, in order to empower learners and promote the common good. The goals of the organization are:
- to advocate for the use of experiential learning throughout the educational system and the larger community;
- to disseminate information on principles of good practice and on innovations in the field;
- to enhance the professional growth and leadership development of our members; and
- to encourage the development and dissemination of research and theory related to experient ...Resource Type
- Organizations - Professional Organizations
Outdoor Education Webinar Featured
This webinar, facilitated by JESNA Project Manager Dena Stein, is a follow-up discussion to the Quick Bytes newsletter on the same topic (see the newsletter in our archives here). You may also wish to view these related resources presented during the webinar: Outdoor Education: Early Childhood Ideas (10.13 kB 2011-10-17 15:40:58) class fall mural (6.31 kB 201 ...
- Interactive Resources - Webinars
- Audio
- Video
Planting Seeds and Nurturing Sprouts: Farming and Jewish Education, featuring Nati Passow, director of the Jewish Farm School Featured
In March 2012, members of the Jewish Education Change Network participated in a webinar with Nati Passow, Executive Director of the Jewish Farm School. This session discusses the Jewish Farm School and explores its application to Jewish education (both in and out of the farm). Click on the link above to view the full video of this webinar (total running time: 57 minutes).
You may also wish to download the PowerPoint presentation from this session:
Jewish Farm School Presentation (2.3 MB)
- Interactive Resources - Webinars
The Association for Experiential Education Featured
The Association for Experiential Education (AEE) is a nonprofit, professional membership association dedicated to experiential education and the students, educators and practitioners who utilize its philosophy. Website includes links to relevant publications & resources, conference & membership information, and more.
- Organizations - Professional Organizations
Torah Trek: The Center for Jewish Wilderness Spirituality Featured
The TorahTrek Center for Jewish Wilderness Spirituality contributes to vibrant Jewish communities, living in balance with their neighbors and environs, by exposing Judaism’s roots in wilderness, facilitating direct experience of the Divine in nature, demonstrating the effectiveness of Judaism as a spiritual practice, and fostering the spiritual growth of individual Jews and Jewish communities. Through leadership training and curriculum development, TorahTrek envisions a Jewish community that takes full advantage of the natural world in mainstream Jewish education for children, youth and adults.
The website includes program listings, links to relevant resources, and an online journal.
- Organizations - Religious
Jewish Farm School
The Jewish Farm School is an environmental education organization whose mission is to practice and promote sustainable agriculture and to support food systems rooted in justice and Jewish traditions. They offer a wide range of programs for teens, adults & educators, including an internship program for high school seniors in NY state; an organic farming alternative spring break in CA & Philadelphia; an educators' seminar in NY state; an urban sustainability program in Philadelphia; as well as workshops, conferences, lectures, & outreach programs across the US.
- Organizations - National and International Organizations
Jewish Service-Learning: What Is and What Could Be, a Summary of an Analysis of the Jewish Service-Learning Landscape
In the fall of 2007, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, the Jim Joseph Foundation and the Nathan Cummings Foundation commissioned BTW informing change (BTW) to assess the landscape of Jewish Service Learning. Joined by a shared interest to better understand the practice and potential of Jewish Service Learning, these foundations asked BTW to examine Jewish Service Learning, the current capacity among practitioners, the support required to further that capacity and the relevance of secular national service and other faith-based service traditions in defining the potential and evolution of Jewish Service Learning. The BTW team conducted 86 key informant interviews with donors, institutional funders, Jewish Service Learning practitioners, community professionals and Jewish thought leaders, as well as representatives of faith-based and secular service organizatio ...
- Research Reports and Studies
Jewish Social Action Month: Educators' Page
Jewish Social Action Month (JSAM) is a global initiative to promote both social action (tikkun olam) and Jewish Peoplehood. This section is intended for educators at every level, to help engage students and teachers with ideas for social action. We've started with just a few resources, but we hope you will take the time to contribute more ideas and content.
Add a comment, or create a page with your own ideas for action. We will link it to the main page when you tell us it's ready and send us the link. You can also create a Group for your idea, or discuss it in the Forum.
- Databases and Resource Centers
- Interactive Resources - Blogs
- Interactive Resources - Forums and Discussion Boards
- Interactive Resources - Online Communities and Social Networks
Linking the Silos Between Jewish Formal and Informal Education: Jewish Integrated Experiential Education
In December of 2005 Dr. Jack Wertheimer raised an important issue about linking Jewish educational institutions. He wrote: "The current challenge in the field of Jewish education is to link the silos, to build cooperation across institutional lines and thereby enable learners to benefit from mutually reinforcing educational experiences."
This paper attempts to provide an answer to Dr. Wertheimerʼs intriguing challenge by sharing a new construct, Jewish Integrated Experiential Education.Toward that end, this article will cover the following topics:
• The perceived strengths and challenges of Jewish formal and informal
education
• The meaning of Jewish Integrated Experiential Education
• Linking the silos of Jewish formal and informal education through
technology
• The application of Jewish Integrated Experiential Education
• David A Kol ...
Quick Bytes: Outdoor Education
Outdoor education has been creating a buzz recently in the Jewish world-foundations have supported the creation of new Jewish camps, while educational institutions including supplemental schools and day schools have been trying to figure out how to incorporate new, nature-based learning into their curriculum. But what, exactly, is outdoor Jewish education? What are the theoretical frameworks that generate success, and how can we replicate best practices in our own institutions?
- Articles
- Research Reports and Studies
Repair the World
Repair the World works to inspire American Jews and their communities to give their time and effort to serve those in need. Website includes resources for D.I.Y. (do-it-yourself) social organizing and volunteer projects, a think tank for the Jewish Service and Service Learning communities, blogs, links, and more.
- Organizations
- Interactive Resources - Blogs
- Interactive Resources - Online Communities and Social Networks
Repairing the Idea of "Repairing the World": Thinking Historically about Jewish Community Service
'Repairing the idea of "Repairing the World": Thinking Historically about Jewish Community Service' is an original lecture by Dr. Rachel Mattson given on December 6th 2010 at the JCC in Manhattan. Webpage includes a link to streaming audio recording of the lecture, as well as weblinks to videos cited in the lecture.
The event was sponsored jointly by Ma'yan, AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps, Pursue: Action for a Just World, and Repair the World.
Sulam: The Center for Jewish Service Learning
The Sulam Center has resource pages for students, parents and educators. Welcome to Sulam: the Center for Jewish Service Learning. Service Learning is a methodology that helps you to more deeply connect your students with their Jewish tradition and adds depth and meaning to the community service work (whether you call it Tzedakah, Chesed, Tikkun Olam or social action) that they perform. We exist to provide you with the tools you need to use this valuable approach to enhance your educational programs. Educator resource center includes curricular materials, professional development opportunities, and a database of Jewish teen-friendly volunteer opportunities.
- Databases and Resource Centers - Resource Centers
Teva Learning Center
The Teva Learning Center, North America's foremost Jewish Environmental Education Institute, is a non-denominational educational service for participants from throughout the Jewish community. Working with Jewish Day Schools, Congregational Schools, synagogues, camps and youth groups, Teva's programs touch the lives of 3,000 participants annually. Website includes resources for students, parents, and teachers.
- Organizations - National and International Organizations
- Databases and Resource Centers - Resource Centers
Teva Seminar on Jewish Environmental Education
Teva's 17th annual summer seminar on Jewish environmental education will take place May 31 – June 3, 2011, 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 t
heir own Jewish practices.
- Organizations - National and International Organizations
- Events - Conference Websites