9Th BIENNIAL AUSTRALIAN JEWISH EDUCATORS' CONFERENCE

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ZIONIST FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA

10TH BIENNIAL JEWISH EDUCATORS’ CONFERENCE

Welcome 1

The Zionist Federation Of Australia and Zionist Jewish Education 2

Program at a Glance – Day 1 5

Program at a Glance – Day 2 8

Session Descriptions – Day 1 11

Session Descriptions – Day 2 21

International Presenters 29

Local Presenters 35

Site Maps 47

Acknowledgements 50

Dear Educators

Welcome to the ZFA’s 10th Biennial Jewish Educators’ Conference.

Learning and teaching doesn’t start in kindergarten, nor does it finish at Year 12. From learning to understand language, forming our earliest words, through our formal studies and informal experiences, if we’re lucky, we’re learning every day of our lives.

Of course, the structured education experiences in kindergartens, school classrooms and tertiary institutions are transformative. Schools, families and communities combine to develop young people with their knowledge, skills and values. A good Jewish education will result in graduates who are knowledgeable, analytical and able to communicate original thought in all disciplines they study. They will be considerate, imbued with the values and passions that have sustained and strengthened the Jewish people for millennia. They will be menschen, whose success is demonstrated by standards well beyond their examination scores.

The ZFA Jewish Educators’ Conferences provide inspiration, motivation and continuing learning and development opportunities for educators who will in turn instil knowledge, passion and values to their students. We have invited high calibre international speakers and carefully crafted a conference program to meet the needs for professional development in all areas of Jewish and Zionist education – including Israel studies, text studies, history and Hebrew. We have ensured that there are programs and sessions suitable for teachers of early childhood, through to primary and secondary, including both formal and experiential.

Make for yourself a‘ - ”עשה לך רב ,וקנה לך חבר“ ,In Pirkei Avot, Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Perachya says teacher and acquire for yourself a friend’. During this conference, we are all teachers and we are all students – as our conference brand reflects: “Lifelong teaching, lifelong learning”. In every session, we invite you to learn all you can from the presenters and your fellow delegates. In every break, indeed throughout the conference, we invite you to make friends with those around you, particularly those from other states and schools, and to learn from your new friends.

We welcome you all to the conference and look forward to our continuing partnership in educating our children, youth, our community and of course ourselves in matters relating to Israel, Zionism, Jewish identity and knowledge.

Bevirkat Zion

Dr. Danny Lamm Ginette Searle Dr. Miriam Munz PRESIDENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EDUCATION CHAIRPERSON

THE ZIONIST FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA AND ZIONIST JEWISH EDUCATION

The Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) believes that education, in its many forms, is the underpinning of a strong and vibrant Jewish and Zionist community. To that end, our priorities and energies are focused on providing a range of educational activities and projects across Australia.

ZFA Biennial Jewish Educators’ Conference

Every two years, we bring together over 400 Jewish educators from across Australia for the Biennial Jewish Educators’ Conference. This year, we are proud to present our tenth conference, with a varied range of brilliant presentations from international and local experts. The conference provides a unique opportunity for professional development and networking among Australian Jewish education professionals.

Zionist Seminars

Each Australian winter since the early 1980s, teams of dynamic, inspiring and motivated young Israelis are brought to Australia to spend up to two months working in Jewish day and supplementary schools, conducting camps and programs and engaging students in vibrant Jewish and Zionist activities. The Zionist Seminars, a project of the Jewish Agency for Israel, contribute significantly and meaningfully to participants and their communities and are valued by schools and students alike. During the 30+ years of partnership, relationships have been established with each host school to ensure that each institution receives a team of educators best suited to its specific needs and religious outlook. Australia’s Zionist Seminars are the largest and most successful in the Diaspora.

Israel Programs

The ZFA is the Australian representative for Taglit Birthright-Israel and Masa Israel Journey. As such, we support more than 750 young adults each year who attend short and long term Israel programs, ranging from 10 days to one year long.

A peer group, educational Israel program has been shown to be a formative, identity building experience, with long term positive impact on participants. We firmly believe that our community’s high participation rates in Israel programs is an important factor in the strength of our community.

Diller Teen Fellowship

The Diller Teen Fellowship is an international program which partners exceptional teenagers from communities in the Diaspora with counterparts from a community in Israel. The ZFA has embraced this program, with a partnership between Melbourne and the Golan region.

In 2015 – 2016, our first cohort of 18 young potential leaders has been formed. Over a fifteen month period, the group participates in regular workshops and Shabbaton retreats, working cooperatively with their Israeli partner group. The Golan cohort visited Melbourne in April for the “Jewish Community Mifgash” and the Australian group attended the “Israel Summer Seminar” in July – a three week experience which included time with the Golan group, a Kenes with the other Diaspora groups and a Congress with all 500+ Diller Teen Fellows from around the world.

Diller Teen Fellowship provides an unparalleled educational leadership training experience for teenagers and we expect to see the impact of the program positively contributing to our community in the future.

Habayit and Hebrew in the Community

The ZFA operates Habayit - the Home of Hebrew and Israeli Culture out of the Lamm Jewish Library of Australia. Habayit offers a range of Hebrew language programs and cultural activities for members of the community across age groups and Hebrew proficiency levels. Habayit also presents an annual Israeli festival, bringing together 1000 community members to this Israeli Culture event which features Israeli music, dance, food, film and art.

In addition to providing a wide range of programs and activities, Habayit has become a hub of activity for the Israeli community in Victoria.

Arava Australia Partnership

The ZFA is delighted to be partnering with the Arava Australia Partnership (AAP) project, a part of the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Partnership 2Gether initiative.

The objectives of the AAP are to foster close, personal connections between the Australian community and our partner community in Israel – the Central Arava. This is achieved through several diverse and interesting projects including:

 Teacher Exchange – teachers from the Arava coming for extended periods to Australia and in alternate years, teachers from Australia visiting and working in the Arava.  Student exchange – annual visit of students from the Acacia school to Australia.  Adult delegations to Australia – in the past two years, we welcomed an Agri-Science Delegation which visited Melbourne and Sydney, a Culinary Delegation to Sydney and Perth and a Photographic Delegation to Sydney and Melbourne.  Youth movement shnat and other gap year and short term Australian Israel program groups (eg IBC, Onward Academy) spend time in the Arava.  AZYC shnat sikkum Seminar takes place in the Arava.

The AAP supports a range of programs in the Arava, including Limmud Arava, several education related projects and regional development projects.

Kangarusski – Russian Speaking Jewish Community Project

Engaging Jewish people from the Former Soviet Union in Jewish and Zionist activity is a priority area of endeavour for the ZFA. We have engaged a Shaliach to coordinate this project, who works out of Melbourne and in close collaboration with the ZFA Kangarusski coordinator in Sydney.

In addition to providing a range of educational and cultural programs for the Russian speaking community, Kangarusski runs school holiday day camps for primary aged children. This year, the ZFA has committed to funding a Kangarusski Taglit Birthright Israel group which will see 40 young adults from this sector of the community participating in a free, 10 day transformative Israel experience. It

is expected that the alumni of the Birthright trip will make up the nucleus of a young leadership cohort in both Melbourne and Sydney.

Also on the educational front, Limmud FSU – a festival of learning for the Russian Speaking Jewish community, was first presented in Melbourne in 2015 and will take place in Sydney in September 2016. Our Shaliach and Sydney coordinator are co-chairing the planning committee and we look forward to an impressive program with a strong attendance.

Aliyah

The Israel Aliyah Centre operates out of the ZFA, with offices in both Melbourne and Sydney. The IAC is staffed in each location by a Shaliach and a local worker. Each year, the IAC facilitates and supports the Aliyah of, on average, 175 Australians, including administrative and logistic support, providing customised and individual advice to each oleh and ensuring a smooth and happy absorption.

Shlichim

Shlichim (emissaries) from the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) play a major role in representing Israel and enhancing the connection between Israel and the Australian Jewish community. Each Shaliach is an educator and comes to their host organisation – be it youth movement, community or project – with relevant experience and specific training to make a meaningful contribution in community education and development. There are currently 14 shlichim in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth and we expect to welcome 5 new shlichim before the end of 2016, including two new young shlichim who will serve in Canberra in new positions for this community.

Zionist Youth Movements

The activities and initiatives of the Zionist youth movements under the umbrella of the Australasian Zionist Youth Council (AZYC) serve to complement Jewish and non-Jewish day school education. Youth movement leaders receive comprehensive leadership training and are well-equipped to offer meaningful informal Jewish and Zionist education. The ZFA is proud to support the AZYC and the seven movements operating in Australia: Betar, Bnei Akiva, Habonim Dror, Hashomer Hatzair, Hineni, Netzer and Tzofim (Israeli Scouts).

Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS)

AUJS represents Jewish university students on campuses across Australia and New Zealand. AUJS and the ZFA share a longstanding partnership on AUJS Israel Programs, and the ZFA is a proud sponsor of their endeavours. AUJS is a key player in providing meaningful Jewish experiences for tertiary students and in encouraging them to be proudly Jewish and Zionist.

PROGRAM AT A GLANCE Day 1: Sunday 21st August 2016 8:15-9:15 REGISTRATION - Besen Performing Arts Center

Session 1 Welcome and Introduction: R. James Kennard, Danny Lamm, 9:15-10:00 R. Dov Lipman: A new immigrant in the Knesset: My personal story Besen Performing Arts Center Session 2 David Brody: Merav Carmeli: Zeev Ben- Ittay Flescher: Jeremy Stowe- Yael Schneier: Dr Daniel Rose: 10:00-11:00 Jewish Time The mystical Shachar: The From William Lindner: Tower of Beit Midrash Tefilla Literacy v Tefilla power of the BDS Movement: Cooper to Ron Babel, Btoch Beit Education: What is working Hebrew letters What is it all Castan: Jewish Community and Sefer: An Old- and what is not in the way we about and what and Aboriginal History: a divine Fashioned, teach Tefilla in our schools. (if anything) connections in plea for a Innovative Hebrew should we do the classroom pluralism? Approach Tefilla about it? Early Childhood Israel studies/ Australian Jewish identity Text advocacy Jewish history R 3 R 16 R 18 R 4 R 20 R 15 R 5 11:00-11:15 MORNING TEA - Rose Hall Session 3 Margalit Lisa Phillips and Smadar Uri Levin: Israeli Anita Berman: R. Scot Berman: R. Dov Lipman: Sidra R. Alon 11:15-12:15 Kavenstock: Jayne Josem: Goldstein: Using Culture and Jewed In Moving from the Religion and Moshinsky & Meltzer: You Approaches to Testimony and EdTech to Break Zionism: Alone Jewish identity Sage on the Stage state in Israel: Deborah th movements understanding Artefacts in the the Language in the desert - to the Guide on Where are we Rechter: The as the key to Bible stories - Classroom and Barrier The deep the Side: Student heading? Jewish story engagement impact on how beyond: Online Hebrew/ messages of Centered ‘Down under’ and survival we tell the story Holocaust Technology Israeli pop music Learning in Jewish Israel studies in 10 key for smaller to children aged Resources Studies moments communities. 4-8. (Part 1) Israel culture/ Aust. Jewish Early Childhood / Jewish History/ general Text history/ Text Shoah Secondary R 5 R 21 Computer lab R 6 R 20 R 4 R 18 R 3 R17

Session 4 Margalit Anat Tobias: Gabi Newman: Matti Borowski: Ittay Flescher: Melila Hellner Panel: Amanda Liat Cohen Sarai Sahar 12:15-1:15 Kavenstock: Studying your Moving Forward: Menachem What ‘Orange Eshed: Crossing Castelan-Starr, Raviv: Six Polk: A Approaches to mother tongue A forum on how Begin’s Is The New the Sea of Reeds Selwyn Sack, R. foundations movable understanding as a second best to improve Contribution to Black’ taught (Yam Suf) - On Noam Sendor, for effective feast:

Bible stories - language - our youth the Culture and me about Being Born Simon educational Israelis in Part 2 dealing with a movements Character of the being Jewish Lawrence management Australia complicated State of Israel Text Moderator R. Early reality in the Israel Jewish Benji Levy Jewish Childhood/Text Hebrew identity/Informal Israel studies identity/ General Identity classroom education secondary Why be Zionist? Hebrew Zionist Identity R 5 R 4 R 30 R 20 R 17 R 3 R 18 R 21 R 6 1:15-2:00 LUNCH – Rose Hall

Session 5 R. Ramon David Brody: Ayelet Ashkar: Ron Alter: What Zeev Ben- Sarah Mali: New Arik Singer: Daniel Rose: State 2:00-3:00 Widmonte: Jewish Values Engaging in would you do if Shachar: Israel Frontiers in Enhancing The siddur as Principals Torah in a Hebrew language you were an IDF Activism: Learning and Sports an educational Meetings: Nutshell – using through creative soldier What's at Teaching for a Performance tool in primary one Early Childhood arts stake and why Complex and With Jewish school Victoria: encompassing Israel should our Connected World Learning education. R14 narrative for Hebrew studies/Informal students care? Chumash Ed General Jewish studies/ Tefilla/Primary teaching Israel studies Informal Ed NSW:

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R 4 R 3 R 6 R 17 R 20 R 5 R 21 R 18 R 15

Session 6 Dan Sztrajt Amanda Avi Steinberg: Karen Glanc & Rebecca Terry Aizen and Melila Hellner Sue Hampel National 3:00-4:00 (convenor): Castelan-Starr: Who am I? Naomi Mrocki: Gaida: How to Alex Levy: Linking Eshed: The OAM: Elie Principals’ The Best of Teaching about Finding your own The Roots Project: increase Shabbat and Bush Torah we learn Wiesel - Meeting: Informal Jewish Israel through identity Where does it fit Student School for Early out outside the Messenger to into Jewish Studies Education 2016 Art & Poetry and how can it be Leadership Childhood Beit Midrash Mankind made more about and create

College Heads of Israel studies/ Jewish the present and Tefilla leaders Jewish Text/general Informal Jewish Secondary identity/general future, rather than Studies/Early just the past?: Jewish History/ Studies Tefilla Childhood Shoah Jewish Studies/ R 15 R 3 R 4 Secondary R 21 R 17 R 18 R 20 R30 R 5 4:00-4:30 AFTERNOON TEA - Cafeteria

Session 7 Liat Moss: Brad Rychter, Erez Feinberg: R. Ramon Esther Takac: Smadar R. Noteh Liora Sack and National 4:30-5:30 Create, Play, Josh Kolski, This is Israel Widmonte: The Jacob the Goldstein: The Glogauer: Debbie Conn: Principals Inspire Helen Lewitan Sages – How the righteous? virtual chevruta - Developing the Tefillah in and and Etai Ben Israel studies Men of the Esav the using modern relevance of action! Presidents’ Simhon: Great Assembly wicked? tech ed tools to Tanach in our Meeting Hebrew/ Formally crafted the Contemporary create a HS students - a Tefilla/ technology Informal contours of education, collaborative practical Early primary/ Jewish life for Biblical Jewish Studies example Childhood secondary two millennia stereotyping classroom and the Text/secondary Informal Jewish studies seventy faces Jewish studies/ secondary of Torah. Technology

Text Secondary R 16 R 4 R 3 R 20 R 17 Computer lab R 21 R 15 Library

Day 2: Monday 22nd August 2016

8:00-8:20 REGISTRATION - Smorgon Family Primary School Foyer Session 1 Tal Spinrad: Ten Hagit Bar-On Moshe Kahn: Dr Ron Weiser R. Dov Matti Melila Hellner- Hedva Schoener, 8:30-9:30 Steps to Culture and Anna Child safety at AM: The Lipman: Borowski: Eshed: On Gili Finer, Judith Change; Maylis: Hebrew school camps "Settlements" Answering Prayer and Teachers and Blumberg, Enhancing Your Drama our students' Spirituality - Disciples: the Helene Oberman Classroom Immersion Israel studies/ challenging The Power of relationship Community for General advocacy questions Love between them What's the time the Student on about Part 1 now? the Spectrum Hebrew Judaism Tefilla Text Early General Jewish studies Childhood/Israel

R 17 R 6 R 5 R 3 R 18 R 4 R 20 R 15 Session 2 David Brody: Panel: Ittay Ellie Golvan: Margalit Smadar Daniel Rose: Melila Hellner- Avi Cohen 9:30-10:30 Sustainability and Flescher, Bryan Creating a Kavenstock: Goldstein: High school Eshed: On (Convenor): Jewish Life in the Conyer, Emily community Parashat Driving the Tefilla: The Teachers and Heads of Jewish Preschool Gian, Toby Hashavua-a Google Wasteland of Disciples: the Studies Meeting Mac. Jewish identity dual language Classroom Jewish relationship (Primary, Early Childhood Moderated by new program by with Google education? between them Secondary Zeev Ben TALI Drive Tefilla Part 2 including Shachar Educational Technology Secondary Text Secondary Behind the Fund Hebrew) News- Social Media and Hebrew/text World Events Primary

Israel advocacy R 3 R 18 R 4 R 20 Computer lab R 17 R 20 R 6 10:30-11:00 MORNING TEA - Rose Hall

Session 3 Margalit Rami Teplitskiy: Hadas Nir: Keren Harel- R. Shamir Liat Cohen Rachel Adams: Panel: Talya 11:00-12:00 Kavenstock: A Modern Guest & Host: Gordon: Caplan: How Raviv: Black, White, and Wiseman, R. Using video clips Shtetl? the Leading Grey All Over: Chaim Cowan, R to teach about Text/whole Bringing Enlightenment Change: the How to teach Daniel Siegel, daily life in Israel Jewish identity/ school spirituality into Changed challenge and Zionism in a Feygi Phillips. Part 1 general our classroom Judaism the how complex & Moderator: Hebrew/ Forever confusing world Shula Lazar Israel studies Text Some stories are Early Childhood/ Secondary Jewish history Leadership/ Israel studies/ true, even Primary general informal though they never happened.-

Text Computer lab R 17 R 3 R 20 R 5 R 4 R 15 R 18 Session 4 Margalit R. Ramon Tali Barr - Jeremy Stowe- Ron Weiser R. Yoel Doron: R. Chaim Cowen: Orna Triguboff: 12:00-1:00 Kavenstock: Widmonte: Waanders & Lindner & R. AM: Making Jewish The Block Jewish Using video clips Where did all Dalia Gurfinkel: James Kennard: Australia and Studies and Method: A Meditation to teaching about the Nach go? Manhig, Minhag Broad and Israel, a Jewish Practice Pathway for daily life in Israel Text V'Chag Balanced, or shared and Engaging and Teaching Gemara Part 2 General Leftist largely Meaningful Hebrew/ Jewish Studies Propaganda: unknown General Israel studies Primary where’s the history Jewish studies Text Early Childhood/ Zionist Middle school Secondary Primary educational Israel history line? Secondary

Computer lab R 4 R 17 Zionism/ General R 3 R 20 R 15 R 30 R 18 1:00-2:00 LUNCH - Rose Hall

Session 5 David Brody: R. Danny Avi Cohen: Why Melila Hellner – Hagit Bar-On, Yigal Nisell: Debbie Conn Liat Winer and 2:00-3:00 The Project Mirvis: we should Eshed: Jenny Now (convenor): Lisa Belleli: Approach in The Aleph to welcome “Tales The Seven Udovich, Launching- Ivrit in the Project J-Safe: Jewish Early Tav of of a City by the Pillars of Jewish Erica Ktalav & JNF’s one stop Primary School - Preventing and Childhood Motivation Sea” in the VCE Mysticism - Jodi Cohen: online Zionist A session for all responding to Learning Curriculum. Why Jewish Four on Four: educational Heads of child sexual Jewish studies Mysticism Insights of a resource Department, abuse Early childhood Israel studies Matters foursome into Hebrew - K-6 teaching Four Israel studies General Text in the General Haggdah

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R 3 R 20 R 21 R 18 R 5 R 17 R 30 R 4 Session 6 Cathy Milwidsky Smadar R. Ramon Daniel Rose: R. Dov Adina Bankier- David Solomon: 3-4:00pm & Moriah ELC Goldstein: Widmonte: The Art of Lipman: Karp: A Game of staff: Tablets to Ben Gurion’s Tefilla In-depth Light the fire, Thrones: A family Kabbalat Tablets: Using Bible – how Education: source based don’t fill the Perspectives on Shabbat Modern Israel’s first Using shiur about bucket! Jewish the last decades Technology to Prime Minister illustrations and conversion educators as of Bayit Rishon Early Childhood Teach Biblical built the State photographs as continuity Jewish studies Texts of Israel a commentary Text catalysts on the siddur Technology/ Israel studies Text/Jewish Text Text Tefilla studies Secondary R 4 Computer lab R 18 R 3 R 20 R 4 R15

Session Descriptions Day 1: Sunday 21st August 2016

Session 1: 9:15-10:00 WELCOME AND PLENARY SESSION

Rabbi James Kennard, Dr Danny Lamm, Rabbi Dov Lipman

A new immigrant in the Knesset: My personal story

R. Dov Lipman moved to Israel in July 2004. In January 2013 he was sworn in as the first American born Knesset member in 30 years. An educator, author, social activist and rabbi, R. Lipman’s account is sure to interest and inspire.

Session 2: 10:00-11:00am

DAVID BRODY: Jewish Time ZEEV BEN-SHACHAR: The BDS Movement: What is it all about and what (if anything) The child's experience in the Jewish preschool should we do about it? or kindergarten takes places within both physical and temporal spaces. While we often The last two decades have seen a dramatic focus much attention on the physical aspects increase in anti-Israel activity, on college of the learning environment, it is also campuses and in the general community. important to examine the element of time - Responses to this challenge have considerably daily, weekly, monthly, and annually. This altered over the years, so much so, that focus goes beyond the usual interest in supporters of Israel even debate the accurate holidays, to look at how Jewish time affects terminology to articulate their approach the daily flow of events, and how to make (Israel advocacy, education, literacy or these events meaningful in a Jewish engagement?). In this session, we will use the perspective. Further, we will explore BDS campaign as an instructive case study for strategies to support the child's constructing a understanding the threats, and look at sense of Jewish time, as she moves through relevant responses for countering them. In her week at the Jewish school. We will also the process we will survey Jerusalem U’s short examine how time considerations influence films, media resources and educational curriculum development as well as approach. unexpected and unplanned opportunities to enrich the child's Jewish "time experience" at Israel Studies/Israel Advocacy school. ITTAY FLESCHER: From William Cooper to Early Childhood Ron Castan: Jewish and Aboriginal MERAV CARMELI: The mystical power of the connections in the classroom Hebrew letters With the new national curriculum calling for an increasing focus on Indigenous In this session we will explore in an perspectives, this session will provide experiential way the power of the Hebrew practical teaching materials for how this can letters with the help of Kabbalah and Victoria be done in a Jewish high school setting, using Hannah video clips- an internationally examples from the Yorta Yorta Beyachad renowned Israeli voice artist. Fun for teachers Program at Mount Scopus Memorial College. and students. Australian Jewish History Hebrew

JEREMY STOWE-LINDNER: Tower of Babel, Community and History: a divine plea for a  Is our holistic approach to tefilla pluralism? education developmentally appropriate, both intellectually and emotionally? Using the story of the Tower of Babel as a  How do we model tefilla as tefilla role lens, we will explore some highlights of models? biblical and historical division, and enunciate  Should we invite God into our tefilla why a pluralistic approach to Torah is the only classrooms and if so what place does He way ensure our community’s healthy future. play there? Jewish identity  Is there space in our schools for spirituality and if so is the tefilla DR DANIEL ROSE: Tefilla Literacy v Tefilla classroom the natural home for it? Education: What is working and what is not  How do we deal with the role of girls/women in our prayer community in in the way we teach Tefilla in our schools tefilla education?

In this session we will explore our aims for Tefilla tefilla education and how our present practice fails or succeeds to achieve them. The scope YAEL SCHNEIER: Beit Midrash Btoch Beit and sequence of tefilla education in the day Sefer: An Old-Fashioned, Innovative school, grades K-12, will be considered as a whole – the journey of the day school student Approach on his/her way to acculturalization into the adult prayer community. Questions that will The Beit Midrash at BRS is an exciting new be considered include: development at the school providing a beautiful space and resources to encourage  Are we aiming for a skills based approach students and women in the community to to tefilla education: tefilla literacy and undertake more textual Torah learning. Now competency? Or for emotional and in its second year of operation, the Beit intellectual connection building through Midrash provides shiurim and Chavrutot tefilla, to God; the Jewish people; and during school for students and daytime and Jewish history? Are both goals evening Shiurim and special events for realistically achievable? women in the community. It is an inviting, vibrant and integral part of the school. Come and hear how it has reinforced all of our Jewish Studies goals and more.

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Session 3 11:15am-12:15pm

SIDRA MOSHINSKY & DEBORAH RECHTER: but in each story that we were telling our The Jewish story ‘Down under’ in 10 key thoughts and feelings as well as our values moments and ethics are embedded. In this workshop participants will explore the Jews have been part of the Australian story story of Jacob's dream from different since the beginnings of European colonisation, perspectives such as: make my own meaning intimately woven into the texture ever since. in reading the source, explore Midrashim Focusing on ten key moments in time, this connected to the story, Jacob's dream in art, presentation explores the breadth, depth, in Israeli music and the concept of dreams in diversity and richness of our stories. different cultures. Australian Jewish history/ Middle and Senior Early Childhood/Text secondary ANITA BERMAN: Jewed In

SMADAR GOLDSTEIN: Using EdTech to Break A big question currently being asked is how we as a community can engage those who are the Language Barrier 'Jewed out'? Rather than ask this, perhaps we Participants in this session will be surprised to should be asking how we can get every Jew to find the degree to which the use of EdTech be 'Jewed in'. A slight change in semantics, a tools; oral recording, and video interactive minor adjustment in outlook, and a online tools in Hebrew instruction can reconstruction of focus could lead to big maximize student interaction and proficiency changes in engagement in our community. development. Participants will understand the Jewish Identity power of these tools foster interface with authentic and engaging contemporary R. DOV LIPMAN: Religion and State in Israel: Hebrew sources in both receptive proficiency Where are we heading? modes (reading and listening), to encourage effective communication in both expressive Israel is a Jewish and democratic state. These proficiency modes (writing and speaking), and seem to be two conflicting ideals and the to promote differentiated learning that contradiction between the two has led to accommodates students on varied proficiency significant tensions in Israel. Issues such as levels. Participants require a laptop or ipad marriage and divorce, agunot, kashrut, (and recommended: earbuds with conversion, and Shabbat in the public sphere microphone) to benefit maximally from the impact people's personal lives on a deep level workshop. and, at the moment, are governed by a rigidity which takes away from the democratic Hebrew/Technology side of the state. This session will outline the MARGALIT KAVENSTOCK: Approaches to challenges as well as solutions that are on the table to resolve some of these conflicts. understanding Bible stories and its impact on how we tell the story to children aged 4-8. Israel Studies Part 1

Bible stories flood our thoughts and feelings. Some of them we love more and some less,

R. ALON MELTZER: Youth movements as the and artefact. These include ABC Splash key to engagement and survival for smaller digibooks, JHC StoryPod App and the unique communities story of resistance in the Lodz Ghetto in the JHC’s online exhibition ‘Lodz. Strength of Youth Movements have been key to the Hope’. survival of small communities, providing social, educational, and ideological Jewish History/ Shoah engagement for children and teens, when oftentimes other options are lacking. This R. SCOT BERMAN: Moving from the Sage on session will look at some case-studies of the Stage to the Guide on the Side: Student various small communities, the history and Centered Learning in Jewish Studies sociological arguments to this thesis, and will brainstorm ways we can ensure that smaller Frontal teacher centered instruction communities are able to capture the magic of characterizes much of classroom teaching in the youth movements through collaborative Jewish Studies classes throughout the efforts. world. The field of education has long since LISA PHILLIPS AND JAYNE JOSEM:Testimony turned its attention to finding ways to place the student at the center of the learning and Artefacts in the Classroom and beyond: process away from direct teacher instruction. Online Holocaust Resources for Teachers and During this workshop we will grapple with the Students teacher centered/student centered question in relationship to Jewish Studies Teaching the Holocaust is complex and can be instruction. We will then attempt to make the overwhelming to both teacher and student. case for student centered learning. Finally, How does one do justice to this period of we will explore and illustrate a number of history? In this workshop teachers will be models, methodologies, and ways to achieve introduced to a variety of online resources heightened student engagement within that are easily accessible, relevant to the Jewish Studies. Australian curriculum and suitable for Australian students that utilise both testimony Text

Session 4: 12:15pm - 1:15pm

MARGALIT KAVENSTOCK: Approaches to scope is very small. Without support and understanding Bible stories and its impact on improvement, the youth movements could how we tell the story to children aged 4-8. very well disappear from our community and by doing so leave a massive irreplaceable hole Part 2 for Jewish youth.

Margalit will continue her previous session. Israel identity/Informal Education

Early Childhood/Text MATTI BOROWSKI: Menachem Begin’s Contribution to the Culture and Character of GABI NEWMAN: Moving Forward: A forum the State of Israel. on how best to improve our youth movements. Menachem Begin, one of the most transformative, controversial and influential The youth movements are at a difficult time, leaders of the pre-state Zionist movement and their structure is well established, yet their later Prime Minister of Israel, played a

significant role in the shaping of the culture, PANEL: MODERATED BY R. BENJI LEVY WITH outlook, character and values of the modern AMANDA CASTELAN-STARR, SELWYN SACK, state. Principled, complex, outspoken and a R. NOAM SENDOR AND SIMON LAWRENCE: man who passionately forged his own path according to his core beliefs and worldview, Why be Zionist? Begin left an indelible mark on Israel’s society, How does each school give compelling attitudes, cultural fabric and politics. reasons for students to engage their Zionist Israel studies identity in serious and meaningful ways. ITTAY FLESCHER: What ‘Orange Is The New Zionism Black’ taught me about being Jewish LIAT COHEN RAVIV: Six foundations for The hit TV Series Orange Is the New Black effective educational management created by Jenji Kohan raises many fascinating questions about life in American prisons, In this session Cohen-Raviv will share those six Jewish Identity, Kashrut, Conversion and what “things” through her unusual personal life it means to be a Jew of colour. After viewing a story and with Diller. number of clips from the show, we will explore what messages this show may be General suggesting about what it means to be Jewish in a pluralist society. Come along to laugh, SARAI SAHAR POLK: A moveable feast: think and be challenged. Israelis in Australia

Jewish identity/ Secondary An interactive session about the story of the Israeli community in Australia, from a personal and professional point of view. We’ll ANAT TOBIAS: Studying your mother tongue tackle dilemmas of identity, education, as a second language - dealing with a language and culture of both adults and youths. complicated reality in the Hebrew classroom Jewish Identity This session will provide an opportunity for middle school Hebrew teachers to discuss the challenges and strategies of teaching Hebrew as a second language to students with a Hebrew background

Hebrew

MELILA HELLNER ESHED: Crossing the Sea of Reeds (Yam Suf) - On Being Born.

In this session we will explore the dramatic event of the crossing of the sea in its biblical narration and learn together the midrashim on this theme and the way they invest the story with ideas and imagination to inspire their readers and ourselves.

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Session 5: 2:00pm-3:00pm

R. RAMON WIDMONTE: Torah in a Nutshell – SARAH MALI: New Frontiers in Learning and using one encompassing narrative for Teaching for a Complex and Connected Chumash teaching World

One of the approaches we’re pioneering is the This interactive session will explore what it use of a forest vs. trees approach to teaching means to learn and teach in today's world. – giving an overview first of a large and Although classroom conditions have remained complex area of study, before drilling down relatively static, the world in which children into details. Our “Nutshell” courses seek to do are growing up has changed radically this in a variety of areas. This one is focused becoming far more complex and interconnected than ever before. How might on Chumash. we adults need to reconsider our mindset and The idea is to elicit a view of Chumash as one practices in order to adapt to these changes? book of five sections which has a coherent narrative stretching across all four books. The By looking at some of the work of Harvard- particular narrative is based on the work of renowned Robert Kegan, American the Ramban and the Netziv. developmental psychologist and author, we will uncover some key concepts that may help Text Upper primary/junior high school us with our work as teachers and learners.

DR DAVID BRODY: Jewish Values General

Our sources and traditions guide how we AYELET ASHKAR: Engaging in Hebrew interact with each other in intimate friendship language through creative arts circles, within the family, and in societal contexts. Values are woven into the fabric of The participants will gain ideas to engage everyday life in the Jewish preschool; students in Hebrew through creative arts. however, special curricular attention can add They will experience activities in range of depth to the routine treatment of modalities that will support learning and values. Values can be integrated through teaching Hebrew in class. The session includes literature, art, science, maths, literacy, drama, drama improvisation and visual arts activities music, and other domains. While curricular that enhance vocabulary and extend attention is important, educators can also understanding of the Hebrew language. These benefit from learning about Jewish values on learning experiences utilise Israeli literature. an adult level. As the Jewish early childhood They are fun and engaging and will bring educator deepens her understanding of Hebrew to life. Jewish values and their source, she will be better able to apply them in her daily Early Childhood/lower primary teaching. RON ALTER: What would you do if you were Early Childhood an IDF soldier?

Can you imagine the split second, life and death decisions that you would have to make and some of the ethical dilemmas you would face if you were a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces? It is not easy to put yourself in the

DANIEL ROSE: The siddur as an educational tool in shoes of an 18-year-old Israeli who has a job primary school education. to do, often a dangerous and unpleasant one. Put aside for a moment the political issues of This session will explore the role and potential whether Israeli policy is right or wrong. As a of the siddur as an educational tool in our soldier, you have a job to do independent of program of tefilla education. Practical the decisions of the government or your own suggestions will be presented and participants personal beliefs. will be encouraged to share theory and Israel studies/Informal Education practice. Questions to be considered include:

ZEEV BEN-SHACHAR: Israel Activism: What's  How can the siddur help us achieve our aims for tefilla education in the primary grades? at stake and why should our students care?  Is the siddur more than a text for Hebrew In a rapidly changing world, teaching about reading practice or a lyric sheet? Israel is becoming increasingly challenging.  Can and should the siddur be considered a How do we go beyond the headlines and resource for spirituality and connection to provide our students with a solid God? And if so, how can it best be utilized to understanding of Israel today? How do we achieve that? explain complicated realities while keeping  Why do we give primary school aged them interested and engaged? Most children adult siddurim? importantly, how do we get students to care –  The siddur as the first book of Jewish and stand up for – a small country over 10,000 philosophy – should we be tackling the big km away? Using Jerusalem U’s latest films and questions in tefilla education? educational resources, we will discuss ways to  How can we relate to the siddur as a make history, current affairs and Israel dynamic educational tool if it is written in an activism exciting and meaningful. inaccessible language for the majority of our students? How can we make the Hebrew of Israel studies the siddur more accessible for our students?

ARIK SINGER: Enhancing Jewish Learning Tefilla/Primary through Sports, Enhancing Sports Performance through Jewish Learning

This presentation centres around a unique curriculum for Jewish High School students. It is based on the notion that sports and Judaism can be combined in ways that will provide compelling results for students in both areas. By using analogies drawn from the world of Jewish and sports literature, this program will work at enhancing both character and sports performance. By

connecting sports with Judaism this program seeks to capitalise on the popularity of sport by channelling the positive emotional energy it generates into Jewish learning.

Jewish studies/Informal Education

Session 6: 3:00-4:00pm

DAN SZTRAJT (convenor): The Best of KAREN GLANC & NAOMI MROCKI: The Roots Informal Jewish Education 2016 Project: Where does it fit into Jewish Studies and how can it be made more about the Heads and Coordinators of Informal Jewish present and future, rather than just the past? Studies departments: The Roots Project has traditionally been a A showcase of our schools' best informal family research project completed Jewish education practice. Each school will predominantly at home by many Jewish present their best peulah, seminar, camp or school students. Here, we will share how structure so that we can all learn from one Bialik College has integrated it into the Jewish another. Studies curriculum, intertwining the two and allowing students to make links between what Heads of Informal/ Experiential departments is learned in class to their project. In doing so, we give them the opportunity to create an AMANDA CASTELAN-STARR: Teaching about environment of questioning, reflection and Israel through Art & Poetry connecting within the context of investigating their backgrounds, utilising Harvard With reference to Yehuda Amichai's poetry University’s acclaimed ‘Cultures of Thinking’ and various artworks from the Israel Museum project. We explore how to make our and Tel-Aviv Museum we will explore students’ thoughts, feelings and connections different perspectives on Israeli society to their pasts visible, as well as relevant to through engaging students with Art, aimed for what they are learning today. students between the Years of 5-8. Jewish Studies/Secondary Israel studies REBECCA GAIDA: How to increase Student AVI STEINBERG: Who am I? Finding your own Leadership and create Tefilla leaders identity I will showcase some of the things being done What's common to a Jew from Yemen, at Emanuel School in the primary department Turkey, Ireland, UK and Israel? At the age of to create excellent Jewish leaders, particularly 35 my personal life story had turned around. I regarding leading Tefillah at the school. This always knew that I was adopted, it was a part will be a sharing session where teachers can of me. But beyond the fascinating story, I share what works well in their school and we always wondered where I came from? What is can learn from each other. my identity? Those questions of identity made me think which identity do I identify Tefilla myself with? Who determines the path of my life? Can you have several identities? Who TERRY AIZEN AND ALEX LEVY: Linking influences your Jewish identity? How does the Shabbat and Bush School for Early Childhood society react to your identity? How does Judaism relate to an adopted child? We will present an overview of our journey of Confusing??? Certainly!! I will start with my taking children into a natural outdoor setting personal story and my solution to this conflict, and how this led to incorporating our weekly reflecting on how it influenced my life choices. Shabbat celebrations into this experience.

Jewish identity This journey began in 2013 and has resulted in regular visits into a Bush School setting. We have experienced many challenges along the

way, as well as many benefits to the children, Text/general educators and families. Celebrating Shabbat in the Bush has brought many special and SUE HAMPEL OAM: Elie Wiesel - Messenger beautiful encounters linking nature with this to Mankind Special weekly tradition. Finding ways to link these two worthwhile experiences has been This session will explore the writings of Elie meaningful and deep. Wiesel and discuss why he was known as the 'voice of Holocaust survivors.' Jewish Studies/Early Childhood Personal anecdotes and extracts from his novels will be used in this session to reflect on MELILA HELLNER ESHED: The Torah we learn his impact on the world. out outside the Beit Midrash Holocaust studies We will learn together in chevruta a story from the Babylonian Talmud about Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Hannanya, one of the most important and innovative Tana of the crisis period between the destruction of the temple and the Yavneh reconstructors of Judaism. What is the Torah we learn in Beit HaMidrash and what is the Torah that we must learn by leaving the safety of the walls of Jewish learning institutions. Session 7: 4:30pm-5:30pm

LIAT MOSS: Create, Play, Inspire It is recommended that you bring an iPad with Ji Tap downloaded from Want to make your own Jewish games in www.jewishinteractive.org minutes? Want to become an instant app designer and make money from your games? Hebrew/technology primary secondary

Jewish Interactive has collaborated with Tiny BRAD RYCHTER, JOSH KOLSKI, HELEN Tap and developed a platform for Jewish LEWITAN AND ETAI BEN SIMHON: Formally teachers to create games for their classes Informal using the rich resources found in our other An explorative look at the formalisation of the apps. Bialik informal education curriculum. This  Discover & Play lessons, ideas, games and session will dissect how Bialik College has templates made by Jewish teachers, integrated informal education and informal parents and children pedagogy into the school’s curriculum and  Create your own interactive Jewish games ethos. What are the challenges, hurdles and using Ji Collections –Jewish holiday triumphs of being formally informal? themes, Jewish texts, sound clips and animations Informal Education  Share your creations with a worldwide EREZ FEINBERG: This is Israel Jewish community & engage your students with Judaism Ever wanted to explore Israel from an apolitical point of view? Borders aside, how This will be a hands on session. did the mountains, the seas and the sand on

Tel Aviv shores come about? How did we latest Israeli hits, read the texts and discuss humans create a living on this land, previously what's behind the fun tunes. An engaging and deemed uninhabitable? And how does this interactive text study about today's Israel and learning link to what is Israel today, and what Zionism. it could or should be in our future? Erez Feinberg delves into these themes - in a Israel culture/Zionism beautifully diplomatic and non-biased way - starting with the deep layers of the earth. You ESTHER TAKAC: Jacob the righteous? Esav the will deepen your understanding of a very wicked? Contemporary education, Biblical complex sociopolitical situation through a stereotyping and the seventy faces of Torah. birds-eye and big-picture view of the land. This workshop looks at the story of Jacob and Israel studies Esav, the differences between traditional and contemporary commentaries, and their R. RAMON WIDMONTE: The Sages – How the relevance for how we teach this story today. Men of the Great Assembly crafted the The story is also illuminating on pedagogy; contours of Jewish life for two millennia there are Jacobs and Esavs in all classrooms, but as Rabbi Hirsch writes “to educate them in This session focuses on the creation of key the same way…is the surest way to court features of Torahsheba’al peh by Ezra and the disaster.” Whilst exploring these issues, Esther Men of the Great Assembly in the face of the will show how her book "Genesis the Book failures of the period of the first temple as with Seventy Faces" (National Jewish Book delineated by the prophets. Award) can be used as a teaching resource.

We examine the texts highlighting these Text failures and note the response of Ezra and Nechemiah, first of which was to replace the SMADAR GOLDSTEIN: The virtual chevruta - system of Kohanim-as-teachers with the using modern tech ed tools to create a system of the “Sages”, which made space for collaborative Jewish Studies classroom the lay teacher for the first time. Long before the advent of social learning Beyond that we discuss the founding and theories in modern education, the very same concretisation of such systems as: the principals were applied in the Beit Midrash. In synagogue, the universal education system, this session, we will explore ways in which the substitution of the home for the field as online learning tools can help to create a the place of tzeddakah and more. chevruta-collaborative learning culture in both classroom activities and homework. Text/secondary Participants will understand how technology driven chevruta-collaborative learning can URI LEVIN: Israeli Culture and Zionism: Alone maximize active learning, turn pupils into in the desert - The deep messages of Israeli student/teachers, and foster student pop music creativity. Participants require a laptop or ipad to benefit maximally from the workshop. Who is Israel's artist of the year? What was the most popular song on Israeli radio last Jewish studies/technology month? And what does it have to do with Israel's internal and external challenges. Israeli popular music is carrying a deep and critical message about its current events and social problems. Let's listen to some of the

R. NOTEH GLOGAUER: Developing the LIORA SACK AND DEBBIE CONN: Tefillah in relevance of Tanach in our HS students - a action! practical example This in service takes you behind the scenes to Many of our students find incongruence how a Tefillah curriculum for Moriah Primary between the teachings of Tanach and real life is being written. It shows you how we will experiences in the 21st Century. Some implement the Tefillah curriculum by students perceive the descriptions in Tanach describing the roles of the Tefillah team, as outdated or contradictory to modern presenting Tefillah packages and resources thought. This workshop will provide a and raise the status of Tefillah in our school. practical example of how to unlock the Tefilla/Early Childhood excitement of Tanach through a hands-on example that can be replicated in any year 7/8 classroom.

Text/secondary

Day 2: Monday 22nd August 2016

Session 1: 8:30am -9:30am

DR RON WEISER AM: The "Settlements" MOSHE KAHN: Child safety at school camps

The “settlements” are perhaps the most Having a holistic approach to child safety by controversial recurring issue in terms of understanding the risk thus knowing what to Israel’s relations with her neighbours, do. attitudes of Diaspora Jews towards Israel and Israel’s image generally. Yet most base their General views and opinions more on emotion than TAL SPINRAD: Ten Steps to Culture Change; fact. We will examine the issue, including the use of maps and attempt to determine Enhancing Your Classroom Community for whether the future of the “Two State the Student on the Spectrum Solution” really depends on the “settlements” or not. Everyday more of our community are diagnosed to be on the Spectrum (have Israel studies/ advocacy Autism). Many more go undiagnosed, but present many of the articulations of those on R. DOV LIPMAN: Answering our students' the Spectrum. The question is; "How can we, challenging questions about Judaism as educators, better serve this growing portion of our community?' Join Tal Spinrad as All children have questions. This is especially we define the issues and then explore 10 true for children growing up in a home with a ways to enrich the classroom setting for these religious component. There are questions students. Along the way we will discover that about God, questions about religious practice, the more one enriches the class for the and questions about religious philosophy. Spectrum students the more it is enriched for Sadly, most children have no place to turn to all your students. ask these questions and are left to either ignore them or to be impacted by them in a General negative way. This session will address many of the questions that bother most Jewish MELILA HELLNER- ESHED: On Teachers and children, based on Rabbi Lipman's book, Disciples and the Relationship between them "Discover: Answers for Teenagers (and Adults) Part 1 to Questions about the Jewish Faith." In this session Eshed will present the Beit Jewish studies Midrash program she runs in the Hebrew University honors teacher training program. HAGIT BAR-ON AND ANNA MAYLIS: Hebrew You will learn in Hevruta some of the text on Drama Immersion the theme and speak of ways to work with this dynamic structure in our schools. Emanuel School is the first Jewish school in Australia who initiated a Hebrew Drama Text Immersion. We would like to share our experience with educators so they can learn HADAS NIR: Guest & Host from our success. In this session participants will be introduced Hebrew to a text from Leviticus Rabbah, a midrash/ commentary on the Biblical Book of Leviticus, dating back to the 5th Century. Through the use of this text, Participants will explore and

reflect on their personal relationship to Torah Kindergarten teachers and students at and Judaism and examine their relationship Australia’s Bialik College and in the Central and responsibility to the Jewish People. Arava, Israel began as a result of a teacher exchange initiative sponsored by JAFI, Arava Text Australia Partnership and the ZFA. This presentation will consider a range of MATTI BOROWSKI: Prayer and Spirituality - questions; What were the expectations? What The Power of Love planning was involved? What was valued? There, then? Here now? What links us? What This session will explore the concept of love - challenges us? Was it possible to have how it makes us feel and how it impels us to meaningful communications between young action. Specifically, we will focus on the children in kindergarten given limitations such implications of love in the world of teaching, as distance, time, curriculum, culture and spirituality and prayer. communities? The project has gained momentum strengthening learning Tefilla experiences between kindergartens, teachers HEDVA SCHOENER, GILI FINER, JUDITH and communities including regular exchanges of letters, photos, films, cards, investigations, BLUMBERG, HELENE OBERMAN: What's the Skype and teacher visits. We have enjoyed time now? discovering what the similarities are, learning from each other and looking at our respective In 2012/2013 an innovative project worlds through different eyes. undertaken in joint partnership with Early Childhood/Israel studies

Session 2: 9:30am -10:30am

DAVID BRODY: Sustainability and Jewish Life ELLIE GOLVAN: Creating a community in the Preschool Every day in our classrooms we are creating a Our sources have a great deal to say about community that is made up of difference, our responsibility for stewardship of the students who come from different earth. Translating this major theme into background, religious affiliation etc. We so practice in the preschool is an exciting often reference the "Jewish Community" that endeavour which connects the universal we are all a part of, however, what does this values of sustainability with the particular mean? This session will explore the creation values of being Jewish. This focus includes of community, when it be inside the both study on an adult level and practical classroom, or leadership group (captains, considerations for the Jewish preschool school leaders or hadracha etc) using texts as classroom. Community involvement is an a guide. additional domain that adds depth to this Jewish identity learning experience.

Early Childhood

PANEL: MODERATED BY ZEEV BEN SHACHAR knowledge, assessing student progress, and WITH ITTAY FLESCHER, BRYAN CONYER, receiving valuable feedback from students. Participants have an opportunity to apply the EMILY GIAN AND TOBY MAC: Behind the skills and methods to their own curricula. news: - social media and world events Participants require a laptop or ipad to benefit How does each school teach critical social maximally from the workshop. media literacy skills in order to help students make sense of what they read online about Technology Judaism and Israel? DANIEL ROSE: High school Tefilla: The Israel Advocacy Wasteland of Jewish education?

MARGALIT KAVENSTOCK: Parashat Some argue that the one thing that unites Hashavua-a new dual language program by Jewish High school educator’s the world over, TALI Educational Fund is the dread of being responsible for high school tefilla. Too often the pedagogic aim of Parashat Hashavua for lower elementary this time for the teacher is mere survival. If students and their families: a new challenging, you look in to the eyes of the HS tefilla fun and colourful program that brings Jewish educator you may well be able to discern the learning to children and families (in Hebrew MO – “don’t bother me and I won’t bother and English), integrates Jewish content, Israeli you!” But does it have to be that way? With culture and Hebrew language at high- some creative thought could we be doing beginners and intermediate levels. better with our HS students in this often barren educational landscape? Could this In this workshop participants will address even become a place of spiritual and issues such as: engaging young students in a intellectual curiosity and creativity? In this way that is age-appropriate both in content session we will meet on a level playing field, and in language level; Encouraging young without canned answers, and share students to feel that Torah is meaningful to experience and creative thought on this their lives; incorporating parents in the challenging area of the Jewish studies learning experience. curriculum.

Hebrew/text Primary Tefilla, Secondary

SMADAR GOLDSTEIN: Driving the Google MELILA HELLNER- ESHED: On Teachers and Classroom with Google Drive Disciples and the Relationship between them Part 2 They’re free, easily accessible and user- friendly! How can we maximize Google tools In this session Eshed will continue to present in the Jewish classroom? This session the Beit Midrash program she runs in the examines the use of Google docs to share Hebrew University honors teacher training learning material with students, foster real program. You will learn in Hevruta some of time or asynchronous collaborative and the text on the theme and speak of ways to creative learning, and to enable students to work with this dynamic structure in our present their work. It also examines the use of schools. Google forms as an instrument for pre-testing student attitudes, background and Text

Session 3: 11:00am-12:00pm

MARGALIT KAVENSTOCK: Using authentic PANEL: MODERATED BY SHULA LAZAR WITH and semi-authentic video clips while teaching TALYA WISEMAN, R. CHAIM COWAN, R about daily life in Israel: Part 1 DANIEL SIEGEL & FEIYGI PHILLIPS: Some stories are true, even though they never Demonstration will include the new Matah happened initiative. In this this double-block workshop How does each school respond to challenging participants will address issues such as: What questions about the accuracy of Torah level of language is suitable for the video, stories? considerations in expanding the video into a learning unit, choosing authentic materials to Text expand the scope of Israeli culture in Hebrew and teaching methods. LIAT COHEN RAVIV: Leading Change:-the Hebrew/Israel, Early Childhood, Primary challenge and the how

A very practical session that will give RAMI TEPLITSKIY: A Modern Shtetl? participants 1) a better understanding that The Jews in Australia as a model of integration making change is not easy 2) will give a working model that will make it possible or assimilation? This session will discuss the Australian Jewish Community from a Leadership/general perspective of an Israeli living and working for the Jewish Agency in Australia. The similarities R. SHAMIR CAPLAN: How the Enlightenment and differences to other Jewish communities around the world. The internal problems of Changed Judaism Forever the community and the strategies to solve Why did the Enlightenment have such a major them through different methods of "Jewish impact on the Jewish community? What were education". the different Jewish responses? We will Jewish identity/general examine some key aspects of the Enlightenment and how it presented RACHEL ADAMS: Black, White, and Grey All challenges and opportunities for Judaism, Over: How to teach Zionism in a complex & ultimately leading to all the different confusing world denominations we have today. From haredi to secular, we are all post-Enlightenment Jews. We live in a world with lots of labels, 'isms', Jewish History and categories. Increasingly, young people are being asked to pick a side, or align themselves KEREN HAREL-GORDON: Bringing spirituality with an ideology without much room for discussion, nuance, or flexibility. Our teaching into our classroom of Israel and Zionism no longer reflects this Spirituality is a big word. We teach our reality, and we are forced to play catchup students to read, write, think, criticize, when young Australian Jews are faced with inquire, create. Do we, or can we, teach them anti-Israel activists at university. How can we to connect to spiritual aspects of life? How teach Israel as a real, vibrant, complex, and can this become a language that is used in our sometimes frustrating place, while ensuring classroom and in life? In this session we will that the bottom line remains one of Zionism? explore these questions through text and Israel studies/ informal

practice. Please come with open hearts.

Text, Tefilla, Secondary Session 4: 12:00pm-1:00pm

MARGALIT KAVENSTOCK: Using authentic RON WEISER AM: Australia and Israel, a and semi-authentic video clips while teaching shared and largely unknown history about daily life in Israel. Part 2 From the first ANZACS, The Zion Mule Corps, Demonstration will include the new Matah the Jewish Legion and the Judeans, to Moshe initiative. In this this double-block workshop Dayan losing his eye; from the most incredible participants will address issues such as: What Australian Jewish soldier that almost no-one level of language is suitable for the video, has ever heard of, to the equally unknown considerations in expanding the video into a Irish Protestant who Jabotinsky said was learning unit, choosing authentic materials to arguably one of the greatest Zionists that ever expand the scope of Israeli culture in Hebrew lived; we will explore the intersections and teaching methods. between Australia and the Jewish State as well as deal with some of the dilemmas Hebrew/Israel studies, Early Childhood, around the actions of these people that recur Primary and are relevant even today.

R. RAMON WIDMONTE: Where did all the Israel history, Secondary Nach go? Why the most compelling parts of R. YOEL DORON: Making Jewish Studies and Torah are missing and what we stand to gain Jewish Practice Engaging and Meaningful from prioritising them For Jewish Studies to be engaging for This session focuses on the profound students, it needs to be seen as real, relevant relevance of Tanach in the lives of students and interactive. In this session, Rabbi Doron and the degree to which it presents will demonstrate how to engage students in opportunities to explore vital and relevant the study of ancient texts through the use of (the key word) themes such as: Zionism, games and by having them create multimedia Statehood, Minority rights, Healthy presentations, including videos and psychosocial dynamics, Leadership. slideshows. In addition, he will show how to Text, General help prepare students for presenting projects in a public domain. JEREMY STOWE-LINDNER & R. JAMES KENNARD: Broad and Balanced, or Leftist Jewish studies Propaganda: where’s the Zionist educational TALI BARR -WAANDERS & DALIA GURFINKEL: line? Manhig, Minhag V'Chag

James and Jeremy will share thoughts and Bialik College no longer uses the TaLAM lead a discussion on the challenges faced by program (Hebrew & JS). The Hebrew program trying to offer a broad and balanced was replaced with Chaverim B’Ivrit , while education, engagement with the Left and the Jewish Festivals program had a void. The Right, whilst staying true to the founding College has instructed us to write a new JS mission of Zionist schools. program that is incorporates the cross communal philosophy of the college, and Israel studies/Zionism tailored to the needs of our students. This

was a window of opportunity to create an traditional texts with contemporary engaging curriculum providing our students methodology creating an engaging and with a Jewish Studies experience. We wholesome learning experience for all explored strategies that would enable our students, no matter their background. students to move from acquisition of facts and information to deeper thinking, Text, Secondary, Middle school questioning and engagement with the R. ORNA TRIGUBOFF: Jewish Meditation material.

Jewish Studies, Primary This session will present some of the meditative-type techniques found in Jewish R. CHAIM COWEN: The Block Method: A history as well as give a practical session on Pathway for Teaching Gemara Jewish meditation and relaxation and ideas for how to share this with school age Bringing out the beauty and complexity of students. We will explore festivals and how Gemara to modern students presents they present an opportunity for teaching numerous challenges. The Block Method is an meditation in a Jewish context innovative approach which synthesises General

Session 5: 2:00pm - 3:00pm

DAVID BRODY: The Project Approach in MELILA HELLNER –ESHED: The Seven Pillars Jewish Early Childhood Learning of Jewish Mysticism - Why Jewish Mysticism Matters As early childhood educators well know, learning at this age involves constructing In this session we will discuss foundational knowledge through discovery based on ideas of the world view Jewish Mysticism, and curiosity and questioning. While much is the ways in which they enrich the language known about learning through the project and content of what we are trying to transmit approach in general, we have begun to see to our students (of all ages) about Judaism. this approach bear fruit in the Jewish context Text as well. These workshops and lectures will shed light on how to integrate the project HAGIT BAR-ON, JENNY UDOVICH, ERICA approach into the Jewish curriculum, to add KTALAV & JODI COHEN: Four on Four: depth to the learning and relevance for the Insights of a foursome into teaching Four in children. the Haggdah Early childhood This will be a shared presentation by 4 R. DANNY MIRVIS: The Aleph to Tav of teachers of their teaching 4 in the Haggadah. Motivation The discussion will include exploration for meaning and application within Primary Should we offer rewards for religious school years achievements? Do incentives enhance or impede true spiritual growth? Learning from Text how Go-d Himself approaches these questions in the Torah, this session will explore religious YIGAL NISELL: Now Launching- JNF’s one stop motivational theory and how best to apply it online Zionist educational resource in our modern day educational settings. Introducing Australia's largest online Zionist Jewish studies educational resource. This session will

introduce the new education JNF education DEBBIE CONN (convenor): Hebrew in the and demonstrate activities which teachers can Primary School A session for all Heads of access and download for their own usage. Department, Hebrew - K-6 This session will be interactive as I will give them a live example of some of the activities LIAT WINER AND LISA BELLELI: Project J-Safe: available. Preventing and responding to child sexual Israel studies abuse

AVI COHEN: Why we should welcome “Tales Project J-Safe is a culturally relevant, trauma- of a City by the Sea” in the VCE curriculum. informed protective behaviours program There was intense debate in Melbourne providing prevention strategies for child concerning the inclusion of “Tales of a City by sexual abuse to Jewish schools and Early the Sea” in the VCE curriculum, given some of Learning Centres. its anti-Israel rhetoric. The model promotes a whole school approach This session will evaluate what was that involves understanding, recognising and controversial within the script and discuss the responding to the effects of trauma while portrayal of both Jews and Israelis in modern emphasising safety for students. literature. This session will look at how to manage direct We will investigate the merit of its inclusion and indirect disclosures of sexual abuse. We within a State based senior curriculum. will examine several scenarios and explore case dynamics and decision making processes for effective management.

General

Session 6: 3:00pm -4:00pm

CATHY MILWIDSKY & MORIAH ELC STAFF: A elementary, middle, and high school classes. family Kabbalat Shabbat Participants will be introduced to online tools and methodologies that can be used to Every year we welcome our families to join us develop and monitor their students’ textual in a demonstration Kabbalat Shababt reading skills, to develop their students' use of ceremony. The children prepare their Shabbat higher level thinking in textual analysis and table, and enjoy sharing the brachot and comparison of biblical commentaries, and to mitzvoth with their parents. We would like to foster a rich Jewish values discussion in both present our preparation and celebration of classroom and homework activities. our family Kabbalat Shabbat experiences. Participants require a laptop or ipad to benefit Early Childhood, Jewish studies maximally from the workshop.

SMADAR GOLDSTEIN: Tablets to Tablets: Recommended: earbuds with microphone. Using Modern Technology to Teach Biblical Texts Text, technology

This session will familiarize teachers with user friendly technologies that can enhance their instruction of Chumash and Navi in upper

R. RAMON WIDMONTE: Ben Gurion’s Bible – Jewish law. They were accepted into Israel how Israel’s first Prime Minister built the under the Law of Return which provides automatic citizenship to anyone with a Jewish State of Israel father or grandfather, even though their This session focuses on Ben Gurion’s mothers are not Jewish. However, these bibliomaniac phase wherein he sought to immigrants and their children are not allowed entrench the Tanach as the central pillar of to convert to Judaism because the religious the Israeli education system, as well as using it establishment will only convert those who are as the model for his internal and foreign religiously observant. In this shiur, Rabbi policy decisions and statements.It illustrates Lipman provides sources which should serve the repeating patterns in Jewish statehood as the basis for Israel to convert many of which he saw in the book of Joshua/Judges as these immigrants – and especially their well as how he sought to prevent the children – as a solution for a serious social recurrence of the errors/failures evident problem in Israel and to prevent a potential under Joshua and the Judges. inter-marriage crisis.

Israel studies Text

ADINA BANKIER-KARP: Light the fire, don’t DANIEL ROSE: The Art of Tefilla Education: fill the bucket! Jewish educators as Using illustrations and photographs as a continuity catalysts commentary on the siddur Throughout time Jews have prayed for, They say a picture is worth a thousand words. worried about and invested deeply in In this session we will decide for ourselves! continuity. Unique cultural shifts of each time and place present challenges to identity and We will explore how the Koren Magerman transmission of Jewishness. In today’s Educational Series of Siddurim utilize both secular, fast-paced and permissive world, illustrations (in the Koren Children and Youth loyalty and duty are anachronisms. Amidst a Siddurim) and images (the Koren Teen Siddur) general population gazing excitedly into the as powerful age-appropriate kavanot - future, will Melbourne’s young Jewish adults commentary elements, as vehicles for still see relevance in a religion with roots deep spiritual and intellectual connection building in the past? This workshop examines ways to the tefillot, to God and to the Jewish that Jewish identity has been defined and people. The harnessing of the child’s artistic studied, including the paradigm shift that has creative talent will also be explored, as a radically altered the ways in which it is vehicle of creative midrash and self- perceived. Perspectives of Jewish school expression in tefilla education. alumni will be presented, regarding the impact of Jewish studies on their Tefilla identity. Participants will immerse in R. DOV LIPMAN: In-depth source based shiur Chavruta (paired) learning. Finally, this interactive workshop examines what can about conversion Jewish educators do to inspire the next During the 1990's, a few hundred thousand generation of proud, passionate and deeply people moved to Israel from the former committed Jewish adults? Soviet Union who are not Jews according to Text/Jewish studies, Secondary

DAVID SOLOMON: A Game of Thrones: East and against vast movements on the Perspectives on the last decades of Bayit world stage. In the course of his discussion, Rishon David will demonstrate how an understanding In this talk, David Solomon will deliver a of Jewish History through a Biblical narrative masterclass in contemporary Tanach brings to life its personalities and events, education by exploring the complex period battles, triumphs and tragedies, and is key to from the Josianic Revolution to the Churban. understanding the transformative project of The talk will set the struggles of the the Prophets of Israel. deteriorating Kingdom of Judah in the context of geo-political machinations in the Middle

International Presenters ZEEV BEN-SHACHAR Zeev Ben-Shachar has been a lecturer in the field of Israel education and advocacy for the past decade. He lectures widely at synagogues, youth movements, Jewish federations, college campuses and national leadership conferences, in Israel and abroad, in English and Hebrew.

Zeev serves as Director of Israel Education at Jerusalem U. He directs a team of educators, developing and teaching year-long classes on Israel, leadership & activism for 500 students each year, studying at 20 Israel-based gap-year programs. Additionally, he oversees a team of content writers, develops online courses, documentary films and educational curricula to connect over 16,000 North American high school students, college students and adults with Israeli history and society.

In 2007, Zeev helped found the Israel branch of The David Project, which focuses on promoting Israel's image on U.S campuses. As Educator and Project Manager, he developed curriculum content and delivered hundreds of courses, seminars and lectures about the Arab-Israeli conflict, Israel advocacy and activism to thousands of Masa participants and to many others on Taglit-Birthright and Israel summer programs.

Zeev has published articles in eJewishphilanthropy, The Jerusalem Post and The Times of Israel. He is a frequent guest on various Israeli television and radio networks, including Channel 20, i24 News, and 103 FM.

Zeev has an MA in Middle Eastern Studies from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Psychology from Harvard University. He has worked as an organizational consultant and as a teaching fellow at Harvard University’s Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations Department, where he received Harvard’s certificate of distinction for excellence in teaching. In the IDF, he served with the elite infantry unit, Sayeret Givati, as a combat soldier and a commander.

R. SCOT A. BERMAN Rabbi Scot A. Berman has over 30 years’ experience in the fields of Jewish education and Jewish communal life. He has served in many educational capacities including elementary, secondary, university, and adult education. R. Berman has served as principal of a number of Jewish schools and founded during his career two Jewish high schools. He also served as Executive Director of a multi- million dollar family foundation. Currently R. Berman is an educational consultant working with schools on professional development, instructional improvement, mentoring and coaching, and developing and promoting educational curricula.

R. Berman received Rabbinical Ordination (Semicha) from Hebrew Theological College, Skokie, IL, and his M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Loyola University, Chicago, IL. He also spent two years in Israel on Fellowship as a participant in the Jerusalem Fellows. He is currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program in Education at York University, Toronto. Rabbi Berman is the author of Learning Talmud, and a number of published articles on Jewish education and Jewish communal matters.

DAVID BRODY Dr. David Brody is the Academic Dean and chair of the Early Childhood Department of the Efrata College of Education in Jerusalem. His career spans a lifetime of work with young children, from nursery caregiver and kindergarten teacher, to academic endeavours in the field of teacher education. He has served as a consultant to Jewish schools around the world on the topic of Jewish early childhood education. His research interests include professional development of teacher educators, the community of learners as a format for professional development, infusing higher

order thinking into teaching, supporting early childhood educators in dealing with emotionally laden topics, and gender balance in early childhood education. His book: Men Who Teach Young Children: An International Perspective, published by the Institution of Education in London, is considered to be a milestone in research on gender balance in early childhood education. A second book: Teacher Educators Learning in Community, Routledge Press,will be published in 2017.

LIAT COHEN-RAVIV Liat is the Senior Director, International Diller Teen Fellows. With a rich background in education, she holds an MA in Public Policy from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Educational Systems Development from the University of Haifa/Tel-Hai College. Liat served four and a half years as a commander and instructor at the IDF officer's training school. She served as the Director of the Golan Heights Regional Council Informal Education Department, during which she was awarded both a National Excellence Award by the Ministry of Education, and a Personal County Excellence Award for leading the department. She was also the City Youth Department Director in the Community Centers of Safed and the Children & Youth Department Director in the Metulla Community Center where she was awarded the County Excellence Award.

As a lay leader, Liat is a member of the board of directors of the Canada Center, the national center for winter sports in Israel, where she represents JAFI. In addition, Liat is a member of the board of "Our Story," a center dedicated to telling the story of the immigration to Israel of the Jewish community in North Africa during the 1950's.

Liat co-founded the Youth Department Directors’ Committee in Israel and helped initiate the "Youth Department Administration Bill" legislation in the Regional Municipalities, which was approved in 2011.

SMADAR GOLDSTEIN Smadar Goldstein is the Founder of JETS, Jerusalem Ed Tech Solutions. She is quickly becoming recognized as one of the most dynamic and successful online teachers and teacher trainers in the world of Jewish education. She served as a classroom teacher at Hillel Torah Day school in Chicago and the Yeshivah of Flatbush in New York before making aliyah in 1998. In Israel, Smadar made the transition from classroom instruction to online instruction. She founded her own company - JETS, Jerusalem Ed Tech Solutions, in 2009. Today, JETS is a recognized leader in providing online courses relating to Israel, Judaism, and Hebrew; professional development programs on incorporating technology in Jewish Studies and Hebrew language classrooms; and dynamic school partnership programs. Smadar has provided online and face to face professional development sessions to more than 400 educators in the United States, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Holland, Australia, England, and Israel, in over 60 schools and organizations.

MELILA HELLNER ESHED Melila Hellner-Eshed, Ph.D. is Professor of Jewish mysticism and Zohar in the Department of Jewish Studies at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem She received her degree from Hebrew University under the tutelage of Professor Yehuda Liebes. At the Hebrew University, Melila also teaches in the Revivim, honours teacher training program

Melila is a senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem where she founded and and co-directs the Rabbinic Student Seminar, a program for rabbinic students from all denominations spending a year in Israel. She initiated and directs 'Maskilot' – an intensive two year program for women doctoral candidates.

For the past three decades, Melila has been a central figure in the Israeli renaissance of study of Jewish texts by Israeli adults of all paths of life in various frameworks. She has been teaching and working with Jewish communities in North America, Europe and the former Soviet Union for many years.

Her book: “And a River Flows from Eden” - On the Language of Mystical Experience in the Zohar,” was published by Stanford University Press in 2009. Her latest book ''Seekers of the Face' – The secrets of the Idra Rabba in the Zohar' will be published April 2016.

Melila is on the faculty of the Institute of Jewish Spirituality and is active in the 'Sulha' - a reconciliation project that brings together Israelis and Palestinians.

GILI FINER Gili is a special education art teacher , who has retrained as a pre-school teacher and has been working with preschool children for the last 13 years. She is now the lead teacher in a Ministry of Education Preschool on Moshav Tsofar, in the Arava region, managing the preschool and staff.

In 2012 she participated in Partnership 2Gether Arava Australia Partnership- teachers exchange program to Melbourne, Australia. Since then, Gili has been an active participant in activities with her preschool together with Bialik College preschool in Melbourne, Australia. She creates ties of friendship and learning, through Skype meetings with the twin preschool on various subjects. They celebrate Jewish holidays together, exchange photos and video clips to visualize the lives of others. Gili’s primary focus is to develop self-confidence in the children and educate them to believe in themselves, to be able to communicate with their surroundings and to ensure that they are following the path that is right for them, through positive reinforcement and encouragement.

SILVIO JOSKOWICZ Silvio is the Head of the Department for Education, World Zionist Organisation. He has served as the secretary General of Habonim Dror and as Chairman of the Zionist World Youth Movement Council, as a member of the Executive Secretariat of the Zionist Labor Movement, as a Board Committee Member of The Jewish Agency since 1998 and became a member of the Board of Governors in 2011. He was a delegate of Habonim Dror to Argentina and the coordinator of Informal Education of the Nativ L"H Kibbutz, where he lives.

MARGALIT KAVENSTOCK Margalit consults, writes learning materials and guides teachers in the field of teaching Hebrew as an additional language. She is also engaged in writing teaching and learning materials for different organizations: The World Zionist Organization, Center for Educational Technology (Matah), Tali Education Fund, Hebraica University in Mexico City and Israeli-American Association Council -IAC. Margalit serves as a consultant for Jewish schools in Canada and the United States (preschool and elementary) and for informal programs such as summer camps and programs for Israelis in the United States.

While working many years at the Jewish Agency for Israel, she was the scholar in residence for many teachers’ groups and wrote the program "Chalav u'Dvash- Hebrew for preschoolers." As a Shlicha on behalf of the World Zionist Organization, she established in Mexico City a Hebrew department at Hebraica University where she served as the director for three years, worked with the Jewish schools network and established an academic Ulpan for adults.

Margalit brings a broad familiarity with Jewish Education around the world, extensive knowledge and rich educational experience in the areas of teachers' professional development, designing learning materials and school programs.

She holds BA in social work; Bed. in Early Childhood and Elementary Education; MA and advanced studies in Jewish Education; teaching Hebrew as an additional language ( certified by The Hebrew University in Jerusalem) and assessing Hebrew proficiency (certified by ACTFL-American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language).

RABBI DOV LIPMAN Rabbi Dov Lipman currently serves as Director of Public Diplomacy in the World Zionist Organization He previously served as a member of the 19th Knesset with the Yesh Atid party, and was the first American born MK in 30 years. He holds rabbinic ordination from Ner Israel Rabbinical College and a Masters in Education from Johns Hopkins University. Rabbi Lipman rose to national and international prominence for his role in combating religious extremism in Bet Shemesh and is the author of five books including his latest, "An 'American' MK: Behind the scenes in the 19th Knesset." Rabbi Lipman is a political commentator for i24 News and his articles appear frequently in Israeli news media. Rabbi Lipman and his wife moved to Bet Shemesh, Israel with their four children in July 2004.

SARAH MALI Sarah is the Director of The Institute for Youth Leadership (Machon Le'Madrichim) and the founding Director of the Global Leadership Institute at the Jewish Agency for Israel. Born in London, England, Sarah holds degrees from The London School of Economics and Political Science and The Hebrew University. Sarah is also an alumna of the Melton Senior Educator’s Program at the Hebrew University and is more recently a graduate of two Harvard Executive Leadership Development Programs.

Sarah has designed and led educational programs around the Jewish world including a five year placement at UJA Federation of Greater Toronto where she established a community-wide strategy for Israel Engagement and founded the Young Emissary Program.

Sarah is a member of the Birthright International Education Committee and of the Harvard Kennedy Schools' Adaptive Leadership Alumni Network. Sarah is a Board member of 'Chetz' a non-profit focused on developing peer learning opportunities in Israeli schools. Sarah is married to Matanya and lives in Jerusalem with their four children.

HADAS NIR Hadas is the Program Manager of the Diller Teen Fellows. She has managed many aspects of Diller Teen Fellows content and administrative work in Israel and internationally since 2011.

Prior to this, she served in a variety of educational and administrative roles including serving as Training Consultant and leading and facilitating leadership programming encouraging women’s engagement in local politics and public administration. Hadas has a long track record as an instructor and a counselor, working with children, teens and adults. Additionally, she served as an educational program coordinator in the B’nei Hamoshavim youth movement and as a tour guide for the Beit Yigal Alon Museum.

Hadas is a certified Group Workshop Facilitator. She holds an MA in Sociology and Anthropology with a concentration in Organizational Studies from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Communication

and Management from the Management College in Tel Aviv. Hadas is currently studying for a certificate in Jewish Renewal programming from the Oranim and Hagim Center.

As a lay leader, Hadas leads her community’s Education Committee, overseeing cultural and educational activity. In the IDF Hadas served as an instructor in the Combat Engineering military school. Hadas is married to Amit, and is the mother of Yuval, Eyal and Shiri.

DANIEL ROSE Dr Daniel Rose was born and bred in London, and made Aliyah in 1999. He has worked in formal and informal Jewish education for more than 25 years, including teaching middle and high school students in England and America, and post-high school gap year students in Israel. He holds an undergraduate degree in Jewish Studies is from Jews’ College, London University, and has a Masters and post-graduate teaching certificate in Religious Education, also from London University. His doctoral research, in the Melton Center, Hebrew university, was on role modeling in education.

Daniel’s current position is Director of Instruction at the Lookstein Virtual Jewish Academy. Previous to that he was Director of Educational Projects at Koren publishers, Jerusalem, during which time he was responsible for the development of a series of educational siddurim designed to make Tefilla education more meaningful. These siddurim are now being used by Jewish schools and communities across the world. Daniel lives in Modi’in with his wife, five children, and a dog.

HEDVA SCHOENER Hedva Schoener, from the Central Arava in Israel, has worked as a pre-school teacher for the last 46 years. She visited Bialik College in Melbourne in 2013 as a part of the teachers exchange program of the "Arava-Australia Partnership" and came back to Israel with a strong will to maintain and develop the connection with the community and school in Melbourne. With the support of Helene Oberman, connections between the schools developed: The children send each other greetings, drawings and presentations, and at least twice a year during the holidays, they video-skype. This bond is now an intrinsic part of her "Gan". As an educator in Israel she is proud and privileged to be a part of this partnership and to be able to connect children from both sides of the globe, getting to know each other, asking questions and sharing experiences.

AVI STEINBERG Avi Steinberg is the Director of the English Speaking Countries Division at Israel Experience®. The Division employs 20 staff and in the summer an additional 40, and provides educational experience services to more than 4000 participants per year.

Avi was born and raised until the age of eight in Dublin, Ireland. After completing his service in the Israel Defence Forces, Avi earned his Bachelors' degree in education and went on to specialize in informal education. He filled various management roles in youth villages across Israel and directed an educational leadership program in the Ministry of Education.

From 2000-2003, Avi served as a regional education emissary for Scandinavia based in Sweden. In 2013 Avi concluded his time as the Director of Education for Masa Israel, a flagship program of The Jewish Agency for Israel that brings over 10,000 young Jewish adults from around the world to Israel on long-term programs each year.

Avi was responsible for ensuring that thousands of Masa Israel participants each year would have their Israel experience significantly enhanced by taking part in unique enrichment and leadership development activities.

He currently lives in Kfar Adumim, a unique town in Israel comprising religious and secular populations, with his wife and three daughters. He is also working on finishing a Masters degree in Jewish education at Schechter Institute. Avi is an alumn of Gvanim program which promotes Jewish pluralism in Israel.

RABBI RAMON WIDMONTE Rabbi Ramon Widmonte is the Rabbi of Mizrachi South Africa and the Dean and co-founder of the Academy of Jewish Thought and Learning, an organization aiming to instil a love of empowering, open Jewish learning in Jewish communities worldwide. The Academy is active in the areas of adult education, teacher training and High school syllabus creation.

He is the founder of the “Ride4Africa-Israel” and “Thirst for Hope” projects which have melded pro- Israel activism, health, water conservation, Israeli Agri-tech and social upliftment in South African townships. He has served on the executive of South African Zionist Federation and is also the author of a translation and commentary of the Maharal of Prague’s Tiferet Yisra’el, published by Urim. Rabbi Widmonte holds a BSc in Mathematics and Computer Science and studied at Yeshivat Har Etzion under Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein zt”l, Rabbi Yehuda Amital zt”l and Rabbi Moshe Lichtenstein shlit”a. He served in the IDF in the tank corps and has published numerous articles in magazines and journals. He is married to Julie and they have been blessed with three wonderful children.

Local Presenters RACHEL ADAMS Rachel is the Jewish Agency for Israel Shlicha (emissary) with the Australasian Union of Jewish Students. Since making aliyah in 2009 from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rachel served for two years in the IDF Ground Forces Foreign Relations Branch, and worked with visiting Taglit-Birthright Israel groups. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a BA in Hebrew, Political Science, and International Studies.

RON ALTER Ron Alter is the Jewish Agency’s Aliyah and Habonim Dror Shaliach in NSW. He grew up on a kibbutz in the Jordan Valley. He served in the IDF as a member of the Palchan Nachal Unit, specializing in combat engineering as both a soldier and commander. He holds a B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology from the Bar Ilan University.

Ron has worked in informal Jewish education for 13 years, both in Israel and abroad. He was a Jewish Agency Shaliach to Habonim Dror in North America for three years, and spent eight summers as a Jewish Agency Shaliach to various North American summer camps. Upon his returns he worked for the Israeli Scouts (Tzofim), where he directed the “gap year” program and oversaw dozens of volunteers each year. Ron has extensive volunteer experience with organisations including the “Make a Wish Foundation” in Israel; and "Hoshen" the education organization of the LGBT community in Israel. Ron is driven by his belief that Israel is, and always will be, the centre of the Jewish people. He wants people in the Australian Jewish community to see Israel as a real place that has more than hummus, falafel and wars. He believes that through education and Israel experiences this message will be heard.

AYELET ASHKAR Ayelet came to Australia in 2003 and was based in NSW, where she was employed as a dance therapist in private and public health centres. Prior to that, she supported people with disabilities through the arts. She worked in a support program that ran through the local council, instructing groups of adults and children in self-expressive dance.

Ayelet has worked as a kindergarten Hebrew/ Jewish studies teacher at Mount Scopus Memorial College for six years. Her main role is to enrich children with love and knowledge of the Jewish traditions, Chagim and the Hebrew language. In 2014, she undertook a course of creative art therapy, which was connected to my previous studies of theatre-movement and visual art in Israel.

ADINA BANKIER CARP As well as teaching English and Jewish Studies at Mount Scopus Memorial College, Adina is a doctoral student at Monash University investigating the catalysts of continuity of young adults in the Melbourne Jewish community. Her teaching and research interests span the disciplines of Tanach, Jewish philosophy, Education and Jewish demography. Adina has spent many years teaching Jewish studies in high school and adult education contexts across the Melbourne Jewish community. Adina holds a BA (hons), Dip. Ed. and MA from Monash University, and is a former fellow of the Senior Educators Program at the Melton Institute at Hebrew University in Israel.

LISA BELLELI A teacher for the deaf for the past 8 years working in the Jewish and secular system, Lisa has undergone training in childhood trauma, protective behaviour programs, and dealing with disclosures. She has been part of Tzedek’s Education team for more than two years. Lisa is also a mother of three.

HAGIT BAR-ON Hagit Bar-On is the Head of Primary Hebrew at Emanuel School. She previously worked as the Head of Hebrew and Jewish Studies in Kadimah College in Auckland, New Zealand. Hagit and her family emigrated from Israel where she had been an educator for many years. She studied English Literature and Education at Tel Aviv University. Hagit is passionate about nourishing Jewish Education and learning.

TALI BARR –WAANDERS Tali is Head of Hebrew and Jewish Studies in the Primary School and Early Learning Centre, Bialik College. As part of her role she extends individual and small groups of children as well as teaching full bilingual and mainstream classes in Hebrew and Jewish Studies. Tali also works with teachers in creating differentiated curricula to cater for the different abilities within their classes. Tali has been a key member of study groups involved in developing rich cultures of thinking with and amongst teachers and students. She has presented at a number of conferences, including TaL AM 2007 and Culture of Thinking 2013 and has attended The Principal and Leaders conference in Jerusalem, The Legacy Heritage Teacher Institute in Jerusalem and Reggio Emilia Study Tour in Italy.

ANITA BERMAN Anita is the AUJS National Campaigns Coordinator. She is currently studying Primary Education and Arts (Linguistics and Yiddish) at Monash University. Anita attended Bialik College and Mount Scopus, as well as a church school. Through this she has developed an awareness of issues which face students in different schooling situations. Having been involved in many different sections of the community, Anita has an understanding of the issues facing our community and its integration into the wider Australian society. Anita's aim through all of her work in the Jewish community is to empower Jewish students to be proud of their Jewish identity and to engage positively with their Judaism.

JUDITH BLUMBERG Judy qualified as an early childhood teacher in South Africa and has taught in South Africa, Israel, New Zealand and now in Australia, mainly in Jewish school systems and now at Bialik College. She has participated in workshops and seminars for Diaspora early childhood teachers in Israel and attended the Reggio Emilio Conference in Italy in 2011. Judy has always been a committed Zionist and a passionate Jewish educator. She was inspired by her time living on kibbutzim where the education philosophy included the use of the Chatzer Grutaot (Junk Yard) theory in kindergartens. Together with her colleagues she has implemented a loose parts yard based on this theory.

When the opportunity arose to be involved with a partnership with a kinder in the Arava she embraced it whole heartedly. She has seen the many implications this has for her teaching practise. This included creating partnerships with colleagues as well as with the children in the Arava kinders, making new connections on many different levels, extending the children’s horizons, valuing different cultures and forming a bond between our children here with their counterparts in Israel. On her most recent trip to Israel, Judy included a visit to the Arava to see the kinders with which Bialik has partnerships, further cementing her relationship with the area and its people.

MATTI BOROWSKI Matti grew up in Melbourne, Sydney and Israel and has been involved in various communal organizations, including being a Madrich and Merakez of Bnei Akiva Melbourne and CSG. He has spent time learning in various yeshivot in Israel and volunteered to serve in the IDF in 2006 in a combat infantry unit. After working as a commercial lawyer and volunteering at legal clinics assisting refugees, he is now living the dream as a Jewish Studies teacher and Informal Jewish Educator at Mt

Scopus Memorial College. Matti completed his LLB, BA (Jewish History) and Grad. Dip Ed at Monash University and recently returned from living in Jerusalem for a year with his family where he completed his MA in Jewish Education at the Hebrew University. He is married to Mihal and is Gila and Benji’s Abba.

MERAV CARMELI Merav Carmeli teaches Hebrew at Sholem Aleichem College. She has a BA and MA in Bible and Jewish Studies from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She is now working on her Phd which focuses on the Zohar (the most important work of the classical Kabbalah from the 13th century) and specifically on the centrality of the Divine Feminine in this composition. She has taught Jewish Studies and Jewish Mysticism at the adult education program of Monash University through the ACJC, at universities in Israel and at other institutions. She is now an Adjunct Research Associate at Monash University. Merav has published a few academic articles and she is the co-editor of two volumes on the Zohar.

RABBI SHAMIR CAPLAN Shamir serves as College Chaplain/Rabbi, teaches in the Jewish Studies faculty, and assists the Informal team at Mount Scopus, as well as serving as Rabbi of Beit Aharon Congregation (the Modern Orthodox Synagogue at Gandel Besen House).

AMANDA CASTELAN-STARR Amanda is Judaic Studies Curriculum Co-ordinator at Mount Scopus College. She teaches high school students and adult audiences and has a particular interest in integrating Art in the Jewish Studies curriculum. She studied at Hebrew university of Jerusalem on the Mechanchim Bechirim programme in 2009/10.

AVI COHEN Deputy Principal at Mount Scopus and Director of the Alter School of Jewish Studies and Ivrit, Avi has lectured in the field of Modern Israel at both Deakin and Monash Universities as well as running multiple courses at the Jewish Museum. Director of OMS.

JODI COHEN Jodi Cohen is a Hebrew and Jewish Studies teacher at Emanuel School and has been teaching for the past 25 years. She graduated from Rabbi Zlotnik Avida Hebrew Teachers Training College. She emigrated from South Africa in 2000 and has three lovely children. Jodi has previously taught at King David Sandton in South Africa and Masada College.

DEBBIE CONN: Debbie Conn attended Mount Scopus College all her school life and her love of Hebrew and everything Jewish emanated from her school experience. She studied Hebrew at Melbourne University and completed a post graduate diploma before entering the teaching profession. When she moved to Sydney, she began her full time teaching career at Moriah College in 1995 and has been there ever since. She is the Director of Hebrew in the Primary school and continues to be passionate and enthusiastic about all things Hebrew, Jewish and Israel related. As a staunch Zionist, she has completed many courses in Israel, the latest one at the Legacy Heritage Teacher Institute, Hebrew University Jerusalem. She and Liora Sack presented an Early Childhood Tefilla Curriculum at this Institute which is an innovative and inspiring approach to teaching Tefilla to young students.

BRYAN CONYER Bryan Conyer has worked in Jewish education for many years, with a passion for nurturing pluralism within the Jewish community. Bryan received a PhD from Sydney University, after researching pluralism in Jewish Schools. He now works as the Director of Jewish Life at King David School and has a full-time job raising four gorgeous children.

RABBI CHAIM COWAN Rabbi Chaim Cowen is Head of Jewish Studies at Leibler Yavneh College. Over the past years he has been developing a Gemara curriculum which is being implemented across years 7-10 at Yavneh this year.

RABBI YOEL DORON Rabbi Doron is originally from the United States of America where he completed his Bachelor of Arts in English and Psychology. His family moved to Melbourne in 2005. He completed a Diploma of Education at Monash University and a Master of Education at the University of Melbourne. Currently, he teaches Jewish Studies, English, History and Geography at Yeshivah College.

EREZ FEINBERG Erez Feinberg is the Head of informal Jewish education at SFPS Mount Scopus and is the Chairperson of “Hebrew Language and Israeli Culture” on the Zionism Victoria Executive. Born in Jerusalem (8 Generations "Yerushalmi"), he is a graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem with an MA in School Leadership & Certified manager of Education Systems and Policies, an Education Diploma in Civil Studies; Education Diploma in tour guiding: Ministry of Education and a BA in International Relations & Geography.

He previously worked as the Education Director for the Jewish National Fund - Victoria Division. He also managed trips and taught at the Hebrew Gymnasya in Jerusalem. Another prior role was in the field of FNS (Field, Nation & Society) & Knowledge of Israel. Erez was also a "Mashatzim" leader (youth movement of the Ministry of Education), teaching exceptional secondary school students to be excellent leaders within the high school framework and Israeli society in general.

ITTAY FLESCHER Ittay is an innovative media educator with a wealth of experience in both formal and informal Jewish education. He currently teaches a course on Jews in Film at the Jewish Museum of Australia and coordinates the Community Service program at Mount Scopus Memorial College in Melbourne. He is passionate about Israel, interfaith dialogue, human rights, film and music. Ittay only speaks to his children in Hebrew and has been known to read his six-year-old daughter the UN Declaration of Human Rights as a bedtime story. Ittay’s dream is to spend a year attending every Limmud conference across the globe, engaging with the world’s greatest Jewish thinkers.

DALIA GURFINKEL Dalia is Co-ordinator of the Primary Leadership Program and Assemblies at Bialik College. As part of her role she guides Teacher Mentors. Dalia has over 25 years of teaching Hebrew and Jewish Studies in both bilingual and mainstream classes. She is the driving force of the Button Project at Bialik College and has been a key member of study groups involved in developing rich cultures of thinking with and amongst its teachers and students. Dalia has attended the TaL AM conferences in Sydney and Melbourne, The Legacy Heritage Teacher Institute in Jerusalem, The Mind and Brain Conference in Sydney and The Yad Vashem International School for Holocaust Studies.

EMILY GIAN Emily Gian is the Media and Advocacy Director at the Zionist Federation of Australia. She has an Arts Degree with Honours in History and Jewish Studies from the University of Melbourne. She is halfway through a PhD in Israeli Literature but has taken a break to focus on her family. She is a big Zionist and lover of all things Israeli including literature, food, her husband, music and television - not necessarily in that order. She is also mum to two boys.

KAREN GLANC Karen Glanc returned to the teaching profession after 20 years in the business world and now teaches Humanities and Jewish Studies to Years 7 at Bialik College. As well as serving as the Year 7 Level coordinator, she introduced the concept of Health and Wellbeing Days to the school. Karen has utilised her Cultures of Thinking learning in her classroom to enhance the Roots learning project, helping to facilitate an evolving, thinking document. Her knowledge and understanding of the cultural forces that exist within the classroom were consolidated during a trip to Harvard where exposure to Howard Gardner, Ron Ritchard and many others ignited a desire to continue learning and absorbing knowledge in the many areas of The Cultures of Thinking program.

RABBI NOTEH GLOGAUER Rabbi Dr Noteh Glogauer is the Head of Primary Hebrew and Jewish Studies at Masada College. He was born in South Africa and emigrated to Calgary, Canada in 1977 with his parents and siblings. He graduated from Western Canada High School with an Advanced Bilingual Diploma from the French Immersion Program, has a degree from the University of Calgary with majors in French language and mathematics and received his Rabbinical Ordination in New York. He received his Masters of Science in 2004 in Educational Technology and in 2007 completed his Doctorate in Instructional Technology and Distance Education. He began his journey as a School Principal at the ripe old age of 29. He has combined his passions for truly reaching each child, striving for excellence in all he does, and inspiring those around him to do the same at 3 schools on 2 continents. Rabbi Glogauer is a committed lifelong learner - a journey he continues with his wife Chaya and his beloved children, Esti, Yossi and Rochel.

ELLIE GOLVAN Ellie has been an active member of the Melbourne and Australian Jewish community for as long as she can remember. She spent most of her student life focused on Zionist Youth movement activities, graduating from Monash University with Bachelor of Arts and Diploma of Education. She has worked in schools and community organisations as an informal educator and program coordinator. She currently works for the ZFA as the coordinator of the Melbourne branch of the Diller Teen Fellows. Ellie aims to instill in students a deep sense of belonging to the Jewish People and ensure that they actively engage with the world around them. SUE HAMPEL OAM Sue Hampel taught English and History for over 30 years at Mount Scopus College. She is currently working as International Programs co-ordinator and tutor in Holocaust, Genocide and Post Conflict studies at the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation, Monash University. Sue is co-president of the Jewish Holocaust Museum.

In 2015, Sue was selected as an accredited expert with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). She recently represented Australia at international plenary meetings.

Sue has been recognised for her community service by receiving numerous awards including a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in January 2014 for Service to the community through the promotion of understanding and tolerance.

Sue holds a Masters degree in Holocaust and Genocide Studies.

KEREN HAREL-GORDON Keren Harel-Gordon, a native of Jerusalem, is a graduate of Hebrew University (BA), Tel Aviv University (MA) and the 'Melamdim' program for educators at the Hartman institute in Jerusalem.

She worked for many years in Informal Jewish education in Israel and in different Jewish communities. She is currently teaching Jewish studies at Mount Scopus Memorial College.

JAYNE JOSEM Jayne Josem commenced work at the Jewish Holocaust Centre in 2001, following completion of a Masters in Public History at Monash University. In 2010 Jayne relaunched the permanent museum display following a major upgrade. Recently she has focussed on improving access to the JHC collection, including its video testimony archive.

RABBI MOSHE KAHN Rabbi Moshe Kahn is Director of Chabad Youth, Rabbi of Daminyan and Director of Young Jewish Professionals.

ERICA KTALAV Erika grew up in Arad in Southern Israel and studied teaching in Beer Sheva. She moved to Australia in 1992 and has been teaching Hebrew and Jewish Studies, both in primary and high school, at Emanuel School for the past 20 years.

RABBI JAMES KENNARD Rabbi Kennard has been Principal of Mount Scopus in Melbourne for nearly ten years. Prior to that he headed Jewish schools in Manchester and London in the UK and, back in the days of his youth, worked in informal Jewish Education. Rabbi Kennard has a degree in Maths from Oxford, and writes and speaks regularly on educational, Jewish and general topics.

SIMON LAWRENCE Simon Lawrence grew up in the U.K. and attended Hasmonean High School. Following school, he learnt at Yeshivat Hamivtar, returning to London to study Jewish Studies at Jew’s College. Simon worked as Technical Director of Bnei Akiva before making Aliya in 1997. Simon studied Special Education at David Yellin College and taught at Keren Or and Chavat Hanoar Hatziyoni. Simon is married to Judith (nee Kerbel) and has two children, Hannah and Sasha. They moved to Perth in 2007. Simon became the Youth Director at the PHC and has been the Director of Jewish Studies at Carmel School since 2012.

URI LEVIN Uri is the Jewish Agency shaliach for Netzer and Progressive Judaism Victoria. He was born in Israel and grew up in a community village in the Galilee called Zurit. After serving as an officer in the Israeli Navy, Uri moved to Omaha, Nebraska, to work as a community shaliach with the Young Shlichim Unit of the Jewish Agency for Israel. Upon his return, he enrolled in Tel Aviv University’s

(TAU) theatre program. He graduated from TAU in 2010 with a B.A. in theatre arts and a teaching diploma. While in school, he started working as a professional theatre producer in Tel Aviv. In 2011 he returned to education and became the Social and Cultural Coordinator of the Raphael Recanati International School of IDC Herzliya. He was responsible for all informal education, extracurricular activities, programs and trips taken by the school’s international students. He is currently completing an education management master degree (M.ed) at the Kibbutzim Seminar.

RABBI BENJI LEVY Rabbi Benji Levy is the College Dean of Moriah College in Sydney Australia. While creating a renaissance in Jewish Life and Learning in one of the largest Jewish schools in the world, he founded the Kesher Adult Education movement, Mikolot Public Speaking competition, Shalhevet Leadership Program through World Mizrachi and led the Sydney Shabbat Project.

He serves as a Member-At- Large on the Bnei Akiva World Council, is a member of the Koren Publishers Educational Board, led Mibereshit in Australasia, served as a scholar-in- residence in communities around the world and has published numerous articles.

Rabbi Benji holds a BA in Media and Communications and Honours in Jewish Civilisation Thought and Culture from the University of Sydney (USYD), an Education degree from Herzog College, Yoreh Yoreh Semicha (rabbinic ordination) from Rabbi Zalman Nechemya Goldberg and Rabbi Shlomo Riskin following his study at Yeshivat Har Etzion and in Rav Rimon’s Merkaz HaHalacha Kollel. He completed the Principal’s Program at the Lookstein Centre in Bar Ilan University and is currently writing his PhD in Jewish philosophy for which he received the Australian Postgraduate Award.

Rabbi Benji is married to Renana, and has two children, Shayna and Yehuda.

TOBY MAC Toby is a Jewish Studies and History teacher at Bialik College. During his professional career he has worked as both a formal and informal Jewish educator and currently teaches a class for Year 10 students entitled: ‘Israel and the Media’ where the role of the press and understanding how to read bias in the media is a key component. Toby has a Bachelor of Education and a Masters in Judaic Studies; completing studies at Monash University, Hebrew University and the Pardes Institute. He is a recent graduate of the Legacy Heritage Teacher Institute in Jerusalem.

ANNA MAYLIS Anna Maylis is a Hebrew and Drama Teacher at Emanuel School. She is the Director of JeSTAR – Jewish School Theatre for children. Anna studied Hebrew literature and general linguistics at Tel Aviv University and she completed her Diploma of Education at Sydney University. Anna made aliya from the former Soviet Union in 1990 and arrived in Australia in 1996. Anna also works as the ZFA’s Russian Speaking Jewish Community Coordinator in Sydney.

RABBI ALON MELTZER Rabbi Alon Meltzer is the Rabbi of the ACT Jewish Community. Alon was the Rosh Snif of Bnei Akiva Auckland, Rosh Machane of a NZ summer camp, Vice and Co President of AUJS New Zealand, and has been engaged in formal and informal education for the past 20 years. Rabbi Meltzer was the Youth and Family Rabbi of the Hebrew Institute of White Plains NY prior to his arrival in Canberra, where he was concurrently studying Semicha at Yeshiva University. He has recently just hired the ACT’s first Shlichim to implement a ground-breaking educational program.

CATHY MILWIDSKY Cathy is the Deputy Pricipal at Mount Scopus and Director of the Alter School of Jewish Studies and Ivrit. She has lectured in the field of Modern Israel at both Deakin and Monash Universities as well as running multiple courses at the Jewish Museum.

RABBI DANNY MIRVIS Danny Mirvis is the Senior Rabbi-elect of Mizrachi and will commence his new role in September. He is currently Rabbi of Kehillat Ohr David at Mizrachi, serves as Rosh Kollel of the Mizrachi Beit Midrash and teaches in Leibler Yavneh College. He is an alumnus of the Hesder program at Yeshivat Har Etzion, where he learned from founding Rashei Yeshiva, Rav Yehuda Amital zt”l and Rav Aharon Lichtenstein zt”l, and served in the IDF Rabbinate’s Torah Ethics for Warfare unit. He went on to hold numerous positions at the Yeshiva, most recently as the founding director of its Center for Torah Leadership, and moved to Melbourne together with his wife, Althea, and two children, almost one year ago.

LIAT MOSS Liat moved to London from Australia to work as a teacher. While teaching, Liat worked closely with Jewish Interactive and eventually joined the team as Computing Lead. As part of Jewish Interactive, Liat works closely with teachers, helping them with their computing needs. She runs teacher training sessions on using technology in the classroom and runs workshops for students,

SIDRA MOSHINSKY Sidra Moshinsky is Head of Jewish Studies (Secondary) at Bialik College. She has also curated various exhibitions at the Jewish Museum of Australia and is a freelance writer.

NAOMI MROCKI Naomi is a Mount Scopus graduate who has been working at Bialik College since 2010. A passionate student of Jewish Studies at school, after Shnat, she continued her studies at Monash University and graduated with a double major in Jewish Civilisation and Behavioural Studies and a minor in Sociology. She completed my Diploma of Education in 2009 and followed her heart and became a Jewish Studies teacher.

GABI NEWMAN Gabi is the current chairperson of the AZYC. She has been involved in the Jewish community for many years and greatly believes that the youth leaders now have a lot more potential with the help from the adult community.

YIGAL NISELL Yigal Nisell is JNF Australia’s newly appointed Education Shaliach in Sydney. Yigal was raised in Tel Aviv and after school, he served in the IDF as an Officer in the Tank Unit. After his army service, Yigal spent a year in Sweden as a Bnei Akiva Shaliach. He then went on to study law at Tel Aviv University and obtained his Masters in Law at Berkley in California. While working in the field of commercial law, Yigal also lectured at Tel Aviv University in Hebrew law. Over the years, Yigal was actively involved with The Jewish Agency and was the co-ordinator for Bnei Akiva’s Shnat programme in Europe. He also worked at a variety of Jewish summer camps in Europe as head of education and for many years, he was affiliated with JNF and other educational shnat programmes in Israel and Europe. Yigal has always been passionate about education and looks forward to his new role with JNF and travelling around Australia to work with the Jewish Day Schools in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth.

HELENE OBERMAN Helene Oberman is the Assistant Head of Bialik College Early Learning Centre and Head of Arts (Early Years). She has worked in education for over 30 years and has experience as an artist exhibiting locally and internationally and in journalism. These experiences have shaped her role as a mentor to teachers and students within a pedagogy inspired by the Reggio Approach and Bialik’s Cultures of Thinking educational project, a partnership with Harvard University.

Helene oversees cross level investigations resulting in large public displays; co-edits an annual academic journal on Educational research in the classroom. She has presented at the Jewish Educators Conference and participated in a leadership program at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. In 2014 Helene was appointed by JAFI and the ZFA’s Australia Arava Partnership as one of three exchange teachers from Australia to volunteer teaching in the Central Arava. On her return she supported ongoing communications with teachers and students with their counterparts in the Arava with the objective of ‘shortening the distance’ and strengthening ties. Helene has returned to the Arava on several occasions to volunteer as a teacher. Helene is on the Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange National committee and the ZFA Australia Arava Partnership Management committee.

FEYGI PHILLIPS Feygi Phillips grew up in the Melbourne Jewish community with a passion for Jewish life and education. Having received her Bachelor of Arts/Education from Monash University, she then completed her Masters at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York City. Feygi has just returned from attending the Great Jewish Books Workshop in Amherst Massachusetts. She enjoys bringing new, different and accessible materials to her Year 7 and 8 students. Feygi is the Jewish Life Convenor (Senior School) at The King David School.

LISA PHILLIPS Lisa Phillips has over 20 years teaching experience as a History teacher in Victorian Schools. She holds a Masters in Educational Studies and she has a special interest in the effective use of learning technologies. Lisa is currently Director of Education at the Jewish Holocaust Centre, Melbourne.

DEBORAH RECHTER Dr Deborah Rechter is an exhibition curator, educator and editor. She has curated many exhibitions at the Jewish Museum of Australia, including J’Accuse: The Dreyfus Affair, Calling Australian Home, and True Jews and Patriots: Australian Jews and WW1. She is currently curating the contentious new Sir John Monash Centre being developed in France under the auspices of the Australian Government to acknowledge the experience of Australians on the Western Front. She is intrigued by the history and diverse stories of Jews in Australia.

LIORA SACK Liora is a Jewish Studies and Hebrew teacher at Moriah College Sydney. She coordinates Tefillah in the Primary School and the Year 6 Bat Mitzvah Presentation

SELWYN SACK Selwyn is originally from South Africa and came to Australia in 1982.

A teacher since 1978, he has degrees in Education and Jewish Studies from South African and Australian universities. He also studied at the Melton Centre of the Hebrew University where he completed the Senior Educator's Course together with his wife, Liora.

Selwyn has taught Jewish Studies, Jewish History and Israel studies at Moriah College for some 20 years and was Head of Jewish Studies at Academy BJE for 15 years.

SARAI SAHAR-POLK Sarai is the first Shlicha of Ha’Tzofim (the Israeli Scouts) in Sydney. She is responsible for establishing the Sydney Tzofim branch (Shevet “Shahar”), supporting the Melbourne branch (Shevet “Onnot”) and managing the preparation process of the Australian Garin Tzabar (lone soldiers) program.

Sarai was born and raised in Jerusalem and spent most of her time in the local Tzofim branch. After finishing her high school studies, she did a gap year (Shnat Sherut) in Ramla, working with the Ethiopian community. She served as an infantry instructor in the Maglan unit of the IDF.

Sarai previously worked in the Jerusalem district of the Israeli scouts in various roles, such as district education and guiding coordinator. Sarai has a BA in social work from the Hebrew University. During her studies, she specialized in Youth at Risk programs.

YAEL SCHNEIER Yael Schneier was born and bred in Melbourne, where she lives with her husband and four children.

She holds undergraduate degrees in Education and Biomedical Science and a Masters in School Leadership from Monash University. Yael has also completed the Australian Government summer school for excellent teachers program. She currently teaches both Jewish Studies and Science at Yeshivah Beth Rivkah Colleges, where she is the Year Ten Level Convenor and coordinator of the Beit Midrash Programme. Yael is a dynamic and innovative teacher who injects passion into all of her lessons.

R. NOAM SENDOR Rabbi Noam Sendor is the Campus Rabbi at Leibler Yavneh College and the Assistant Rabbi at Blake Street Hebrew Congregation. Originally from Sharon, MA, he learned in various yeshivot in Israel, culminating with rabbinic ordination from Yeshivat Hamivtar in Efrat.

When he isn’t doing the rabbi thing or being educated by his young family, Rabbi Sendor invests his time in the Alter Jazz Ensemble, which merges traditional Jewish melodies and modern Jazz.

R. DANIEL SIEGEL Rabbi Siegel has extensive experience as a Jewish educator, and as Head of Jewish Studies and Jewish Life Programs in both Day Schools and Congregational Schools. Rabbi Siegel has supervised and mentored teachers, created and developed curricula and programming in day schools and congregational schools and has served as Head of School in both settings. He has taught all year levels 2 through 12 and has also been a teacher on the university level and in adult education programs.

Rabbi Siegel holds an MA in Jewish Studies, an MA in Jewish Philosophy, has Day School Principal Certification and Rabbinic Ordination. He has published in the spheres of Jewish Studies and Jewish Education and has received awards and commendation in both fields.

Rabbi Siegel is personally and professionally dedicated to promoting and experiencing lifelong Jewish learning and living.

ARIK SINGER Arik is the Youth & Outreach Director, PHC (Perth) and Jewish Studies and Sports Teacher, Carmel School. A graduate of Leibler Yavneh College and Boger of Bnei Akiva, he holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Human Movement), Bachelor of Teaching and is a sports coach and fitness trainer.

DAVID SOLOMON David Solomon is an internationally acclaimed, globally-roaming speaker, scholar and translator. David teaches Jewish History, Tanach, Jewish Philosophy, Hebrew, and Kabbalah. He is currently based in Melbourne.

TAL SPINRAD Tal Spinrad, a master storyteller, who combines the passion of Ezekiel with the humour of Mel Brooks, is a lifelong Jewish educator. He is a Jewish Family Education Fellow with the Bureau of Jewish Education in Northern California. Tal has served as Director of Education at Melbourne’s Etz Chayim and Lead Teacher at Kew’s LBC. Tal founded Beit Lama-Loh in 2011 specializing in Jewish Family Education, community enrichment opportunities and professional development globally. Currently Beit Lama-Loh is launching the Nevitim Inclusion Resource Centre to serve the Spectrum (Autistic) Jewish community.

Tal lives in Melbourne with his wife Marlo Newton and their three children Eliana, Gavriela and Reuven.

CAROLYN STEINMAN Carolyn is a religious education and religious studies teacher at Leibler Yavneh College. Passionate about the concept of learning and teaching across the lifespan, she has taught years 4-12 and has been involved in Adult Education. She has a particular interest in Girls' Jewish Learning as well as differentiated learning with special focus on gifted learners in the general and Jewish classroom.

JEREMY STOWE-LINDNER Principal of Melbourne’s Bialik College, Jeremy was previously founding Headteacher of the UK's JCoSS. Both schools are pluralistic Jewish schools. Voted UK’s 3rd most influential Jew in the ‘40 Under 40’, Jeremy is now neither under 40 nor in the UK. A history and philosophy teacher by training and temperament, Jeremy has an MBA, a tolerant wife and two wonderful children.

ANAT TOBIAS Anat has been Head of Hebrew (secondary) at Bialik College for over six years. After obtaining her MBA at Ben Gurion University, Anat went on to develop expertise in working at the Branco Weiss Institute of Creative and Experimental Education. She has also taught Arabic as a second language in secondary schools.

ESTHER TAKAC Esther is a child and adult psychologist, working in private practice and providing clinical supervision to Masters students at Monash University. She is also the author of three books; "Genesis the Book with Seventy Faces" (National Jewish Book Award, Sydney Taylor Award) "Loni and the Moon" (Premier’s reading list) and "Jacob" a young adult novella part of the Third Space series designed to meet the requirements of the Australian Curriculum Strand Intercultural Understanding. An experienced “genre crosser” even she’s surprised to find one of her current projects is a film script!

RAMI TEPLITSKIY Rami Teplitskiy is the Jewish Agency/ ZFA Shaliach (Israeli Emissary) for Kangarusski – the Russian Speaking Jewish Community Department of the ZFA. Rami’s had experience in the educational profession as a volunteer tutor for children with special needs and as a teacher in after school science classes. Rami made Aliyah to Israel with his family early in his childhood. During his IDF service, he trained and commanded new recruits in basic combat training. He will soon receive a Masters in Political, Legal and Economic Philosophy (PLEP) at the University of Bern, Switzerland. Recently, he interned at the United Nations in New York in Capacity Development in the Headquarter Committee on Contracts. He graduated a Bachelor in Political Science and Philosophy at Tel Aviv University.

DR RABBI ORNA TRIGUBOFF Dr. Rabbi Orna Triguboff holds a Ph.D. from the University of Sydney, with a dissertation on the Kabbalah of Sixteenth Century Tsfat. She has been teaching "Tefilla- Jewish Meditation" at Emanuel School in Sydney, is a member of the Moetza, the Union of Progressive Rabbis, and received her rabbinic ordination in 2010 and serves at Emanuel Synagogue, Sydney. Orna has studied to be a meditation teacher with Australian yoga teacher Acharya Upendra Roy. She has authored a Jewish Meditation CD called – Kabbalah Dreaming, mainly for years 7-11. In these classes the students are invited to reflect on key phrases of Jewish prayers followed by discussion and meditation. This unique method of deepening students’ understanding of Jewish tradition opens students to a new way of understanding their culture. The "Tefilla- Jewish Meditation" classes are an opportunity to learn relaxation and stress-reduction techniques in a Jewish context.

DR RON WEISER AM Dr Ron Weiser AM is Honorary Life President of the Zionist Council of NSW, past President of the Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) and Life member of the ZFA Executive. Ron is also a Committee Member of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency. He has received a member of the Order of Australia for service to the community for leadership roles with the Zionist Federation of Australia, for promotion and development of Australia-Israel relations, and for helping our youth. Ron is responsible for conceiving and establishing the ZFA Educators' Conference among many other initiatives that have influenced Jewish life in Australia.

TALYA WISEMAN Talya Wiseman is the Coordinator of Student Leadership at Moriah College. She holds a Masters in Jewish Education from Hebrew University, a BA in Jewish Studies and History from UNSW and a Diploma of Education from Excelsia College. Talya has worked extensively in both formal and informal Jewish education and young adult engagement for organisations across Australia and Israel. Talya regularly gives talks and runs educational programs on a wide range on topics within Jewish Education and Leadership.

JENNY UDOVICH Jenny has 35 years teaching experience in Israel and Sydney. She is currently teaching Hebrew and Jewish Studies at Emanuel School from K-6. Jenny engages children in critical thinking activities both in Hebrew and Jewish Studies. She considers each child as an individual with different learning styles, as well as functioning as a member of a class group. She is passionate about teaching Hebrew and Jewish Studies using Cultures of Thinking routines for effective learning and assessment.

LIAT WINER Liat Winer, Project Officer for Tzedek, is largely involved in developing, launching and presenting a

portfolio of programs on child safety for educators, parents, students and the wider community. Liat has been involved in Secondary Education for over 12 years. Her roles included Head of Department, Year level Coordinator and Head of House.

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Acknowledgements A conference such as this, with more than 90 presentations, 17 international and 60 local presenters can only happen when driven by a committed team of professionals and volunteers. Even when it’s the tenth time we’re running the conference, it’s a major programmatic and organisational exercise!

Dr Miriam Munz, the Education Chair of the ZFA, has once again provided her vision and her profound understanding of Jewish and Israel education and of our systems in Australia to ensure the interest and intellectual richness of the 2016 Jewish Educators’ Conference. We are extremely fortunate that Miriam has lent her experience and her knowledge and familiarity of best practice in Jewish education around the world to create the incredible and diverse program we present to you. On behalf of the ZFA and indeed every conference delegate, I thank Miriam for her dedication, her initiative and her calm and generous management of this major project.

I also take this opportunity to thank Gabriella Oberman, our conference administrator. Gabby has brought to her role a quiet dedication, professionalism and attention to detail to make sure that every session runs smoothly, everyone is well informed and well fed.

Nothing happens without Team ZFA! Our staff have operated as an integrated, highly functioning team to support Miriam and Gabby in bringing you this conference. To Sarit Braver, Gili Gafin, Emily Gian, Shayndle Grinblat, Ellie Golvan, Hayley Hadassin, Stacy Hayman, Hallely Kimchi, Becky Kiper Fox, Yigal Sela and Shoshana Vitek, whether you had a major role or undertook tasks on the day, thanks for your support and teamwork. Many thanks to Sandra Sochen of Zionism Victoria who lent her valuable support to us in logistics in the busy final weeks.

We are grateful to Rabbi James Kennard, Principal of Mt Scopus Memorial College for enabling us to make use of the magnificent facilities at the Gandel Campus. It has been a pleasure working with Rabbi Kennard, Deputy Principal and Head of Jewish Studies and Ivrit, Avi Cohen and the remarkable Head of Operating Services, Brendan Blaney and his team. Special thanks to Mandy Gardner, the MSMC caterer, who has provided us all with wonderful food and fabulous coffee (and tea too!).

To our international and local presenters – each and every one of you, my most heartfelt thanks for your preparation, consideration and participation in the conference. By you sharing your expertise, your knowledge, insights and best practice, we have been able to present a truly stunning program which will benefit educators, students and ultimately the Jewish community.

A conference is nothing without the delegates. Thank you to everyone who attended, participated, networked and shared ideas. Thank you for your commitment to Jewish education and to Jewish students, in day schools and beyond. We’re delighted that we were joined at this conference by close to 100 delegates from the Australian Zionist Youth Council – informal volunteer educators who give of themselves for the purpose of Israel and Jewish education and identity. We were also thrilled to host, at the conference, the meeting of the Australian Council of Jewish School Presidents, who joined to create yet more opportunities for interaction across so many layers of our Jewish education systems.

Finally, I acknowledge the leadership of ZFA President, Dr Danny Lamm, a longstanding and passionate advocate of Jewish and Israel education.

Ginette Searle Executive Director, Zionist Federation of Australia