Fifteen teachers from Jewish schools around the world came to Israel in July for an intensive 3-week study program and shared their common experiences of antisemitism in their communities.
These Jewish Studies teachers came from communities across the United States, including New York, New Jersey, Dallas, Miami and Arizona, and from Singapore, Australia, South Africa and the UK. They are all participants in “Rimonim” – a 16-month-long online professional development program, led by Tanakh and pedagogy experts from Herzog College, and funded by Israel’s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combatting Antisemitism.
The 15 teachers who participated in the Rimonim Israel Semester received their certificates on Wednesday, July 31 at Heichal Shlomo in Jerusalem. The group included educators from orthodox and progressive schools, some new teachers and some 20-year veterans, teaching different age groups in small community schools and major city institutions.
Education Director Rabbi Reuven Spolter said: “Despite their diversity, these educators share the same sense of mission, the same devotion to their students, and the same passion and professionalism. Rimonim has given them an amazing opportunity to share best practice and enjoy meaningful conversations about the similar challenges they face. They have discussed pedagogy problems that arise in the classroom, and also the external challenges thrown up by the war, including helping their students to deal with toxic antisemitism in their physical and online environments. Jewish Studies teachers are on the front-line in this worldwide battle: they have to answer difficult questions – similar to those that arose during the Holocaust – and they need to motivate their students to stay strong.”
Rabbi Dr. Yehuda Brandes, the President of Herzog College, met with the teachers and shared his philosophical approach for teaching important Jewish values during challenging times. After the session, he said: “This year of war has brought the Jews of the Diaspora and the Jews of Israel closer together. After October 7, Israelis were preoccupied with the Massacre and the challenges facing our country, but in recent months we have understood that our brothers and sisters around the world are facing a terrible resurgence of Israel-hatred. Our meeting with Jewish teachers from all over the world has shown us the importance of solidarity and partnership. They describe feelings of loneliness – both personally and within the Jewish education system. They feel that they are standing alone in front of their class, confronting their students and their parents, their community, and sometimes even the school in which they teach. At Herzog College, our task is to create supportive frameworks, to allow the sharing of experiences, wisdom and knowledge accumulated by teachers, so that they feel part of a community and connected to their peers. We want to encourage them and to help them gain the knowledge and strength to meet future challenges.”
Many of the teachers, who signed up for the program last summer, are Israeli-born educators working in the Diaspora, who since October 7 have been experiencing the pain of watching events in Israel from afar, along with the challenges of “representing” Israel in their classrooms and local communities. Elit Tamir, an Israeli-born veteran Hebrew teacher at the Levine Academy in Dallas, said that she enjoyed meeting other educators from across the spectrum of Jewish observance, and learning new pedagogy ideas for teaching Judaic Studies.
Rabbi Baruch Rock, incoming Head of Jewish Life & Learning at the Pardes Jewish Day School in Scottsdale, Arizona, praised the Rimonim program for reinspiring Jewish Studies teachers. “It is so important for teachers to renew their skills and reconnect with Israel, where even at this difficult time we heard inspiring stories of strength and renewal. Programs like this help to prevent teacher burnout, and equip us to return to the U.S. refreshed to deal with the hostile environment outside our schools.”
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