Professional Conferences for Professional Amateurs

I had a blinding realization this afternoon when it occurred to me that it’s Tuesday – and my flight leaves on Thursday afternoon. I’m not ready to go home. Although I’ve attended lots of learning sessions within the context of SCP, and a few other interesting sessions since Sunday morning, I haven’t gone to as many as I’d planned to. The reality of CAJE is that unless I figure out a way to clone myself (or send spies into all the interesting sessions), I have to make decisions about what i’m interested in, and then follow through by walking across the campus and sitting down in a lecture hall. The same thing can be said about narrowing down my choices about professional opportunities in the field of Jewish education.

Until I got to CAJE, I had no idea that so many options existed for future careers! To be perfectly honest, I hadn’t planned on a career in Jewish education to start with – I was planning to work in a very different field completely unrelated to anything Jewish! But now I’m here. And I’ve heard about the joys (and the pitfalls) of working in a rewarding field like Jewish Education – but questions remain: how do I take the knowledge that I’ve learned and integrate it to enable me to work in Jewish Education? How do I stay sane working in a field that can be very challenging at times? And how do I weigh the costs and benefits of working in a profession that at times appears to have very few perks and lots of challenges – especially when the salary at times (and especially when starting out) leaves much to be desired?

I highly doubt that I will leave CAJE on Thursday afternoon with answers. Rather, I believe that over the next several months, these questions will be the basis (or building blocks if you will) for a very personal internal conversation about what my personal and professional goals are (and should be) in relation to Jewish education. I do believe that my relationship with my mentor, along with the relationships I’ve built and developed with fellow SCP participants, staff and other CAJE members will enable me to work through these very challenging issues. If there’s anything I’ve learned while at CAJE this week, it’s that when a question is asked, generally, I don’t have an answer. Instead, I have 5 more questions in response, and it’s these questions that enable me to start thinking more critically about education, Judaism and my role in Jewish Education.

We’re in the News

We found ourselves in the St. Louis Today today!

Click here to check out the article!

The Golden Opportunity (SCP Blog)

This has been a ridiculous few days. With this entry, I mean to convey the hardly-imaginable kind of opportunities that have been available here for me — I am truly beside myself at what I have been able to do this past four days, and only two since the main conference began. In that time, I’ve formed an introductory understanding about various types of Jewish education and the serious issues educators are dealing with — from the very people that experience them. I’ve learned about this issue broadly with conference sessions on the subject, and more intimately with speakers like Jeff Lasday, Iris Schwartz and Peter Eckstein. I’ve had instruction on how to teach Jewishly from Fran Perlman, a first time for me as most of my experience has been in programing and participation. I’ve explored graduate options through the opportunity fairs here, even in one case sitting down with the Dean of the Fingerhut School of Education at the American Jewish University for an hour long one-on-one discussion.

Particularly exciting to me has been the progress I’ve been able to make with an program I’m developing. I’m working on a scuba-diving Israel-trip educational add-on program (better program title coming soon), and networking at CAJE for that purpose has been a priority for me. Let me take this opportunity now and say that there can’t be a better place to network within the field of Jewish programming and education like CAJE — it’s way too easy here. Due to the sheer number of Jewish educators and organizations that are here, most networking referrals are to participants in the conference. No phone introductions — it’s a face-to-face process here, and those I’ve already met are able to personally introduce me to their recommended people-to-talk-to — its been extraordinary. I’m not prepared to leave just yet, but when I do, I’ll be ready to continue my relationship with the JNF, Oranim, Israel Experts, and other organizations I’ve met while here. This place is a golden opportunity.

Yesterday I caught a neat* session with Joel Grishaver on his revolutionary approach to teaching Talmud, and also listened to the extraordinary Joel Hoffman as he destroyed (I mean this in a positive way) my perception of Hebrew as a relatively historically intact language, and explored Jewish-religious influence on language.

Today, among other sessions, I heard Lori Erickson demonstrate “Teaching Science Jewishly”. Although it was focused on early-childhood and not terribly relevant for my particular needs, it was great fun and we will be speaking later on about ideas she has for the age group I’m looking for in my program.

This afternoon Daniel Siegel gave me some of his time to discuss texts for my program, and I had dinner with emerging Jewish musician Todd Herzog. He’s performing his acoustic Jewish pop music tomorrow night in the Mallinckrodt building — it was interesting to hear his journey becoming a Jewish artist, and you’ll definitely find me there tomorrow.

*commentary from another SCP Fellow: Jonathan is soooo Canadian!!! Who says “neat”? I suppose this may be why we love him. That or his ridiculously good looks.

Check out these SCP photos!

Lori Erickson demonstrates “Teaching Science Jewishly”

From the President #2

Shalom to you all,

A friend from CAJE the conference just texted to let me know that the opening program is done and CAJE 32 has “officially” begun!

So, with the opening now history, I wish you each a week filled with much learning and teaching; a week where you find new ideas and share some of your own; a week where you see old friends and make new ones; and a week where you find much joy.

I look forward to many of you posting your thoughts and sharing your experiences in the days to come. What did you think of Scott Shay’s conversation and the points he raised? What was your best “CAJE moment” today? As you check your e-mail tonight, take a moment and post some comments!

May you go forth to study and celebrate. A vibrant Jewish future begins with an educated community and that will only happen if we, as Jewish educators, can increase our own knowledge and skills, celebrate our passion, and then ignite the desire for Jewish learning and living in others!

B’hatzlecha,

Iris

Notes from the President – Iris Petroff #1

Shalom Chaverim v’Chaverot,

As I type this I am still finding it hard to believe that I am not among you; the over 400 members of our CAJE community gathered together to study and to celebrate Shabbat in the way that only CAJE can offer.

Know that I am thinking of you all and wishing I were there to meet, greet, visit, worship, study, sing, hug, and celebrate with you. For now, I will wish you a most joyous and meaning filled Shabbat.

Please know that I, and other CAJE members who could not attend this year’s conference, will look forward to hearing of your accounts on this wonderful CAJE blog as the week continues. So do take a moment to write!

Shabbat shalom,

Iris

Iris Petroff

President, Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education

NOTES FROM THE CHAIR – PETER #3

Remarks from the CAJE 32 opening session, Sunday evening August 5. 

Shalom CAJE 32! 

Here’s a story Peninah Schram taught me: Once upon a time there was a poor Chassid who wanted to study and learn.  He decided to attend his Rebbe’s tish. The Rebbe gave a very erudite lesson, citing Rashi, Ibn Ezra and Nachmanides The shi’ur went over our poor Chassid’s head. Then the Rebbe told a wonderfully mystical story containing references to the S’phirot. Our poor Chassid was totally lost – he felt very uncomfortable as those around him closed their eyes and began to sing a nigun. Our poor Chassid was tone deaf.  He couldn’t carry a tune.  He was ready to leave, but then the Rebbe stood and began to dance. Our poor Chassid found himself in the middle of the dancing mass of students twirling with fervor, moving in time with his Rebbe. The lesson spoke to him.  He was engaged in his own unique way. We take from the past, and apply to the future.  This story of our poor Chassid helps us understand the direction we must journey as we reach out to learners of the future.  At the beginning of the process of creating this conference a year and a half ago we came to understand that modes of education we are all used to need to be enhanced. Our students are different.  Their approach to learning is different. How they interact with Judaism is changing rapidly. I like to think of this as a revolution in how Jews of the future interface with their heritage of the past So, we need to redefine how we relate to our students.  We’re talking about a change in our frame of reference. We now must take into account the concept of virtual….

• Classrooms
• Communities
• Friends
• Networks

 Jews of the future are searching for ways to ENGAGE with their past and translate it into THEIR future.  Our job as Jewish educators is to redefine ourselves as Facilitators of Engagement.  We need to be ready to step out of the box in which we have grown comfortable; catapulting ourselves into a new frontier that defines teaching and learning in ways that we may not NOW totally comprehend. Hopefully, by Thursday, we’ll have a clearer idea. 

At this conference we will be asking 3 questions:

• Who are the Jewish Learners?
• How do we engage these learners? 
• And finally, who will follow us in this task of building a Jewish future? 

The sessions are structured around these questions. Please refer to the program book for more details. 

So Iris Schwartz, the CAJE 32 Conference Co-Chair and I welcome you to CAJE 32.  Bruchim HaBaim to the beginning of a journey that we hope will not end on Thursday, but will continue on our new CAJE wiki, blog and website.  Together we can continue the dialogue that begins here.