Jewish Spirituality Cohort
Join this exclusive cohort brought to you by Unpacked for Educators and the Jewish Innovation Education Challenge (JEIC). We’ll be exploring topics surrounding Jewish spirituality with your students through a new lens.
Bring back the WHY of Judaism
Our most recent curriculum on Jewish Spirituality offers a fresh perspective for your students on the Jewish tradition. It will enable them to look beyond the “dos and don’ts” of Judaism to understand the “why,” the spiritual element that elevates, punctuates and gives context to the “what” of Judaism
Using the curriculum as a springboard, the Jewish Spirituality Cohort provides high-value pedagogical training over the course of the academic year. This program connects you with Jewish educators across North America as you learn how to relate ancient Jewish wisdom to modern-day life with lesson plans and tools that students need to guide critical conversations.
Participating schools will receive a stipend of $3000
Requirements for participation
- Use the Jewish Spirituality curriculum (minimum of 20 class lessons)
- Attend 2 webinars
- 2-3 check-ins with a UED educator over the course of the year
- 2 meetings with a representative from JEIC (mid year and end of year)
- Participate in our WhatsApp educator community
- Give students a pre-assessment in October
- Give students a post-assessment in May
About the cohort educators
Sarah Gordon
Sarah Gordon is the Senior Director of Israel Education — AMER at Unpacked for Educators, a division of OpenDor Media. Previously, Sarah served as the Director of Israel Guidance and Experiential Education at Ma’ayanot High School, where she taught Talmud and chaired a course on Contemporary Israel. Sarah holds dual master’s degrees in Jewish Education and Modern Jewish History from Yeshiva University, where she is currently pursuing her Ed.D. as a Wexner Fellow and Davidson Scholar.
Alex Harris
Alex Harris is an Education Associate — AMER for Unpacked for Educators, a division of OpenDor Media. Previously he focused on conflict education at the iCenter for Israel Education. He has a master’s in Education and Human Development from George Washington University, a bachelor’s in Judaic Studies and International Studies from the University of Michigan, and semicha from Rabbi Brovender.
Sharon Freundel
Sharon Freundel is the Managing Director of the Jewish Education Innovation Challenge. She studied at Stern College for Women of Yeshiva University, earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Maryland, and a Master of Arts in Jewish Education at Baltimore Hebrew University. Sharon transitioned from nursing to teaching Torah and held leadership roles at the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy and Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School. She teaches adult Jewish education in the Greater Washington, DC area and has lectured internationally.
Rabbi Shmuel Feld
Rabbi Shmuel Feld is the Founding Director of the Jewish Education Innovation Challenge. He was a principal and educator in several Jewish Day Schools before joining JEIC in 2012. Rabbi Feld earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Chicago, a Master of Science in Education from Harvard, and completed coursework at Boston College. He holds one of three ordinations granted by Rabbi Gedalia Dov Schwartz.
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This program was generously made possible by
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About JEIC
JEIC is a bold initiative to radically improve the quality of Jewish education in day schools across North America. They bring together educators, funders, influencers, and consumers to pursue lasting school culture change through innovation, experimentation, and collaboration. Initiated in 2012 by the Mayberg Foundation and supported through multiple philanthropic partnerships, JEIC seeks to ignite students’ passion for Jewish learning by improving the way Jewish values, literacy, practice, and beliefs are transferred to the next generation.
