An Unpacked for Educators conference in partnership with The iCenter and JUF, featuring:

This session outlines Unpacked for Educators’ vision for Israel education, the importance of introducing nuance and diversity of perspective into discussions about Israel, and the need for a shift from advocacy to education. In this interactive session, participants will discuss and debate the paradigm shifts that are needed in Israel Education today.

Recommended for educators new to this approach to Israel education.

There is a growing consensus that successful and holistic Israel education demands a sophisticated and nuanced engagement with critical questions within Israel, and in particular, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This feels especially pressing in a post-Oct. 7 world. Despite this critical need, many educators continue to express reticence for conflict education. In this session, we will explore why educators are hesitant to engage in conflict education, highlighting the greatest sources of challenge and a typology of barriers to entry. Importantly, we will explore what we can do to support our educators, educational systems, and the community more broadly

One of the most important tools in Israel education today is ensuring our students have a strong sense of cultural competency and literacy around Israel and Zionism. This session will highlight five key moments in Zionist history that our students should know, discuss why each event is so crucial to learn, and share practical tips on how educators can use UED resources to teach these moments in their classrooms.

This session will delve into some of the biggest questions facing Israel today: Is Israel an apartheid state? Is the IDF an occupying power? Is Israel committing genocide? Unpack each topic while leaning into the complexity and nuance of each issue, developing a model that can be used with students to analyze other challenging questions around Israel.

Have you wondered what Jewish history might look like if God had a more pronounced sense of humor? The Israeli television program HaYehudim Ba’im takes its best guess by reimagining iconic moments past and present with surprising twists. Explore how using Israeli satire can hold a mirror up to Israeli society and Jewish life, draw our attention to our “blind spots,” and present a critique of current events in Israel, Jewish tradition, and history. This session provides opportunities for engagement with challenging topics like October 7, antisemitism, and religious divisions through a subversive, insightful, and often overlooked visual medium: television.

In an article, Dr. David Bryfman advocates for schools to develop “a canon for Israel education”a list of fundamental texts and awarenesses that young people need to have about Israel. In this workshop, educators will think about what core texts and ideas they want their graduates to leave with, building out their own canons for Israel education unique for their school communities. This session will also discuss different ways to integrate this canon into their school curriculum.

Tweens & teens today are struggling with questions and tensions around Israel that feel urgent and personal. Using case studies, this introduction to M² Crossroads Dilemmas shows how a values-based approach can help students reflect on their experiences and clarify their choices.

How can we meaningfully teach Zionism and Israel to younger learners? This session introduces Unpacked Junior, a collection of age-appropriate videos, lesson plans, and educational resources from Unpacked for Educators. We’ll also address some of the unique challenges educators face in this space — including limited instructional time, navigating age sensitivity, and communicating a school vision for Israel education.

This program will bring together educators working with learners across the K-8 spectrum to collectively deepen our understanding of how learners grow with Israel from childhood to early adolescence. Educators will encounter valuable insights and resources, participate in collaborative discussions, and emerge with practical strategies to enhance their institution’s approach to delivering impactful and developmentally sensitive Israel education.

Session geared to congregational school educators (as part of JEP’s Project Bet-A)

How can we prepare and lead complex conversations—especially about Israel—with curiosity and the intention to learn rather than certainty and goals like convincing? This interactive session invites participants to shift their focus toward thoughtful questions, cultivating space for nuance, discomfort, and genuine engagement. We’ll explore essential pedagogies, develop strategies for dialogue, and experiment with our newfound skills to get into the nitty gritty ourselves. Come ready to wrestle with complexity, challenge assumptions, and discover tools to foster healthier, learner-centered conversations.

Session geared towards high school educators.

How can we help young Jews engage with Israel in a way that’s honest, thoughtful, and meaningful? This session explores how to navigate some of the most complex and pressing questions students are asking today—about minorities in Israel, the balance between Jewish and democratic values, and who is indigenous to the land. Using key lessons from the new “Israel 101” curriculum, we’ll explore how to create space for curiosity, complexity, and connection in the classroom.

Teaching Israeli current events can feel overwhelming in today’s climate. This session will help educators unpack the most pressing issues by exploring their history, context, and the wide contours of ongoing debates. Using engaging mediums such as cartoons and music videos, you’ll discover practical strategies to prepare your students for the constant feed of news from Israel and to feel confident in both knowing what’s going on and how to engage with different perspectives.

What can Israeli music released since October 7th teach us about Israeli society and its current struggles? In this session, educators will experience a model lesson that uses recent Israeli songs and music videos to help students connect with Israel in a practical, meaningful, and engaging way.

How can we help young Jews engage with Israel in a way that’s honest, thoughtful, and meaningful? This session explores how to navigate some of the most complex and pressing questions students are asking today—about minorities in Israel, the balance between Jewish and democratic values, and who is indigenous to the land. Using key lessons from the new “Israel 101” curriculum, we’ll explore how to create space for curiosity, complexity, and connection in the classroom.

Israel’s history is an ongoing saga that continues to capture the attention of the world. Current events in Israel are complicated and this session takes the most pressing issues taking place in Israel and unpacks the history, context and the wide contours of dispute surrounding the issue.

What does Israeli music released since Oct. 7th teach us about Israeli society and what it’s going through right now? This session will lead educators through a model lesson using Israeli music to connect students to Israel in a practical, meaningful and engaging way.

Hear from four talented and diverse Chicago Jewish educators as they share some of their most impactful lessons and creative ideas for teaching Israel that you can take back and adapt for your own classroom.