Navigating Israel education in times of conflict
August 7-8, 2024 • Jewish Leadership Academy • Miami
An Unpacked for Educators conference, featuring:
Rabbi Dr.
Gil Perl
Dr. Jonathan Golden
Dr. Debbie Stone
Dr. Noam Weissman
Avi Posen
Sarah Gordon
Join fellow educators at a not-to-be-missed Unpacked for Educators conference in Miami this August, at the Jewish Leadership Academy.
About the conference
In these unprecedented times post-October 7, educators have encountered countless challenges in and out of the classroom when it comes to Israel education.
Unpacked for Educators is coming to Miami to provide both veteran and novice middle and high school educators with essential theoretical and practical tools to bring education about Israel and Zionism to life for their students.
Participants will learn specific ways to integrate the teaching of Israel and Zionism into their curricula as well as how to address the big questions surrounding Israel, current events, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
*This conference will also include opportunities for educators who do not formally teach about Israel to raise their level of knowledge about Zionism and Israeli history.
Event schedule
Two program tracks available!
For Israel educators: A two-day professional development experience (August 7-8)
For standard educators in Jewish schools: Increase your knowledge on Israel education (August 7)
| Wednesday, August 7th | Day 1 | ||
| 9:00am - 9:30am | Conference welcome and breakfast | ||
| 9:30am - 10:15am | Opening panel: A conversation with Dr. Noam Weissman and Rabbi Dr. Gil Perl on “Israel Education: Where we were and where we are going”. | ||
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| 10:30am - 11:15am |
Session 1: Bringing UED into your classroom
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| 11:30am - 12:15pm |
Session 2: Delving into Zionism
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| 12:15pm - 1:15pm | Lunch and networking | ||
| 1:30 pm - 2:15 pm |
Session 3: Teaching the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
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| 2:30pm - 3:00pm | Reflection and application | ||
| Thursday, August 8th | Day 2 | ||
| 9:00am - 9:30am | Conference welcome and breakfast | ||
| 9:30am - 10:30am | Session 1: “Bringing the untold stories into your classroom - A Q&A with Israeli journalist Matti Friedman” | ||
| 10:45am - 11:30am |
Session 2: Choose your session: Navigating Israel's complexities
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| 11:45am - 12:30pm |
Session 3: Choose your session: Practical curricular units for your classrooms
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| 12:30pm - 1:30pm | Lunch and networking | ||
| 1:30pm - 2:15pm | Expanding Israel engagement outside the classroom: A Panel Discussion with Dr. Debbie Stone and Dr. Jonathan Golden | ||
| 2:30pm - 3:00pm | Reflection and application |
Pricing
Please note: travel and overnight accommodation are not included.
Conference pass - early bird
August 7-8, 2024
$150 $125
through July 5
Your conference pass includes admission to the two-day Miami conference, breakfast and lunch on both days, access to all social events, and swag.
Conference pass
August 7-8, 2024
$150
through August 1
Your conference pass includes admission to the two-day Miami conference, breakfast and lunch on both days, access to all social events, and swag.
Standard educator day pass
August 7, 2024
$100
through August 1
Your day pass includes admission to the first day of the two-day Miami conference, breakfast and lunch, and swag.
Location
Free on-site parking available under the building.
Breakfast and lunch included (ORB certified).
Speakers
Rabbi Dr. Gil Perl
Rabbi Dr. Gil Perl is the CEO of the Gisela and Daniel Ades Foundation and the Founding Head of School of the Jewish Leadership Academy in Miami, Florida. A nationally sought after speaker and award-winning teacher, Rabbi Perl earned his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master’s Degree and Ph.D. from Harvard, and rabbinical ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary at Yeshiva University. He is the author of the book The Pillar of Volozhin: Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin and the World of Nineteenth-Century Lithuanian Torah Scholarship, as well as numerous articles on the history of Modern Jewry, contemporary Jewish education, and Modern Orthodoxy.
Matti Friedman
Matti Friedman is a journalist and the author of three previous works of nonfiction. His work as a reporter has taken him from Israel to Lebanon, Morocco, Moscow, the Caucasus, and Washington, DC. A former Associated Press correspondent and essayist for the New York Times opinion section, he currently writes a monthly feature for Tablet Magazine. His writing has appeared in Smithsonian Magazine, the Atlantic, and elsewhere.
Dr. Jonathan Golden
Dr. Jonathan Golden is Director of Wellspring Leadership Initiatives at the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America. Previously he served as the Israel Curriculum Coordinator and a history teacher at Gann Academy, a pluralistic Jewish high school in Waltham, MA where he taught since 1999. During his career at Gann, he has taught AP American History, chaired the History Department, served as Assistant Head of School and Director of Academic Operations, and mentored numerous teachers and department chair. He teaches adult education courses on contemporary Israel at synagogues and homes in the Greater Boston area and is a member of CJP’s Boston-Haifa Shared Society Task Force and a Community Representative of JCRC Boston.
Dr. Debbie Stone
Originally from London, Dr. Stone holds a BA in Humanities with emphasis in Jewish Studies and a teaching degree from the General Teaching Council for England. Debbie spent a year studying in Michlalah Jerusalem College and received her Doctorate in Education from Yeshiva University’s Azrieli Graduate School.
Dr. Noam Weissman
Dr. Noam Weissman is an Executive Vice President at OpenDor Media. He leads the education vision and implementation at OpenDor Media with a special focus on the development of meaningful content and resources for students and educators. He holds a doctorate in educational psychology from USC with a focus on curriculum design.
Avi Posen
Avi Posen is the Senior Director of Israel Education – EMEA at Unpacked for Educators, a division of OpenDor Media. His focus is on curriculum building and training Jewish educators around the world on Israel education. Avi has worked as a Judaic Studies teacher, Hillel Director and Jewish camp director. He holds a Masters in Jewish Education from Yeshiva University in New York and lives in Haifa, Israel.
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 masters 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 at 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.
