MaTaRoT Monthly Workshop Recordings

Hebrew College partners with national and local organizations, as well as individuals both within and outside of the College, to offer nine stand-alone seminars on a variety of current topics. These may include topics such as, Equity and Justice in Jewish education; inclusion & equality in Jewish life; Jewish arts; book discussions, etc. Organizations will likely include JArts, Gateways, Facing History and Ourselves, Keshet, and more.  These subsidized seminars are available to all schools in the CJP catchment area.

Past Workshops

Designing and Re-designing Programs: Creative Thinking and Innovation in Jewish Education
Instructor: Yafit Shriki Megidish
Dates: December 13, 2022
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. EST

As the Executive Director of Studio 70 in Berkeley, CA, Master Educator Yafit Shriki Megidish has led the creation of unique programs such as Midor LeDor, Yotzrot Makom, and Edah. Tapping into the market of what Jewish teens, kids and parents are looking for in afterschool enrichment, these programs have been widely recognized for their innovation and engagement. In this one-hour session, you will be introduced to the process of designing and re-designing programming, from identifying audiences and needs to acquiring tools for unleashing creativity and innovative thinking with your staff.

Madrichim: They’re Good For More Than Just Sharpening Pencils. Partnering with Teens to Make Your Classroom More Inclusive & Accessible 
Instructor: Sandy Gold & Mia Hyman
Dates: November 8, 2022
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. EST

Teens who work in our schools and programs can be essential partners in helping a school be more inclusive and accessible to diverse learners. This session is intended for educators and directors who are interested in learning how teen madrichim can become active, valuable collaborators in the religious school setting. Participants will walk away from this session with an understanding of the kinds of concrete strategies that teens can help implement which focus on key areas such as assessing and understanding why students engage in certain behaviors, and adjusting and adapting the environment to help students be successful in the classroom.

How can we prepare OURSELVES for the New Year? An hour with Dr. Betsy Stone for Jewish Educational Leaders.
Instructor: Dr. Betsy Stone
Dates: September 13, 2022
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. EST

During Elul we prepare ourselves for the physical and spiritual hungers associated with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. We may decaffeinate, or recite Psalm 27, or even make resolutions for our behavior. These days, educators scramble to figure out hybrid and live learning environments, hire and supervise new teachers, enroll students and talk to parents, and so much more. What we often don’t do is to take time to care for ourselves. We put that off until tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.  Spend an hour with your peers and Dr. Betsy Stone focusing on OUR hungers, OUR yearnings.

Bringing Mindfulness Closer to T’fillah (Prayer)

Instructor: Oren Kaunfer, JCDS Madrich Ruchani (Spiritual Educator) and Institute for Jewish Spirituality Local Boston Trainer
Dates: Tuesday, May 24, 2022

In this workshop we will learn how to bring the practices and sensibilities of mindfulness into t’fillah. Join us as we explore the idea of teaching mindfulness to students with a goal of showing students (through practice) that Mindfulness and T’fillah are not as different as they may think.

During our session together we’ll learn:
1 “secular” mindfulness practice
1 t’fillah inspired practice
1 parasha ( torah portion) inspired practice

The workshop promises to provide you and your students with new skills to strengthen prayer experiences.

Hebrew in Supplementary Schools: How do we get to “keyn”?

Instructors: Lori B. Sagarin, RJE & Tal Gale
Dates: Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Teaching Hebrew in a supplementary school can be stressful, lonely and at times frustrating. In this session, we will explore what can be accomplished for students, supporting feelings of success in teachers. Resources will be shared for bringing fun, interactive techniques into your classroom or zoom room. There will be opportunities to share best practices and methodologies and you will leave this session with ideas you can implement immediately. Presented by Lori B. Sagarin, RJE and Tal Gale from Hebrew at the Center.

Pedagogy of Partnership: Exploring the Hevruta Experience

Instructors: Allison Cook & Dr. Orit Kent
Dates: Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Havruta learning, a traditional form of Jewish study in pairs, is more than two people learning together. Havruta constructs a space built on humility and creativity – of generative collaboration and attuned responsiveness to one another and the texts or content we are learning. Come explore some of Pedagogy of Partnership’s core frameworks and harness the power of havruta to shape the values, skills, and experiences of learners in your program.

Understanding & Navigating Challenging Behaviors in a Supplemental School Setting

Instructor: Sandy Gold
Dates: Tuesday, February 15, 2022

In today’s formal and informal Jewish educational programs, children’s behavior is an important factor in their social and academic experience. Just as students’ behavior impacts their learning, their learning needs also impact their behaviors. During this workshop, we will explore the interaction between learning issues and behavior and we’ll examine strategies that can help teachers navigate challenging classroom situations.

Educator as Allies & Advocates

Instructor: Rabbi Micah Buck-Yael
Dates: Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Study after study has shown us the importance of inclusion, dignity, and diversity in the classroom. Students truly thrive in their learning when they are able to see themselves in their learning, and feel that they and their families are valued, seen, and embraced. All to often, LGBTQ students or students who are part of LGBTQ families encounter curricula, policies, and classroom practices that do not affirm them. Join Keshet to learn about classroom practices that can build LGBTQ-affirming learning environment in which students can thrive.

Teaching Primary Sources

Instructor: Lucy Marshall
Dates: Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021

Join the Jewish Women’s Archive Twersky Education Fellow, Lucy  Marshall, to learn about incorporating historical sources into your teaching. Together we will dive into a primary source document that helps bring Jewish women’s history to life. We’ll explore how primary sources can bring the past into focus and provide us and your students with rich images and content to inform our lives as Jews today. Lucy will also give us a  guided tour of the extraordinary wealth of teaching resources available on jwa.org.

Teaching about God & Faith

Instructor: Rabbi Dr. Michael Shire
Dates: Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021

Children have the innate ability to be curious about God and Faith. Join Rabbi Dr. Michael Shire as we explore together pedagogies that provide us as educators the keys to unlocking that curiosity.