Graduate Certificates in Jewish Education

Are you looking for an authentic way to integrate spirituality into your Jewish educational practice? Are you considering making changes in your approach to teaching God and prayer in your setting?

The Certificate in Jewish Spiritual Education at Hebrew College will provide you with a real sense of what Jewish spirituality has to offer as a form of wisdom for cultivating a soulful approach to life for your students. Jewish education in the 21st century has the potential to be a pathway of cultivating shlemut (wholeness) in our learners through social, emotional and spiritual well being.

In this two semester, graduate level certificate program, you will explore Jewish modes of spiritual life and expression including Jewish thought, prayer, and practice. You will delve into contemporary research in the field of Jewish spirituality, and you will learn constructive models of Jewish education and experiential education. You will engage in a variety of practices that have already been developed for Jewish education, along with emerging trends in the field.

As a graduate of The Certificate in Jewish Spiritual Education, you will be aware and sensitive to the spiritual needs of learners, identifying and utilizing pedagogic approaches to guide students on their spiritual pathways. You will be a skilled guide for holistic education which includes social, emotional, and spiritual learning, and you will be ready to integrate this work into your Jewish educational schools and institutions.

MODULE DESCRIPTIONS

Module 1: The Soul of Jewish Education
Jewish education has been primarily concerned with the transmission of knowledge, acquisition of skills and developing Jewish identity in people. One aspect of cultivating religious identity has been missing from Jewish educational practice and that is nurturing the spiritual growth of the individual as an explicit aim of our educational practice. We seem to shy away from this practice in our schools and synagogues, often thinking that spiritual practice and a person’s being with God are not part of the Judaism we know. However, not only is nurturing spiritual practice part of the essence of Judaism, it has also been a long component of Jewish education but largely ignored in our times. This module seeks to explore the cultivation of the spiritual life of the individual drawing upon the research, particularly but not exclusively of children’s spirituality. I will offer a Jewish lens with which to view this spirituality that comes from our traditional sources and from contemporary thinking including Social and Emotional Learning, Mindfulness and Thriving. We will explore innovative and creative practices for Jewish education in our educational settings for children, adolescents and adults. Deepening our understanding of this field will determine the very way we see the overall and expanded purpose of a Jewish Education.

Module 2: Parables, Practices and Critiques of Jewish Mystical Education
Bringing postmodern and feminist ethics into dialogue with the Jewish mystical tradition, this class aims to offer students the technical and conceptual tools necessary to both critique and transform traditional frameworks and practices of Jewish spiritual and moral education.  Potential texts will include Hebrew readings in translation by Chaim Vital and Dov Ber of Mezritch, as well as secondary literature by Michel Foucault, Nel Noddings, Hannah Arendt, bell hooks, and Amia Srinavsan.

Module 3:  Creative Expression for Spiritual Development
This seminar is designed to introduce participants to the diverse creative expressions of Spiritual Development including Music, Mindfulness and Meditation, Expressive Arts, Story telling, Creative Writing, Poetry, etc. These creative expressions will be grounded in a Jewish articulation of these approaches using faculty and alumni expertise who have honed these expressions in pedagogical programs. The programs themselves will include Torah Godly Play (story telling), The Expressive Arts as a religious imperative, Jewish Meditation and Mindfulness, spiritual writing and journaling, Music and nigunim etc.

Module 4:  Jewish Spiritual Disciplines of Talmud Torah, Tefillah and Mussar
Pirkei Avot teaches that the world stands on three fundamental human endeavors; The Study of Sacred Literature (Talmud Torah), the watchfulness of a prayerful life (Tefila) and the infinite responsibility for the other (Gemilut Hasadim as expressed in Musar). This module explores the Jewish philosophical and theological perspectives of these spiritual practices and provides contemporary approaches to these disciplines for human flourishing and wakefulness.

Are you looking to elevate your role as a Jewish educational leader? Are you searching for ways to strengthen your leadership to support the development of successful teaching and learning?  Do you want to inspire change and innovation in your setting but aren’t sure where to begin? The Certificate in Learning & Leading from Hebrew College catapults you in your role through the cultivation of understandings and practices needed to engage in successful Jewish educational leadership, from budgeting to building change.

Instructional and organizational leadership skills development is vital for anyone in a Jewish educational leadership position who is seeking to delve into the essential tools and strategies to navigate the evolving educational landscape of the 21st century. As a graduate of the Certificate in Learning and Leading, you will be ready to identify your educational and organizational needs and priorities, and implement the changes necessary. You will be able to articulate your educational stance and create a compelling vision that brings others together in purpose and shared values.

MODULE DESCRIPTIONS

Module 1: Instructional Leadership
Instructional leaders strengthen the teaching and learning in their settings through providing educational supervision and developing professional learning communities.  Promoting greater attention to instructional leadership in Jewish schools leads to meaningful and transformative change. In this course, students will develop a shared language and understanding about instructional leadership, drawing on educational learning theories, and exploring tools and strategies that support improving student achievement. Students will engage with instructional leadership practices such as observation, supervision, co-planning, collaboration, and creating a professional learning community.

Module 2: Organizational Leadership
Leadership in Jewish organizations is a highly complex activity.  Jewish educators must learn to navigate in an environment that has many participants, often with diverse priorities and perspectives.  Effective leadership requires a high degree of self knowledge, flexibility in approach, and balance between long term vision and shorter term goals.

The goal of this module is to give Jewish educators the tools they need to be successful Jewish organizational leaders.  Specific topics will include:

• Theories that are useful for leadership (Tzimtzum, Transformative Learning, the Musar perspective on values, wounding/t’shuvah)
• Navigating between personal and organizational values as a leader;
• Assessment of personal leadership preferences (Personal philosophy/values, Covey, Harvard Assessment Tool);
• Approaches to leadership (Charismatic, Authentic, Servant, Adaptive, and Distributed Leadership);
• Leadership in times of change

Module 3: From Talmud to Tachlis: A Practical Guide for Jewish Organizations
In addition to knowledge of specific Jewish content, Jewish educators are expected to be able to be a key participant in the day to day activities of their organizations. The goal of this module is to give learners the foundational knowledge in the “tachlis” areas of Jewish organizations so that they can most effectively contribute to the fulfillment of the organization’s mission and be good partners for volunteer leaders and other staff members. Organizational components to be covered include:

• Governance: organizational structure, presidential partnership; board relations; bylaws and policies;
• Human resources:  talent management and development;
• Finance: understanding financials; budgeting;
• Fundraising: types of fundraising; donor relations; ethical and legal considerations;
• Marketing: types of marketing; pricing of products/services; public relations.

Module 4: Leadership & Change
“Pivot” is a word which has been frequently used over the past few years as Jewish educators were confronted with the need to quickly change course during Covid. Although “pivoting” for unplanned change is essential, we realize that leading planned change is a complex process, requiring a systemic and thoughtful approach. This course is designed to help students develop a deeper understanding of issues involved in leading change in a Jewish educational setting, and to provide the tools and strategies educational leaders need to be successful change-makers in a rapidly changing field. Students will reflect on their own strengths, challenges and approaches to leadership and change (from module 2), and draw upon Jewish wisdom, as well as the literature of general education and business theories, to consider how to design and implement change which positively impacts learning. Specific topics will include: Change Readiness; Appreciative Inquiry; Asset Mapping; SWOT Analysis; Systemic Thinking, and Enduring Dilemmas.

Applicants for the graduate level certificate programs must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or university. Applicants are required to complete an application and a short interview.

For details/specifics, please contact Susan Morrel at smorrel@hebrewcollege.edu.

If you enroll in a Graduate Certificate program and decide to apply to the Hebrew College Master of Jewish Education (MJEd) program before the end of the course, you are eligible to apply up to an additional 4 credits (for a total of 8 credits for the certificate) toward your degree (in this case, you will be responsible for additional assignments and additional charges). Note: This applies to one graduate certificate only.

For details/specifics, please contact Susan Morrel at smorrel@hebrewcollege.edu.

Financial aid and scholarships are limited to those enrolled in the MJEd program (enrollees in the Graduate level certificate programs are not eligible for financial aid/scholarships.)