Breakout Session #1 - 10:00AM
TITLE: Empowering Educators: Tools to Confront Antisemitism for Elementary Educators
PRESENTERS: ADL - Ariella Lowenstein, Matthew Friedman
DESCRIPTION: In this insightful session with ADL Los Angeles, educators working with young learners (K-Grade 5) will explore the current landscape of antisemitism in schools. Participants will gain access to data-driven insights and practical strategies designed to support Jewish students, equipping them with the necessary tools to effectively intervene against antisemitic language and behavior in their learning spaces.
TITLE: Conflicts of Interest: An Introduction
PRESENTER: I-Center - Dan Tatar & Michael Soberman
DESCRIPTION: Conflicts are an essential part of the human experience ranging in scale from the individual to the communal to the global. Engaging with conflicts is one life’s defining challenges—particularly for educators who are tasked with transforming these moments of uncertainty into moments of opportunity. In essence, education is the art of turning conflict into growth. Join us for an introduction to, and taste of, the guiding principles and approaches to conflict education.
TITLE: Wellbeing and Jewish Identity - How Adults Can Support Teens Through Turbulent Times
PRESENTER: Moving Traditions - Rabbi Daniel Brenner
DESCRIPTION: Core to Maimonidies' perspective on wellbeing is the idea of personal balance - and the belief that each person has a different disposition and unique path towards finding balance. This session of learning and fellowship is for all educators who work with teens, but especially for those who are interested in Jewish approaches to wellbeing that help young people to look inward, and explore identity from multiple angles. Educators will have time to speak with one another, reflect on the rollercoaster of emotions teens are bringing into Jewish spaces, and come away with new tools for supporting mental, psychological, and spiritual health.
TITLE: Navigating social media when Israel is at war: best practices for students
PRESENTER: OpenDor Media - Yoni Buckman
DESCRIPTION: In today's world, the war Israel is fighting is playing out as much on social media as it is on the battlefield. Our students are facing challenging questions, anti Israel content, and a constant stream of news. This session aims to teach our students how to be responsible consumers of social media. When should they engage in online discussions and when is it better to unfollow? When does content criticizing Israel cross the line into antisemitism? How can they take care of their mental health while online? How do you determine if a source online is reputable? Join this session to discuss best practices for dealing with these important issues. This session is geared for educators 6th grade and up.
TITLE: "If I Am For Myself Alone, What Am I?" - The Power of Self-Introduction in Fostering Connections and Cultivating Jewish Pride
PRESENTERS: Tzedek America - Tanae Denean Eskridge & Randall Fried
DESCRIPTION: Brachot 58a says we should learn from the wisdom of other nations. How can we use this concept to enrich our Jewish community and sense of pride? This workshop is about being proud of Jewish identity while understanding the significance of building bridges. A non-Black Jewish educator and a local Black youth minister will lead this workshop. This workshop goes beyond racial discourse to explore the depth of forging connections with our neighbors and how that strengthens and nurtures robust Jewish identity. Being confident in your own identity can create a sense of safety, trust, and respect in relationships.
TITLE: CRISIS AND SELF: THE IMPACT OF WAR ON PERSONAL IDENTITY AND SELF-IMAGE
PRESENTER: Rabbi Dr David Fox, Director of Crisis and Trauma Services, Chai Lifeline International Forensic and Clinical Psychologist
DESCRIPTION: This workshop will provide an interactive presentation on the psychological effects of war news on students and faculty in Jewish schools. Crisis Stress and its impact on emotional functioning, on sense of security, on public and personal image and on cognitive functioning will be described. Guidelines and tools for addressing students and for personal coping, and self care, will be shared.