M²: The Institute for Experiential Jewish Education is thrilled to welcome the inaugural cohort of the Jewish Pedagogies Circle

“He who learns in order to teach, it is granted to him to study and to teach; But he who learns in order to practice, it is granted to him to learn and to teach and to practice” (Avoth 4:5).

Through individual research, the development of original literature and field-based practice, twelve exemplary educators will gather virtually over eight months to explore what is particular and unique about the pedagogies of Jewish education.

Handpicked from a pool of hundreds of applicants, these fellows have been selected for the Jewish Pedagogies Circle – the first of two initiatives launching this year by M²: The Institute for Experiential Jewish Education, to address foundational questions in – and new possibilities for – the landscape of Jewish education. The Jewish Pedagogies Circle is generously supported by Lippman Kanfer Foundation for Living Torah and the Jim Joseph Foundation.

One fellow, Dr. Chana Silberman, Director of Education at the Roitman Chabad Center at Cornell University, comments that the Jewish Pedagogies Circle, “is an invitation to make the old new again and to renew ourselves by drawing from the bottomless well of our tradition.”

The cohort draws from many corners of Jewish educational professions, engaging a collective of approaches, methodologies, and backgrounds to experiential Jewish education. The fellows will collaborate with guest scholars, mentors, and artists in this exploration and test their pedagogies with a group of learners.

Yoshi Silverstein, Founder and Director of the Mitsui Collective, shares that: “Especially for those of us whose work is still on the fringe of traditional Jewish education, having this community of practice is crucial both for the motivational support and for the honing of our Jewish pedagogical toolkit.”

To read more about the M² approach to what a Jewish pedagogy is, please read the concept paper here. To learn more about the members of the cohort, please read the Participant Bio One-Pager.

M²: The Institute for Experiential Jewish Education helps educators and organizations design meaningful educational experiences. Our mission is to promote a proud and inspired community of Jewish educators who possess the personal and professional capacities to help learners find meaning and relevance in Jewish life. To learn more, visit ieje.org