For many Jewish educators, as well as parents, the Covid-19 pandemic challenged long-held assumptions about the structure, content and learning processes at the foundation of synagogue/part-time education programs. Yet, not surprisingly, past practices threatened to snap the enterprise back to its pre-pandemic ways. It's quite clear that Jewish leaders were (and still are) facing an "If not now, when?" moment - will we step up, or "blink" and revert to learning approaches that have been in place for decades?
With that question in mind, in the Fall of 2020, Cleveland's synagogue education directors began discussing the learnings that were emerging from a year where all normative assumptions had been turned on their head. By January 2021, the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland assembled a team of talented Jewish educators to tackle the question of what could be next. The JEC is delighted to share the paths explored by the "If Not Now, When?" team and the resulting recommendations. The team aspired to taking Jewish learning "to the edge of possibility," but realized that for many of our teachers, that edge represented an uncomfortable and vertigo-producing cliff. Thus, the learning approach offered takes us close to that edge, but pays attention to the zone of proximal development for most of the staff working in part-time Jewish educational settings.
The JEC hopes that the spirit of collaboration embraced by those working with La-bri'ut will continue with The Gifting Framework and "The 3+3 Project." We invite our colleagues to join the conversation on the "JEC-If Not Now, When?" Facebook group.
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It's in your hands!
The "If Not Now, When?" initiative is not an all-or-nothing proposition offered by the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland. Every program's culture is different, every region of the country has its nuances, and each educator comes with their own unique education background and experiences. While the JEC team spent many, many hours considering the implications of each of its decisions, we assume that the Gifting Framework and "The 3+3 Project" will be adapted to fit each education program and its constituents.
Really, it's in your hands! |
You will find on this website:
DOCUMENTS:
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CURRICULUM:
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SUPPORTS:
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SHARINGS:
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Join the conversation!
Grab a cup of coffee or a scoop of ice cream and join the conversation on the "JEC-If Not Now, When?" Facebook page!
We would love to know that you are adopting or adapting the Gifting Framework or 3+3. Please use the Contact tab to be in touch! |
Jewish Education Center of Cleveland
www.jecc.org
www.jecc.org