Prizmah Podcasts: Podcasts by Prizmah Center for Jewish Day Schools

Prizmah:CJDS
  • 4.3 (6)
  • Judaism

Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools offers three podcast series: 1. Research Encounter, hosted by Elliott Rabin, Prizmah‘s director of thought leadership, presents a discussion between a researcher and a day school leader about a recent work of scholarship. 2. Prizmah Podcasts Live showcases innovative and transformative initiatives taking place in Jewish schools. Each episode includes a presentation, conversation and audience q&a. 3. Start-up Day School, hosted by Josh Gold, middle school principal at HAFTR, Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaways in Lawrence, New York, offers a give-and-take on matters of contemporary educational leadership in Jewish schools. Prizmah envisions a vibrant, passionate, knowledgeable, and committed Jewish community, empowered by Jewish day schools, for generations to come. Our mission is to strengthen the North American day school field. We are the network for Jewish day schools and yeshivas, enhancing their ability to excel and thrive, by deepening talent, catalyzing resources, and accelerating educational innovation.

  1. 2d ago

    Research Encounter - "Where the Clay Hits the Molder": The Heart of Middle School Education

    In this episode of Research Encounter, delve into the question of middle school--when and why it came into existence, what makes it a unique time, why people choose to teach there, and ways that educators can improve their practice to support student development at this phase of life. Encounter students shooting airballs in the hall, a student who beat Natan Sharansky in chess, and one who sold to an investor part of the company that he devised the night before. Explore how teachers strive to balance student autonomy with accountability, teach for identity formation and strengthen executive functioning, all while leaning into the optimism, joy and "mess" of their charges.   Special guests Zak Cohen is the associate head of school at Jewish Leadership Academy in Miami, and the author of Wise Freedom: Giving Students the Tools to Thrive in Middle School and Beyond. Dr. Matthew Dorsch is the director of the Saligman Middle School at Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Gabriel Felder is the middle and upper school principal at Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy in Stamford, Connecticut. Dr. Missy Rivner is the middle school principal at Atlanta Jewish Academy.

  2. Oct 13

    Research Into Practice In Israel Education: Values-based Educational Approach to Israel Education - Learning from the Hartman Modern Orthodox Cohort

    Presented in partnership with the Shalom Hartman Institute with Dr. Elana Stein Hain and Dr. Ethan Zadoff. For many Modern Orthodox schools in North America, Religious Zionism holds a particular resonance. The writings of its leaders and the core texts of the movement are relevant to their mission, teaching and learning. Yet, Religious Zionism in Israel today is rife with moral, religious and political disagreement about land, democracy, messianism, ultranationalism and more. How should North American day schools educate their constituents to think about these issues? What role do North American day schools play in articulating their own moral vision related to these debates? To address these questions, the Shalom Hartman Institute initiated a 20-month fellowship for Modern Orthodox day school leaders. In this webinar, Dr. Elana Stein Hain of the Shalom Hartman Institute and Dr. Ethan Zadoff of DRS Yeshiva High School will reflect on the central conversations that have emerged through the program and share how participants are translating their learning into curriculum, school culture, and community conversations that can deepen Israel and Zionist education in Modern Orthodox schools.

  3. Jun 15

    Research Encounter: Engaging Parents and Students in Hebrew

    What do parents want from their children's Hebrew education? How do they think about and value Hebrew, and does their thinking align with the way that Hebrew is taught in their children's school? Hebrew educators explore these questions and share innovative ways that they engage students with Hebrew, both inside and outside of the classroom. The discussion is sparked by a chapter written by Sharon Avni, "What Do Parents Want from Hebrew Studies in Jewish Education?" that appeared in Teaching & Learning in Jewish Day Schools.   The student-made video mentioned by Roman Shnaider can be found here.   Featured guests Dr. Sharon Avni is a professor of academic literacy and linguistics at CUNY-BMCC. Dr. Gila Azrad is the Hebrew department chair at Pressman Academy in Los Angeles, an early childhood to 8th grade school. She teaches and mentors teachers internationally. Ortal Klyman is a doctoral candidate in modern languages. She teaches Hebrew in grades 9-12 at Shalhevet High School in Los Angeles, where she also serves as the Hebrew department chair and mentors Hebrew teachers. She is a faculty member at the School of Hebrew at Middlebury College, teaching Hebrew at multiple proficiency levels and conducting research as part of her doctoral studies. Roman Shnaider is the incoming Hebrew department chair at de Toledo High School in West Hills, California, and a faculty member at the School of Hebrew at Middlebury College, where he teaches adult learners and conducts research in the Doctor of Modern Languages program.

  4. Jun 3

    Research Encounter: Inside the Jewish Studies Classroom - Teaching for Student Agency

    Learn how middle school Tanakh teachers can help students develop not just their own interpretive skills but also their capacity to collaborate and generate fresh insights together. Educators reveal some of their pedagogical toolkit and discuss the challenges to cultivating literacy in the age of AI. The conversation is rooted in a chapter by Ziva Hassenfeld, "Intercomprehending in Action: Text-Based Discussion in a Seventh-Grade Bible Classroom," that appeared in Teaching & Learning in Jewish Day Schools.  Special Guests Shifra Chelst is a Judaic studies teacher at Berman Hebrew Academy in Rockville, Maryland. Melanie Eisen is the principal of teaching and learning at Gesher Jewish Day School in Fairfax, Virginia. Ziva Hassenfeld, PhD, is the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Assistant Professor of Jewish Education at Brandeis University. Rabbi Jack Nahmod is the middle school Judaic studies head at the Heschel School in Manhattan.

  5. May 27

    Research Enounter: Weaving Together the Community of Teachers

    What makes teachers feel that they belong at a school? Explore the different aspects of community that teachers participate in within a school. Based on Shira Hammerman's chapter "Designing Schools Around Five Dimensions of Community" in the volume Teaching & Learning in Jewish Day Schools, this conversation enables school leaders to share practices, stories and reflections on ways that they support teacher culture and belonging in their schools.   With special guests Rabbi Gavriel Brown is the head of school at Margolin Hebrew Academy–Cooper Yeshiva of the South, a Pre-K through 12th grade Orthodox Jewish day school in Memphis, Tennessee. Tamar Cytryn is the director of Jewish studies at Chicago Jewish Day School, a JK-8 community school. Dr. Shira Hammerman is the director of faculty learning and professional development at the Jewish Educational Center (JEC) in Elizabeth, New Jersey. She received a doctorate in education and Jewish studies from New York University and has worked in a variety of Jewish educational settings. Ilana Ruskay-Kidd is the founder and head of school at The Shefa School, a K-8 school for students with language-based learning disabilities in Manhattan.

  6. May 13

    The Shift: Exploring the Evolving Identity and Role of Hebrew Educators After October 7th

    Featuring Dr. Vardit Ringvald and Sharon Schoenfeld The events of October 7 marked a turning point for Hebrew educators, shifting their role from language instructors to cultural mediators of Israel’s complex realities. This situation has brought us to a critical moment of reconsideration for the profession. Explore the evolving professional identity of Hebrew educators and begin to consider your own pedagogical approach and actions. Examine the connection between the Hebrew language, Israel, and Israelis, and how language serves as a reflection of its speakers and their place in the world. Leave this webinar with concrete strategies and best practices to ensure that Hebrew education remains effective in fostering language acquisition while authentically expressing the culture and lived realities of its speakers. In partnership with Academic Studies Press   Dr. Vardit Ringvald Vardit is the director of the Brandeis University Consortium for The Teaching of Hebrew Language and Culture and a research professor at the Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education. Her current work includes a focus on the intersection of Hebrew language and culture in pedagogy and practice. Sharon Schoenfeld Sharon holds a master’s degree in teaching Hebrew as a second language from Middlebury College She is currently the director of Kayitz Kef / Hebrew at Camp at the Brandeis Consortium for the Teaching of Hebrew Language and Culture. Her work focuses on experiential Hebrew immersion initiatives and the mentoring and training of program leaders.

  7. Apr 29

    Research Encounter: What Is Rabbinics, Really?

    How do rabbinics teachers conceptualize, implicitly or explicitly, the nature of the material that they teach to their students? Starting with a paper titled "Three Conceptions of Rabbinics: Understanding Teachers' Thinking" by Joshua Ladon, a chapter in the recent collection Teaching & Learning in Jewish Day Schools, this conversation allows seasoned teachers to explore the ways that they think about and teach the heart of Jewish studies in their classrooms.   Rabbi Dr. Joshua Ladon is the vice president for the West Coast and senior faculty for the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America.   Rabbi Aaron Horn is the High School Principal at Kohelet Yeshiva right outside of Philadelphia where he has taught Gemara and Biology, ran student activities and served as the Dean of Students.  Grace McMillan is a graduate of Harvard Divinity School who later spent a year learning Nishmat. Grace has been teaching Jewish Text for over a decade at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School and is currently the Nancy and Paul M. Hamburger Jewish Text High School Department Chair.   Rabbi Yechiel Shaffer is the Campus Rabbi of the Jewish Leadership Academy in Miami and the director of its novel Service Entrepreneurship Program. He is also the Founder of the new platform PdThatworks.com and has served as a community Rabbi in 3 cities.

  8. Mar 26

    Research Into Practice in Israel Education: Beyond “Hugging and Wrestling" - Toward a Knowledge-based Israel Education

    For decades, Israel education in North American day schools has centered on fostering positive feelings toward Israel. But is “feeling good” about Israel the right goal? Drawing on qualitative research with Jewish day school students, Jonah Hassenfeld challenges the assumption that connection must precede knowledge. Explore why knowledge and connection are inseparable, why complex topics including conflict, inequality, and diversity are essential for building both, and how educators can design experiences that help students develop their own informed perspectives. Leave with concrete strategies for creating classrooms that invite deep inquiry into Israel’s history, politics, and culture—without fear of “ruining” students’ connection. Dr. Jonah Hassenfeld Director of Learning and Teaching at Schechter Boston Jonah oversees curriculum and instruction across general and Judaic studies. His research on Israel education has been published in Contemporary Jewry and Journal of Jewish Education. A former high school history teacher, Jonah writes and speaks widely about how schools can engage students in complex and sometimes controversial topics without sacrificing intellectual rigor or community connection.

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4.3
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools offers three podcast series: 1. Research Encounter, hosted by Elliott Rabin, Prizmah‘s director of thought leadership, presents a discussion between a researcher and a day school leader about a recent work of scholarship. 2. Prizmah Podcasts Live showcases innovative and transformative initiatives taking place in Jewish schools. Each episode includes a presentation, conversation and audience q&a. 3. Start-up Day School, hosted by Josh Gold, middle school principal at HAFTR, Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaways in Lawrence, New York, offers a give-and-take on matters of contemporary educational leadership in Jewish schools. Prizmah envisions a vibrant, passionate, knowledgeable, and committed Jewish community, empowered by Jewish day schools, for generations to come. Our mission is to strengthen the North American day school field. We are the network for Jewish day schools and yeshivas, enhancing their ability to excel and thrive, by deepening talent, catalyzing resources, and accelerating educational innovation.

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