NewCAJE16: Full Schedule

The NewCAJE conference is a vibrant gathering that unites Jewish educators and professionals to strengthen the Jewish community through education. Rooted in the legacy of CAJE, NewCAJE fosters innovation, collaboration, and inspiration. The conference offers space for sharing best practices, exploring new ideas, and deepening Jewish and educational learning. Committed to inclusivity and pluralism, it welcomes educators from all backgrounds, creating a supportive network that empowers them to make a lasting impact.

2:00pm EDT

God loves the Jewish people, but do we?: Teaching and Learning Ahavat Yisrael

Monday June 23, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

Julia Rogers: JR - 277

Many Jews find Judaism fascinating and meaningful but the subject of Jews—not so much. Peoplehood and religion fortify each other and may not be truly distinct, so how can we teach ethnic cultural particularism in a global age?

Speakers

Rabbi David Starr

Lead Congregation, Mishkan Tefila

Rabbi David Star leads Congregation Mishkan Tefila in Brooklline, MA. He was a Research Associate at Brandeis University and earned a Ph.D. at Columbia University. He is the author of a forthcoming biography of Solomon Schechter, and was the founder of the Me’ah program.

Monday June 23, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Julia Rogers: JR - 277

American Jewish Community Creating Community

2:00pm EDT

Ask Mrs. Lincoln

Monday June 23, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

Julia Rogers: JR - 130

Meet the real Mary Todd Lincoln. Discover why the wife of Abraham Lincoln was so disliked. Was she really insane? What was it like to be married to Abe, to live in Washington during the Civil War, to be the wife of the president? Understand what it was like for Jews during the Civil War? What was Lincoln’s relationship to the Jewish people? After the presentation, there will be a discussion about how this information can be effective in congregational afternoon schools, day schools, and for adults. In addition, participants will explore how they might be able to take on characters and bring history to life in their classrooms.

Speakers

Heléna Eilenberg

Adult Educator, Consultant, Informal/Camp Educator, Online Tutor (Hebrew or Judaica), Storyteller, Merrick Jewish Centre

Heléna Geberer Eilenberg is an actress, a Jewish educator (Director of Education, principal) and a history teacher. In full character and dress, she portrays unique, fascinating women who are almost forgotten in our history books. For adults, middle and high school and upper elementary... Read More →

Monday June 23, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Julia Rogers: JR - 130

American Jewish Community History/Holocaust

8:30am EDT

Free Speech versus Hate Speech: Role Playing as an Entry Point to Discussing Controversial Topics

Tuesday June 24, 2025 8:30am - 10:00am EDT

Van Meter Hall: VM - G02

Should there be limits to free speech? In this workshop, we’ll use creative role-play to explore how people in the past tackled tough questions. We’ll look at the events in Skokie in the late 1970s and compare free speech in the U.S., Germany, and Israel.

Speakers

Rebecca Shargel

Professor of Education, Towson University

Rebecca Shargel is Professor of Education at Towson University. She also designs and creates online simulations for the Jewish Court of All Time, for middle schoolers in Jewish schools (day schools and Hebrew schools) to deliberate on controversial topics. She researches collaborative... Read More →

Tuesday June 24, 2025 8:30am - 10:00am EDT
Van Meter Hall: VM - G02

American Jewish Community Storytelling

Subject Holocaust/Antisemitism Certificate

4:00pm EDT

Uplifting Sephardi & Mizrahi Voices in Jewish Education

Wednesday June 25, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT

Julia Rogers: JR - 278

“Uplifting Sephardi & Mizrahi Voices in Jewish Education,” will highlight the Sephardi & Mizrahi Education Toolkit (free). This session equips educators and school leaders with resources and strategies to integrate the heritage of Jews from Muslim majority countries into curricula, fostering inclusive learning environments and expanding students’ understanding of global Jewish communities. The Toolkit provides recommendations for classroom teachers in Tanakh, Halakha, Holidays, Jewish Languages, Arts & Music, Literature, STEM, Jewish History, Israel, and Holocaust studies.

Speakers

Ty Alhadeff

Director of Education, JIMENA

Ty Alhadeff serves as the Director of Education at JIMENA, where he leads educational initiatives to promote awareness of the history and culture of Middle Eastern and North African Jewish communities. Recently Alhadeff created the free Sephardi & Mizrahi Education Toolkit, a compendium... Read More →

Wednesday June 25, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Julia Rogers: JR - 278

American Jewish Community Big Picture of Jewish Education

8:30am EDT

Unpacking Words to Action: Empowering Teens to Challenge Antisemitism (1st occurance)

Thursday June 26, 2025 8:30am - 10:00am EDT

Julia Rogers: JR - 277

Join education expert Randi Boyette to learn about and participate in ADL's premier Jewish teen-facing program, Words to Action. In this session, you will participate in activities aimed to build student capacity to explore Jewish identity, identify and challenge antisemitism.

Speakers

Randi Boyette

Thursday June 26, 2025 8:30am - 10:00am EDT
Julia Rogers: JR - 277

Teens American Jewish Community

Subject Holocaust/Antisemitism Certificate

10:30am EDT

Unpacking Words to Action: Empowering Teens to Challenge Antisemitism (2nd occurance)

Thursday June 26, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm EDT

Julia Rogers: JR - 277

Speakers

Randi Boyette

Thursday June 26, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Julia Rogers: JR - 277

Teens American Jewish Community

Subject Holocaust/Antisemitism Certificate