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

Who, When, Where, Why: The What and How of Calendar Planning the Year

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

Julia Rogers: JR - 278

Let's workshop how to plan out the year in advance, while allowing room for the things that will inevitably cause you to pivot. We will look at tools to help you in the planning, share best practices, and even think about ways to make the calendar do the hard work for you. This workshop is designed for directors of supplemental settings, but useful to anyone thinking big picture about the year ahead.

Speakers

Aileen Heiman

Director of Education and Engagement, Park Slope Jewish Center

Aileen Heiman is the Director of Education and Engagement at Park Slope Jewish Center in Brooklyn, NY. She holds an MA in Jewish Education from Hebrew College and an MA in Jewish Studies from the RRC. Aileen has been involved with NewCAJE since interning with CAJE and loves the joyous... Read More →

Monday June 23, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Julia Rogers: JR - 278

Admin Big Picture of Jewish Education

Subject Admin/School Directors Certificate

3:45pm EDT

Adaptive Leadership post 10/7: Navigating Change and Building Resilience in a Dynamic Educational Landscape

Monday June 23, 2025 3:45pm - 5:15pm EDT

Julia Rogers: JR - 278

In today’s rapidly changing world, Jewish educators face unique challenges in leading schools, engaging students, and fostering strong community involvement. Adaptive leadership offers a proven framework that helps leaders and organizations navigate complex environments and address the evolving needs of students, parents, and communities. This session will introduce educators to the principles of adaptive leadership, a model that moves beyond traditional top-down or bottom-up approaches to provide practical tools for thriving in uncertain, ever-changing educational settings.

Speakers

Hana Bor

Professor, Program Director, Founding Director for Education Centers, Towson University

Hana Bor is a Towson University professor in the Family Science Department and the Founding Director of The Sandra R. Berman Center for Humanity, Tolerance & Holocaust Education at Towson University. She is also the Program Director for the Holocaust Education Graduate Certificate... Read More →

Monday June 23, 2025 3:45pm - 5:15pm EDT
Julia Rogers: JR - 278

Admin Adult Education

Subject Admin/School Directors Certificate

8:30am EDT

Skills Share: Tools for Student Self-Assessment and Self-Directed Learning

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

Julia Rogers: JR - 278

Learn how to harness the power of self-assessment and self-directed learning to increase student engagement and success, from writing group songs to learning prayers to being loud and slow when reading from the bimah. You will come away with specific tools that can be adapted to learners of all ages.

Speakers

Rory Michelle Sullivan

Artist-in-Residence

Rory Michelle Sullivan’s work as singer/songwriter, songleader, musician, composer, educator, curriculum writer, and consultant with a range of Jewish communities and ages inspires spiritual connection, growth, and joy through healthy, authentic, creative, and constructive relationships... Read More →

Tuesday June 24, 2025 8:30am - 10:00am EDT
Julia Rogers: JR - 278

Pedagogy

10:30am EDT

Combating Anti-Semitism: Teaching Zionism

Tuesday June 24, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm EDT

Julia Rogers: JR - 278

Zionism concerns both the right of Jews to a homeland and the question of what Judaism should be in the modern world. This session provides an easily understood and teachable framework for studying Zionism and in the process constitutes a strong response to antisemitism.

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.

Tuesday June 24, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Julia Rogers: JR - 278

Israel/Zionism Teens

Subject Holocaust/Antisemitism Certificate

4:15pm EDT

Draw your own Torah with Parsha Posters

Tuesday June 24, 2025 4:15pm - 5:45pm EDT

Julia Rogers: JR - 278

How can we make Biblical stories relevant today? How can we use art to explore themes and characters in the Torah? Hillel created Parsha Posters--a series of graphic illustrations for each Torah portion--to find meaning in the Biblical text, and believes in visual art as a powerful way to share personal midrash. He leads this workshop with groups of all ages to provide the tools for greater understanding through artistic expression. We will begin with a brief talk about the fundamentals of minimalist design and about his inspiration for the project. Small groups will then read and discuss assigned Biblical texts. Finally, everyone will design and present their own posters as a way of reflecting visually on the Torah they just learned.

Speakers

Hillel Smith

Artist

Hillel Smith is an illustrator and designer who expands the boundaries of Jewish art through contemporary media. He paints Jewish murals around the world and founded the Jewish Street Art Festival. He has created art for PJ Library, BBYO, and HIAS. He leads art workshops and teaches... Read More →

Tuesday June 24, 2025 4:15pm - 5:45pm EDT
Julia Rogers: JR - 278

Bible/Text Visual Arts

8:30am EDT

Building Learning Communities with Intention

Wednesday June 25, 2025 8:30am - 10:00am EDT

Julia Rogers: JR - 278

An interactive session that offers a hands-on introduction to MTEI’s approach to building community. Through a variety of engaging exercises, you’ll experience how intentionally designed structures can foster playful, joyful, and risk-taking environments—what MTEI calls a “relational learning community.” Together, we’ll explore how community-building is not only a goal of our work but also a powerful method for how we do our work. Come ready to learn, connect, and imagine new collective possibilities.

Speakers

Deborah Niederman

Leader of Recruitment, Mandel Teacher Educator Institute

Deborah Niederman, RJE is the Leader of Recruitment for the Mandel Teacher Educator Institute. She has been a leader in Jewish Education for over 30 years, serving congregations, acting as a consultant, researcher, curriculum writer and mentor.

Wednesday June 25, 2025 8:30am - 10:00am EDT
Julia Rogers: JR - 278

Creating Community Teaching Tools & Techniques

Subject Admin/School Directors Certificate

10:30am EDT

Bringing Nature into your Curriculum, Shomrei Adamah for ELC - 5th grade: Seedballs, Nature Mandalas and Pinecones

Wednesday June 25, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm EDT

Julia Rogers: JR - 278

Experience nature and its Jewish values through the eyes of a 3-year-old. Play with nature while creating mystical mandalas. Feed the earth and tree side neighbors by making seedballs and birdseed pinecones to take home. Hear the story of Pearlstone/Adamah and the Owings Mills JCC on our three-year journey to create an early childhood nature curriculum that teachers were comfortable to try and engaged the children's imagination. Educators are welcome to adapt these lesson plans for any age learner.

Speakers

Jill Eisen

Wednesday June 25, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Julia Rogers: JR - 278

Ecology

2:00pm EDT

Amazing Nature / Ma Rabu!

Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT

Julia Rogers: JR - 278

This session will empower participants to use the wonders of nature in order to engage their students in any subject matter.
Takeaways
"1. Understand the Rambam's guidance on using nature and science in order to engage Jewish learners.
2. One or more techniques for employing this strategy in your classroom."

Speakers

Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld

Adult Jewish educator, Jewish Teachers Institute

Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld, PhD started teaching right out of college in rural Mississippi. With over 10 years of classroom experience and 20 years as an adult Jewish educator, he founded the Jewish Teachers Institute in 2016 which trains and mentors day school teachers, creates curricula... Read More →

Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Julia Rogers: JR - 278

Ecology Spirituality

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

Magical Musical Mindfulness: Tools for our youngest friends

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

Julia Rogers: JR - 278

Practicing mindfulness can have a profound impact on children, specifically when it comes to feelings of anxiety, ADHD, sleep, and self esteem. Using original Tkiya music and content, we will explore how to use mindfulness as a tool in early childhood and elementary spaces through a Jewish values lens.

Speakers

Morgan Zweibel

Education Coordinator, Tkiya

Morgan is the Education Coordinator at Tkiya where she teaches, manages curriculum, and trains teachers, helping to bring joyful Jewish connection to thousands of families each year. She was chosen as a Jewish Rock Radio’s Jewish All Star for 2023-24. Morgan is thrilled to combine... Read More →

Thursday June 26, 2025 8:30am - 10:00am EDT
Julia Rogers: JR - 278

Music Teaching Tools & Techniques

Subject Early Childhood Education Certificate

10:30am EDT

Embrace Your Weird!: Unlocking the Magic of Being Fully You

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

Julia Rogers: JR - 278

In this upbeat, interactive session, discover how embracing your weirdness can make teaching, leading, and learning more fun, more human, and more impactful -- in any setting.

Speakers

Sari Kopitnikoff

Educator, Digital Artist, and Content Creator, @thatjewishmoment

Sari Kopitnikoff is an experiential educator, digital artist, and content creator. She’s passionate about creating books, games, and shows that bring Judaism to life. She taught for over a decade and now runs programs and experiences all over for kids, teens, and adults. Find lots... Read More →

Thursday June 26, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Julia Rogers: JR - 278

Teaching Tools & Techniques