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

A Sukkah on the Moon: PBL in the Jewish Classroom

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

Van Meter Hall: VM - G07

Project-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered approach resulting in deep, long-lasting, and relevant learning.Jewish educators can adapt any unit or topic to a PBL format. Come away with an outline and resources for how to approach an example project for fourth graders and learn how to design your own PBL units!

Speakers

Tanya Wisoker

Adult Educator, Storyteller

Tanya has been telling stories her whole life, starting with reading to her little sister. She worked with preschoolers, as a museum interpreter, and as a Religious School principal. Tanya was a Day School science teacher and drama coach for 11 years before retiring to pursue... Read More →

Monday June 23, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Van Meter Hall: VM - G07

Alternative Models of Jewish Education

3:45pm EDT

Beyond the Gap: Connecting Effectively with Generation Z

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

Van Meter Hall: VM - G07

Connecting with today's youth creates transformative moments, yet demands dedicated skill and persistence. Learn from an innovative Youth Engagement Director's successful strategies for vibrant programming across different developmental stages. Through an interactive Gallery Walk and collaborative problem-solving, you'll leave with actionable ideas to immediately elevate your youth engagement initiatives.

Speakers

Jacob Ruby

Youth Director, Jacksonville Jewish Center

Jacob Ruby is the Youth Director for the Jacksonville Jewish Center. With over 120 Youth ranging from kindergarten to 12th grade seniors, Jacob has been leading, connecting with, and developing successful programming for 4 years.

Monday June 23, 2025 3:45pm - 5:15pm EDT
Van Meter Hall: VM - G07

Creating Community Teens

8:30am EDT

From Survivor Memory to Living Teller: Training a New Generation to Take Up the Role of Holocaust Witness

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

Van Meter Hall: VM - G07

The window to experience living Holocaust survivor testimony is closing. In 2024, 9 young adults interviewed 8 survivors and learned to tell their stories. We will hear about this project, listen to some of the stories, and have a panel discussion with participants - storytellers, survivors, and instructors.

Dr. Steve Salzberg, Survivor Henry Weil, and Storyteller Maddi Ruiz - session panelists

Speakers

Deborah Fripp

Executive Director, Teach the Shoah

Dr. Deborah Fripp is the Executive Director of Teach the Shoah. Teach the Shoah’s mission is to train people of all ages, generations, and backgrounds to share testimony-based stories and lessons of the Holocaust. Deborah is the author of Light from the Darkness: a ritual for Yom... Read More →

Tuesday June 24, 2025 8:30am - 10:00am EDT
Van Meter Hall: VM - G07

History/Holocaust Storytelling

Subject Holocaust/Antisemitism Certificate

10:30am EDT

Using Storytelling to Process Intergenerational Trauma in Children of Holocaust Survivors

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

Van Meter Hall: VM - G07

Growing up as the child of Holocaust survivors (being a 2G) can be difficult. Learning to tell their parent’s story gives 2Gs the opportunity to process this passed-down trauma. Hear from psychotherapists about storytelling’s effect on intergeneration trauma and from 2Gs about their experiences learning to tell their parents’ stories.

Dr. Steve Salzberg, Dr. Rachel Miller, Dorothy Gold, Judy Gartner, Bob Lowy, and Berly Hershkovitz - panelists

Speakers

Karen Webber

Adult Educator, Artist, Cantor, Clergy Educator, Entertainer, Musician, Online Tutor (Hebrew or Judaica), Spiritual Leader, Specialist, Storyteller

Karen Webber is a liturgical, teaching and performing artist who builds theatre/music pieces for elder care facilities, mental health centers, public parks and the bimah. An ordained cantor since 1990 (HUC-JIR), Karen is also an accredited teaching artist and a certified Peer Support... Read More →

Deborah Fripp

Executive Director, Teach the Shoah

Tuesday June 24, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Van Meter Hall: VM - G07

History/Holocaust Storytelling

Subject Holocaust/Antisemitism Certificate

4:15pm EDT

Conquering the Challenge of Hebrew Decoding

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

Van Meter Hall: VM - G07

Are your Hebrew students struggling? Doing things like forgetting Hebrew letters and vowels, mixing up look-alike letters, decoding Hebrew prayers slooooowly and laboriously and/or making errors that seem impossible to eliminate? Join us to learn a wide variety of easy-to-implement research-based strategies for conquering these challenges.

Speakers

Linda Duke

Teacher, Congregation B'nai Shalom

Linda Duke is a Hebrew Through Movement (HTM) Master Teacher and co-facilitator of the national HTM Community of Practice. Linda’s experiences teaching Hebrew in three synagogue Hebrew programs contribute to #OnwardHebrew’s research on Hebrew decoding. Linda was honored with a... Read More →

Nachama Moskowitz

Director, #OnwardHebrew

Nachama Skolnik Moskowitz is the director of #OnwardHebrew, a national Hebrew learning initiative that is building student competence, confidence, and excitement in synagogue/part-time settings. Previously, she served as Director of Curriculum Resources for the Jewish Education Center... Read More →

Tuesday June 24, 2025 4:15pm - 5:45pm EDT
Van Meter Hall: VM - G07

Hebrew/Yiddish Pedagogy

8:30am EDT

Using Coaching as a Supervisory Technique

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

Van Meter Hall: VM - G07

The concept of coaching isn’t just for the business world, the Jewish communal world can benefit too! This session will teach the fundamentals of one coaching model and demonstrate how implementing coaching strategies can elevate all aspects of the organization through building confidence, competence, and commitment. Come ready to learn and practice.

Speakers

Erica Hruby

Senior Manager, National Teen Education Initiatives, The Jewish Education Project

Erica Hruby, M.A. is a master Jewish educator with nearly 30-years of teaching, curriculum writing, and professional development experience in Jewish community, academic, and residential environments. Erica serves as Senior Manager, National Teen Education Initiatives at The Jewish... Read More →

Wednesday June 25, 2025 8:30am - 10:00am EDT
Van Meter Hall: VM - G07

Admin Big Picture of Jewish Education

Subject Admin/School Directors Certificate

10:30am EDT

Why Invest Time and Energy in Family Education?

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

Van Meter Hall: VM - G07

We will begin by talking about why Jewish education must include the whole family to be effective. Teaching parents and other family members makes a difference in every aspect of a child's Jewish education. We will learn about the framework of family education, and how it connects to the holiday cycle, the life-cycle, and Mitzvot. Finally, we will talk about planning with the parents and the importance of spiraling the curriculum over at least seven years. Please plan to come back for the second session if you want practical advice and support.

Speakers

Cherie Koller-Fox

Wednesday June 25, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Van Meter Hall: VM - G07

Family Education

Subject Admin/School Directors Certificate

2:00pm EDT

Holiday Programming to Leave Your Students Breathless and Sweaty (and Knowledgeable)!

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

Van Meter Hall: VM - G07

Years ago, I attended a workshop at NewCAJE by Barb Moskow (z’’l) that revolutionized how I approach holiday programming in my supplemental school. Imagine teams of students racing to complete holiday-related tasks – perhaps team members create a human dreidel, or an eight-line rhyming song with dance movements about latkes and Maccabees, or put together a chanukkiah out of recyclables. During this workshop, participants will develop a template to create fun, meaningful activities which weave together multi-sensory experiences for your students. These programs, designed for K-2nd grade groupings and 3rd-6th grade groupings, create team spirit among various ages and challenge students to take ownership of their own learning. Participants will receive complete program outlines for five holidays.

Speakers

Melissa Pescatore

Director of Religious Education, Temple Shaari Emeth

Melissa Pescatore just celebrated her 10th year as the Director of Religious Education at Temple Shaari Emeth in Manalapan, NJ. Serving as Educator in the congregation where she grew up, she is passionate about instilling a love of learning and building a strong, positive Jewish identity... Read More →

Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Van Meter Hall: VM - G07

Holiday/Lifecycle Teaching Tools & Techniques

4:00pm EDT

What do I need for Bar/Bat Mitzvah Preparation - Topics for Literacy: Sarah and David's Bar/Bat Mitzvah Book

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

Van Meter Hall: VM - G07

Participants will be able to broaden Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation to include an introduction to Tanakh, Torah, parashah, the structure of a service. Students can ground themselves in the geography of Tanakh to help see the big picture. On the Hebrew side, students will have key prayers and overview of essential Hebrew reading skills. Attendees will receive a copy of the Sarah and David Bar/Bat Mitzvah Book.

Speakers

Diana Yacobi

Ed Director - retired, Read Hebrew Now

Diana Yacobi has completed a Masters in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary. She served as the Educational Director of synagogue schools and published articles about after school Jewish education. She is a product of synagogue school education and created Read... Read More →

Wednesday June 25, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Van Meter Hall: VM - G07

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Hebrew/Yiddish