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

Capturing Learner's Attention and Imaginations in the Jewish Classroom

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

Van Meter Hall: VM - G11

Struggling with distracted students who can't focus? Discover practical strategies to engage learners by making content relevant and interactive. Explore transformative approaches like Choose Your Own Adventure, Project-Based Learning, and customized electives that spark student enthusiasm. Walk away with ready-to-use methods to dramatically improve classroom participation.

Speakers

Ronni Ticker

Classroom Teacher - Elementary, Classrooom Teacher - Middle School, Consultant, Self Employed

Ronni Ticker, Founder & Chief Imagination Officer of Jewish Learning Central, is a creative strategic thinker consulting with synagogues and non-profits to reimagine learning and engagement. Ronni is also the Director of Family Engagement for the Federation of Palm Beach County. She... Read More →

Monday June 23, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Van Meter Hall: VM - G11

Pedagogy

3:45pm EDT

Glikl a Jewish Woman

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

Van Meter Hall: VM - G11

Glikl of Hamlyn may have lived more than 400 years ago, but in many ways her life’s ambitions and struggles mirror today’s issues. The Jewish woman, whose 20-year diary describes life in Europe’s 17th century, is being turned into a graphic novel by a husband-and-wife team of educators. Mat and Julie Tonti. This project is aimed at making a digestible version for today.

Speakers

Julie Tonti

Educator, The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore

Mat and Julie Tonti live with their children in the Washington, DC area, where they both work in the field of education, Mat as a rabbi and educator at Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School, and Julie works at Jewish Educational Services at The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore... Read More →

Rabbi Matt Tonti

By day, Rabbi Matisyahu Tonti, can be found teaching young musicians and Torah scholars at Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School in Washington DC. By night, he can be found dancing, drawing, and singing with his three children and wife.Rabbi Tonti has spent four years living and studying... Read More →

Monday June 23, 2025 3:45pm - 5:15pm EDT
Van Meter Hall: VM - G11

History/Holocaust Visual Arts

8:30am EDT

Mitzvah and Mystery: Using Intrigue and Curiosity to Bring Jewish Learning to Life

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

Van Meter Hall: VM - G11

Experience “The Stolen Speech,” a mystery game designed pre-teens and teens on their B'mitzvah journey -- and learn how mystery-based learning can make Jewish education more enjoyable and meaningful. Walk away with tools to build intrigue, encourage problem-solving, and deepen connection across age groups and topics.

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 →

Tuesday June 24, 2025 8:30am - 10:00am EDT
Van Meter Hall: VM - G11

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Teens

10:30am EDT

Sarah and David’s Read Hebrew Now: A fun, focused and systematic approach to Hebrew reading

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

Van Meter Hall: VM - G11

Hebrew reading is a key objective of Jewish education. Sarah and David’s RHN is designed to build reading skills and confidence for beginners of all ages. Techniques like 'beans, beats and baskets’ and a consistent approach from book-to-book and year-to-year enable students to build accuracy and fluency for Bar/Bat Mitzvah and beyond.

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 →

Tuesday June 24, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Van Meter Hall: VM - G11

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Hebrew/Yiddish

4:15pm EDT

Inviting God into our Classrooms

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

Van Meter Hall: VM - G11

Children are natural philosophers, full of questions about life, faith,Torah, God. Sadly, our system often supresses those questions, robbing children of their curiosity, rendering them silent. How can we turn this around and give them permission to inquire, imagine and probe the dimensions of religious truth? How can we raise a new generation of Jewish explorers?

Speakers

Ed Feinstein

Tuesday June 24, 2025 4:15pm - 5:45pm EDT
Van Meter Hall: VM - G11

God

Subject God/Spirituality Certificate

8:30am EDT

Songs, Stories, & Props: Tools for Engaging Families & Young Children

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

Van Meter Hall: VM - G11

Explore some tools from the Tkiya Toolkit that will make your experiences for young children and their families more engaging, welcoming, and inspiring. Whether or not you are a musician, you'll leave with ideas you can implement right away, including tricks for keeping everyone in the room engaged, from the tiniest babies to the chattiest adults. This session is for anyone who works with toddlers, preschoolers, families, tot Shabbat, and early elementary groups.

Speakers

Carla Friend

Carla Friend is the Founder & Executive Director of Tkiya, an organization with the mission of creating joyful Jewish connection through participatory music experiences. Through Tkiya, Carla reaches 15,000 people per year with her unique methodology of Jewish education and engagement... Read More →

Wednesday June 25, 2025 8:30am - 10:00am EDT
Van Meter Hall: VM - G11

Early Childhood Education Teaching Tools & Techniques

Subject Early Childhood Education Certificate

10:30am EDT

A Curriculum of Wonder: The Educational Legacy of Abraham Joshua Heschel

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

Van Meter Hall: VM - G11

Wonder, taught Abraham Heschel, is the chief characteristic of a religious person’s approach to life. What’s the role of wonder in our religious life? Where’s mystery, awe, insight? Abraham Heschel opened a radical way to understand Judaism’s spirituality. His works are treasures of insight for the seeking Jew and his life a testimony of God’s closeness.

Speakers

Ed Feinstein

Wednesday June 25, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm EDT
Van Meter Hall: VM - G11

Spirituality

2:00pm EDT

g?d-talk and exploration for grade-age kids

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

Van Meter Hall: VM - G11

God is the central character of the Torah and the subject of our prayers, yet we don’t often talk about what God is or how we relate to the Divine. Where can we start? Focusing on kids from K through B Mitzvah age, we’ll explore frameworks, strategies, songs, and stories for engaging with the idea of God in developmentally appropriate ways. We’ll put the “?” in g?d, expanding a limiting word and making room for our beliefs, struggles, and questions.

Speakers

Eliana Light

Songleader, Consultant, Musisian, Day School/Yeshiva, Synagogue Sunday or Afternoon School/Program, Early Childhood Center, Camp, Adult Education, Self Employed

Eliana is working towards a world of One-ness, guided and inspired by Jewish heritage. She is the founder and head T’fillahsopher at the Light Lab and the co-host of the Light Lab podcast. She is also a sought-after songwriter and performer of catchy, content-rich tunes for all... Read More →

Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:00pm - 3:30pm EDT
Van Meter Hall: VM - G11

God

Subject God/Spirituality Certificate

4:00pm EDT

Honey, I Became a Kid Again! - Creative Programs for Teen Engagement

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

Van Meter Hall: VM - G11

This workshop is designed for educators, youth leaders, and program coordinators eager to create compelling and enriching experiences for tw/teens. We will explore programmatic challenges and create resources to help tw/teens take ownership and leadership in their programs. Participants will emerge with a comprehensive toolkit for creating engaging and impactful programming that empowers tw/teens to thrive, connect, and explore their passions in a supportive and dynamic environment.

Speakers

Brandon Gabay

Youth and Teen Engagement Manager, Temple Sinai Atlanta

Brandon (he/him) serves as one of the Youth and Teen Engagement Managers at Temple Sinai in Atlanta, Georgia. Brandon attended URJ Camp Coleman and URJ Kutz Camp. He is a lover of all things books, baking, and Broadway and is excited for his third NewCAJE.

Hannah Foleck

Teen Engagement Manager, Temple Rodef Shalom

Hannah (she/her) serves as the Teen Engagement Manager at Temple Rodef Shalom (TRS) located in Falls Church, Virginia. Originally from Virginia Beach, she has resided in Northern Virginia for the past four years. Hannah holds a Bachelor's degree in Musical Theater from the University... Read More →

Wednesday June 25, 2025 4:00pm - 5:30pm EDT
Van Meter Hall: VM - G11

Creating Community Teens