Final program

THE NETWORK FOR RESEARCH IN JEWISH EDUCATION

28Annual th

Conference JUNE 8 – JUNE 10, 2014 HOSTED BY

American Jewish University Los Angeles, California JON A. LEVISOHN, 2014 PROGRAM CHAIR LAUREN APPLEBAUM, 2014 CONFERENCE CHAIR

WELCOME TO THE

28TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE

OF THE NETWORK FOR RESEARCH IN JEWISH EDUCATION.

We look forward to a fascinating conference as we convene academics, practitioners and researchers from many disciplines and institutions to share the latest studies in the field of Jewish educational research.

This year, sessions follow four formats: PAPER SESSION: Presentations of completed or nearly completed work SPOTLIGHT SESSION: Open, interactive session about key issues in Jewish education ROUNDTABLE SESSION: Multiple perspectives on an important topic in Jewish education CONSULTATION: Collegial discussion of work in progress

The conference promises to be an exciting venue for exchanging ideas and for networking with fellow Jewish education professionals.

PROGRAM COMMITTEE:

Jon A. Levisohn, Program Chair Lauren Applebaum, Conference Chair Ben Jacobs, Meredith Katz, Jeff Kress, and Tali Zelkowicz NRJE COORDINATOR Beth Lutzker-Levick NRJE CHAIR Jonathan Krasner

� PROGRAM � SUNDAY, JUNE 8 1:00-3:00 PM

JJE BOARD MEETING ...................................................................................................... Board room REGISTRATION .......................................................................................................... 3rd Floor Lobby

2:30-6:30 PM

3:00-3:30 PM

FIRST TIMERS' ORIENTATION . ........................................................................................ Room 307

4:00-4:30 PM

INTRODUCTION & WELCOME ........................................................................................ Room 223

4:30-6:00 PM

SESSION S1 ........................................................................................................................ Room 223

Facilitator: Tali Zelkowicz (HUC-JIR)

Jon A. Levisohn (Brandeis), Program Chair Lauren Applebaum (AJU), Conference Chair Miriam Heller Stern, Dean Graduate Center of Education, AJU

CELEBRATING THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE JOURNAL OF JEWISH EDUCATION: WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW ABOUT JEWISH EDUCATION

6:00-7:00 PM

RECEPTION ..................................................................................................... Patio outside Room 223

CELEBRATING THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE JOURNAL OF JEWISH EDUCATION

Convener: Michael Zeldin (HUC-JIR) Panelists: Isa Aron (HUC-JIR), Sharon Avni (CUNY), Sharon Feiman-Nemser (Brandeis), Jonathan Krasner (HUC-JIR), Jeffrey Kress [via video] (JTS), Sivan Zakai (AJU)

Sponsor: The Journal of Jewish Education and The Network for Research in Jewish Education

7:00-8:00 PM

DINNER ...................................................................................................................... Berg Dining Hall

8:00-9:00 PM

KEYNOTE ................................................................................................................... Berg Dining Hall

PEDAGOGIES OF ENGAGEMENT

9:00-9:30 PM

DESSERT RECEPTION .............................................................................................. Berg Dining Hall

Professor Lee Shulman (Stanford)

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MONDAY, JUNE 9 8:00-9:30 AM

REGISTRATION .......................................................................................................... 3rd Floor Lobby

8:00-9:00 AM

BREAKFAST . .............................................................................................................. Berg Dining Hall

8:00-9:00 AM

CASJE MEETING ........................................................................ Designated Tables in Berg Dining Hall UPDATE AND DISCUSSION OF FUTURE DIRECTIONS (OPEN TO ALL PARTICIPANTS)

8:00-9:00 AM

ALOHA MEETING ........................................................................................... Executive Dining Room

9:00-10:30 AM

SESSION M1

A. SPOTLIGHT SESSION ................................................................................................... Room 224

WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA THAT HIGH-QUALITY EXPERIENTIAL JEWISH EDUCATION SHOULD SATISFY?

Convener: Gail Dorph (MTEI) Panelists: Sheldon Dorph (Independent Consultant), Daniel Pekarsky (University of Wisconsin), Laura Novak Winer (JTS)

B. PAPER SESSION .............................................................................................................. Room 225

TEACHING STORIES

Chair: Pearl Mattenson (Rosov Consulting) Respondent: Moshe Krakowski (YU)

A Framework for a Moral-Imaginative Pedagogy of Talmudic Narratives Joshua Gutoff (Gratz)

Enhancing the Journey: How Jewish Children's Stories Shape Theological Lives Howard Deitcher (Hebrew University)

10:30-10:45 AM

BREAK .......................................................................................................................... 2nd Floor Patio

28th Annual Network for Research in Jewish Education Conference 2014

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10:45-12:15 AM

SESSION M2

A. SPOTLIGHT SESSION ..................................................................................................... Room 224

BECOMING A BOLDER, MORE DELIBERATE CHANGE AGENT THROUGH ACTION RESEARCH

B. PAPER SESSION

MODERN JEWISH THOUGHT AS AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE

Convener: Isa Aron (HUC-JIR) Panelists: Miriam Heller Stern (AJU), Nicole Greninger (Temple Isaiah, Lafayette, CA)

............................................................................................................ Room 225

Chair: Jon A. Levisohn (Brandeis) Respondent: Elliot Dorff (AJU)

Miracle as the Favorite Child of Faith: The Pedagogical Implications of Franz Rosenzweig's Concept of Miracle As a Way of Knowing Greg Beiles (University of Toronto)

The Educational Philosophies of Mordecai Kaplan and Michael Rosenak Jeffrey Schein (Jewish Education Center of Cleveland), Eric Caplan (McGill)

C. PAPER SESSION .................................................................................. Sperber Community Library

THE CHALLENGES OF TEACHERS' WORK

Chair: Rona Novick (YU) Respondent: Ben Jacobs (NYU)

"Let's Talk about It Later": Navigating Dilemmas of Practice in the Jewish Day School Context Frayda Gonshor Cohen (Mills)

Comparing Sense of Preparedness and Faculty Support Among Delet Graduates at Brandeis and HUC-JIR Eran Tamir (Brandeis)

12:15-1:15 PM

1:15-1:45 PM

LUNCH ................................................................................................................................ Room 223 GREETINGS Dr. Robert Wexler, President of AJU STATE OF THE NETWORK Jonathan Krasner, NRJE Chair PRESENTATION OF NRJE RESEARCH AWARD BREAK

28th Annual Network for Research in Jewish Education Conference 2014

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1:45-2:30 PM

SESSION M3

CONSULTATION SESSION

Supplementary Religious Education across Faith Traditions ........................................ Room 223 Elissa Kaplan (Growing Projects)

Disrupting Religious Identity: Jews and Clinical Pastoral Education ........................... Room 223 Naomi Kalish (NYU)

Family Dialogue about New Technologies: . .................................................................. Room 225 The Role of Paradox and Stance for the Educator Jeffrey Schein (Jewish Education Center of Cleveland)

A New Approach to Hebrew in Congregational Jewish Education .............................. Room 230 Nicole Greninger (Temple Isaiah, Lafayette, CA)

Teaching the 'Rabbi Tale': A Discussion Toward a Theory of Practice ......................... Room 223 Barry Holtz (JTS)

2:45-4:15 PM

SESSION M4

A. PAPER SESSION .................................................................................. Sperber Community Library

ASSIMILATION RECONSIDERED: AMERICAN JEWISH CULTURAL STRADDLING IN THE CONTEXT OF SCHOOLING AND BEYOND

Chair: Bruce Phillips (HUC-JIR)

Reconsidering Assimilation and the Nature of Boundaries: Notes from the Field Bethamie Horowitz (NYU)

Embracing the Boundary Conflicts of Jewish American Biculturalism Tali Zelkowicz (HUC-JIR)

Negotiating the Boundaries of Hebrew Sharon Avni (CUNY)

B. PAPER SESSION .................................................................................................................................... Room 224

EXPLORING TEACHERS' THINKING

Chair: Gil Graff (BJE-LA) Respondent: Meredith Katz (JTS)

Pedagogy Lishma: Cultivating an Investigative Stance in Teachers of Jewish Texts Ziva Reimer Hassenfeld (Stanford) & Jon A. Levisohn (Brandeis)

Teacher Perceptions of a Successful Jewish Community Day School Graduate Sarah Levy (Hebrew College/Northeastern University)

C. ROUNDTABLE SESSION ............................................................................................... Room 225

INITIATION AND LEARNING BY WHOLES

Chair: Ofra Backenroth (JTS) Panelists: Joe Reimer (Brandeis), Arielle Levites (NYU), Jonah Hassenfeld (Stanford)

28th Annual Network for Research in Jewish Education Conference 2014

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4:15-4:30 PM

BREAK .......................................................................................................................... 2nd Floor Patio

4:30-6:00 PM

SESSION M5

A. PAPER SESSION ............................................................................................................ Room 224

WHAT ARE STUDENTS THINKING?

Arielle Levites (NYU) Respondent: Michael Shire (Hebrew College)

Hearing Students’ Voices: Adolescence, Spirituality and Prayer Deena Sigel

When the Truth Isn't What Happened: The Epistemology of Chumash Learning Moshe Krakowski (YU)

4:30-6:00 PM

B. ROUNDTABLE SESSION ..................................................................... Sperber Community Library

TEACHERS AS LEARNERS: A DISCUSSION HONORING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF SHARON FEIMAN-NEMSER TO JEWISH EDUCATION

Chair: Lee Shulman (Stanford) Panelists: Gail Dorph (MTEI), Barry Holtz (JTS), Susan Kardos (AVI CHAI Foundation), Michael Zeldin (HUC-JIR) Sponsor: Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University

6:00-7:00 PM

RECEPTION ............................................................................................ Ostrow Terrace Garden

Sponsor: Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University

28th Annual Network for Research in Jewish Education Conference 2014

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TUESDAY, JUNE 10 8:00-9:00 AM

BREAKFAST . .............................................................................................................. Berg Dining Hall

8:00-9:30 AM

REGISTRATION (luggage storage available)

9:00-10:30 AM

SESSION T1

A. ROUNDTABLE SESSION ........................................................................................ Sperber Community library

ISRAEL EDUCATION IN DAY SCHOOLS: THE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS BACKSTAGE OF A MAJOR RESEARCH STUDY

Chair: Shira Rosenblatt (Jewish Federation of LA) Panelists: Pearl Mattenson (Rosov Consulting), Alex Pomson (Rosov Consulting), Jack Wertheimer (JTS/AVI CHAI Foundation)

B. PAPER SESSION ........................................................................................................... Room 230

PROFESSIONAL TRAJECTORIES OF EDUCATORS

Chair: Elissa Kaplan (Growing Projects) Discussant: Eran Tamir (Brandeis)

Badges for Jewish Educator Professional Development Sam Abramovich (University at Buffalo)

Ready to Lead?: Jewish Religious School Principal Leadership and Management Training Eran Vaisben (UC Davis)

10:45-12:15 AM

SESSION T2

A. PAPER SESSION ............................................................................................................ Room 224

COMPLICATING ISRAEL EDUCATION: STUDIES OF DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF ISRAEL

Chair: Ari Kelman (Stanford) Respondent: Steven M. Cohen (HUC-JIR)

“Because Israel is Meant for Me”: Kindergarteners’ Thoughts and Feelings About Israel Sivan Zakai (AJU)

Narrating Collective Identity: Jewish American High School Students Write the History of the State of Israel Jonah Hassenfeld (Stanford)

B. ROUNDTABLE SESSION ............................................................................................... Room 225

ON-LINE LEARNING AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF DISPOSITIONS IN JEWISH EDUCATION

12:15 PM

BOXED LUNCH ........................................................................................................... 2nd Floor Patio

Chair and Respondent: Dawne Bear Novicoff Panelists: Rona Novick (YU), Meredith Katz (JTS), Suzanne Brooks (YU)

28th Annual Network for Research in Jewish Education Conference 2014

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� NOTES �

28th Annual Network for Research in Jewish Education Conference 2014

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� INDEX OF PRESENTERS � Samuel Abramovich.......................................... T1B

Jonathan Krasner..................... S1, Monday Lunch

Isa Aron........................................................S1, M2A

Moshe Krakowski....................................M1B, M5A

Sharon Avni................................................ S1, M4A

Jeff Kress................................................................S1

Ofra Backenroth..............................................M4C

Jon A. Levisohn.......................................M2B, M4B

Greg Beiles....................................................... M2B

Arielle Levites........................................ M4C, M5A

Suzanne Brooks................................................ T2B

Sarah Levy........................................................M4B

Eric Caplan....................................................... M2B

Pearl Mattenson....................................... M1B, T1A

Frayda Gonshor Cohen................................. M2C

Rona Novick............................................. M2C, T2B

Steven M. Cohen...............................................T2A

Dawne Bear Novicoff.......................................T2B

Howard Deitcher..............................................M1B

Daniel Pekarsky............................................... M1A

Elliot Dorff......................................................... M2B

Bruce Phillips....................................................M4A

Gail Dorph............................................. M1A, M5B

Alex Pomson....................................................... T1A

Sheldon Dorph................................................. M1A

Joe Reimer....................................................... M4C

Sharon Feiman-Nemser..................................... S1

Shira Rosenblatt................................................ T1A

Gil Graff........................................................... M4B

Jeffrey Schein.......................................... M2B, M3

Nicole M. Greninger............................... M2A, M3

Michael Shire.................................................. M5A

Joshua Gutoff....................................................M1B

Lee Shulman.................................... Keynote, M5B

Jonah Hassenfeld.................................... M4C, T2A

Deena Sigel..................................................... M5A

Ziva Reimer Hassenfeld..................................M4B

Miriam Heller Stern........................................ M2A

Barry W. Holtz.......................................... M3, M5B

Eran Tamir............................................... M2C, T1B

Bethamie Horowitz........................................ M4A

Eran Vaisben...................................................... T1B

Ben Jacobs........................................................M2C

Jack Wertheimer................................................. T1A

Naomi Kalish...................................................... M3

Robert Wexler................................ Monday Lunch

Elissa Kaplan...............................................M3, T1B

Laura Novak Winer.......................................... M1A

Susan Kardos.................................................. M5B

Sivan Zakai.................................................. S1, T2A

Meredith Katz.......................................... T2B, M4B

Michael Zeldin.......................................... S1, M5B

Ari Kelman......................................................... T2A

Tali Zelkowicz.................................................. M4A

28th Annual Network for Research in Jewish Education Conference 2014

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THE NETWORK IS GRATEFUL TO THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE FOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT AND EFFORTS IN MAKING THIS CONFERENCE A SUCCESS: CONFERENCE PATRONS AVI CHAI Foundation Covenant Foundation Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Studies The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles Jim Joseph Foundation The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life CONFERENCE SPONSORS

American Jewish University Brandeis University Hebrew College Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Schools of Education, Los Angeles and New York The Jewish Theological Seminary New York University Stanford University York University WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO: Dee Garner, AJU Department Staff Sam Levitt, AJU Director of Facilities Rachel Silverman, AJU Graduate Assistant Hannah Tobin Cohen, Akiko Yonekawa, AJU Conference Volunteers Nicole Ray, Program Designer CONFERENCE HOST

American Jewish University NRJE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Jonathan Krasner, Chair Benjamin M. Jacobs, Secretary Eli Schaap, Treasurer Michael Zeldin, Journal of Jewish Education, Senior Editor Jeff Kress, Lisa Grant, Past NRJE Chairs Lauren Applebaum, 2014 Conference Chair Jon A. Levisohn, 2014 Program Chair Ofra Backenroth, 2013 Conference Arrangements Chair Meredith Katz, 2013 Program Chair Michelle Lynn-Sachs, Newsletter Editor Carol Ingall, Emerging Scholars Award Committee Chair Rachel Lerner, Sarah Ossey Graduate Student Representatives

PROPOSAL REVIEWERS Scott Aaron, Agency for Jewish Learning Isa Aron, HUC Sharon Avni, CUNY Ofra Backenroth, JTS David Bryfman, Jewish Education Project Fern Chertok, Brandeis University Beth Cousens, Imagine: Jewish Education Consulting Howard Deitcher, Hebrew University Shira Epstein, JTS Sharon Feiman-Nemser, Brandeis Gabe Goldman, AJU Lisa Grant, HUC Hilary Greenberg, Independent Consultant Barry Holtz, JTS Bethamie Horowitz, NYU Benjamin Jacobs, NYU Elissa Kaplan, Growing Projects Meredith Katz, JTS Ari Kelman, Stanford Moshe Krakowski, YU Jeff Kress, JTS Zachary Lasker, JTS Michelle Lynn-Sachs, Independent Researcher and Consultant Deborah Miller, JTS Meir Muller, University of South Carolina Alex Pomson, Hebrew University Joe Reimer, Brandeis Karen Reiss Medwed, Northeastern University Renee Rubin Ross, Jim Joseph Foundation Jeffrey Schein, Jewish Education Center of Cleveland Stuart Schoenfeld, York University Diane Ticktin Schuster, HUC-JIR Susan Shevitz, Brandeis Michael Shire, Hebrew College Deena Sigel, Independent Scholar Miriam Heller Stern, AJU Einav Symons, Kadima School Leah Wolff-Pellingra, Temple Sinai, Saratoga Springs, NY Sivan Zakai, AJU Michael Zeldin, HUC Tali Zelkowicz, HUC