First Rabbinic Leadership Alumni Retreat to be Held

For the first time in its history, Shalom Hartman Institute Rabbinic Leadership alumni will gather for an Alumni Study Retreat. The inaugural Rabbinic Leadership Institute Alumni Study Retreat will be held from January 23-26, 2011, at the Steven Breuer Conference Center in Malibu, California. Rabbinic Alumni of the first three RLI cohorts, representing nearly a decade of our intensive rabbinic leadership program, will gather to study the topic of Covenant and its contemporary challenges and applications with SHI faculty members Prof. Israel Knohl and Rabbi Dr. Rachel Sabath Beit-Halachmi.

Text study will focus on Biblical, Rabbinic and Modern interpretations of covenant and covenant theology. One day of the retreat will be open to all rabbinic colleagues in the area of Southern California. Highlights will be a learning session with Prof. Knohl; a session on the Hartman Institute’s newest project, Engaging Israel: Foundations for a New Relationship; and a preview of a learning program for rabbis and their communities which seeks to lift and shift the discourse on Israel and the relationship of North American Jews to Israel.

Rabbis will also enjoy a visit to a local winery and a viewing of a new Israeli film portraying Israeli society.

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Hartman Institute to Participate in “Israel 2021 Conference”

On January 12-13, Hartman Institute executive staff and scholars will participate in the “Israel 2021 Conference ,” an event sponsored by The Marker newspaper and the Reut Institute. The conference will assemble hundreds of participants around 150 round tables moderated by experts in diverse fields to discuss what has been defined as the most pressing socioeconomic issues in Israel today, with an eye to developing solid strategies for the future of Israeli society. Guest speakers at the event will include Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fisher.

Hartman executive staff and scholars will participate in the following round-table discussions:

Education – This discussion will examine methods for enhancing governance in the education system, such as creating and implementing long-term policies, improving infrastructure, and identifying major challenges. Participants from the Hartman Institute will include Executive Director Hana Gilat, Shraga Bar-On, Be’eri program director Dani Elazar, and director of the Be’eri School for Teacher Education Rani Jaeger.

Arab society and economic growth – 56% of Israel’s Arab citizens are economically disadvantaged, not having benefited from the opportunities of Israel’s economic growth. How can the government rectify the situation? Weighing in from the Hartman Institute are Rabbi Dr. Ariel Picard, Dror Yinon, and Rabbi Dr. Rachel Sabath Beit-Halachmi.

Integrating the ultra-Orthodox sector into the Israeli economy and labor force – How can members of the ultra-Orthodox sector most effectively become integrated into Israel’s labor market? Participating in the discussion from the Institute are Channa Pinchasi, Shraga Bar-On, and Rabbi Dr. Rachel Sabath Beit-Halachmi.

Israel quantum leap:  economy and society  –  How can Israel generate a quantum leap in its society and economy for the benefit of generations to come? Rabbi Dr. Donniel Hartman, president of the Institute, and Channa Pinchasi will participate in the discussion.

Get more information about “Israel 2021 Conference,” or register now.

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Melamdim School for Teacher Education opens sixth cohort

October fourth marked the beginning of orientation for the members of the sixth cohort of the Shalom Hartman Institute Melamdim program–designed to develop a new generation of outstanding North American Jewish studies high school teachers. Ten exceptional graduate students were chosen from a highly selective pool of applicants, to undergo intensive training in the philosophical foundations of Judaism and the pedagogical skills required to turn Jewish high school education into a transformative experience.

Attracting participants of diverse backgrounds and from all streams of Judaism, the rigorous two-year Melamdim program exposes these future teachers of all denominations to the highest levels of SHI learning, while simultaneously providing them with the opportunity to earn a Master’s degree in Judaic studies at the Tel Aviv University.

Orientation week kicked off with an introduction by Rabbi Dr. Donniel Hartman on the vision of the Hartman Institute and the Melamdim School of Teacher Education. This was followed with an introduction by Rabbi Phil Field, Melamdim program director, on the unique educational philosophy of the Hartman Institute.

A large part of the Melamdim curriculum consists of familiarizing participants with the richness and complexity of Israel’s cultural and political life. After having their first in-depth look at the Tel Aviv University, the cohort went on to explore the city of Tel Aviv, and to consider its role as a diverse microcosm of Israeli society. This theme was viewed through the lens of such significant issues as the development and history of Zionism and the current refugee crisis in south Tel Aviv.

A full day tour exploring a variety of educational models for different populations in Israel began with Yemin Orde, a residential village of 500 economically deprived new immigrants from countries throughout the world, and on to Michve Alon, an educational army base dedicated to training and improving the citizen skills of a broad array of new immigrants as an entry gate to Israeli society.

The tour concluded with an examination of high school education in the Arab Muslim community of Abu Gosh, presenting an opportunity to learn about alternative models of education within Israeli society. 

The full educational program of Melamdim is scheduled to begin on Sunday, October 17, in conjunction with Tel Aviv University.

 

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SHI Launches the Be’eri School for Teacher Education

On October 6, the Shalom Hartman Institute, in partnership with Keren Karev, will launch the new Be’eri School for Teacher Education. The School will offer a basic and advanced track for teachers, as well as a track customized for school principals.

The basic teachers training track provides junior and high school teachers with the tools required to become instructors in Jewish heritage—Tarbut Yisrael. The advanced track is targeted at accredited teachers in the field of Jewish heritage who wish to broaden their expertise in this field and potentially become Tarbut Yisrael coordinators in their schools.

The principal track will equip participants with advanced Tarbut Yisrael training, enabling participants to play a leading role in strengthening pluralistic Jewish values and identity among their students. In response to requests from graduates of the principal track, a special program, led by a SHI faculty researcher, has been created. Graduates will meet six times a year to enhance their knowledge through a Beit Midrash learning format.

Eighty-five educators have registered for the 2010-11 school year. Be’eri schools proactively encouraged their staff to obtain the School’s enriched education, integral to the program mission. 70% of the participating educators hail from institutions that are part of the Be’eri program. The remaining participants will support the outreach of the Be’eri program to new schools.

“We are very excited to be opening the Be’eri School for Teacher Education, tasked to develop educators with an enhanced knowledge of Tarbut Yisrael disciplines,” says Rani Jaeger, Director of the School and a researcher at the Shalom Hartman Institute. “Principals and teachers are key to introducing young Israelis to pluralistic Israeli-Jewish identity education.  Our school will provide educators with the pedagogical training needed to inspire and lead a new pluralistic Jewish-Israeli discourse in our society.”

So what is so special about Be’eri? Read more about the program and its impact on Israeli schools here.

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Hartman Begins Process of Engaging Israel in a New Way, Beyond ‘Traditional’ Advocacy

Update, March 16, 2010: The meme continues. Here’s another piece (this one by Irwin J. Mansdorf) on engaging new forms of conversation between Israel and the world: The Hasbara challenge: We can’t counter Arab PR by telling people Israel invented cell phone

A new Israeli government effort to bring the average “Yossi Israeli” into the ongoing effort at getting Israel’s position across to average individuals and the media to combat negative perceptions, stereotypes, and anti-Israel sentiment is getting a significant amount of attention in the media, Jewish and otherwise.

The website Masbirim will attempt to begin training Israelis to speak on behalf of Israel when the opportunity arises. It also contains satirical videos poking fun at how poorly Israel is understood or known beyond stereotypes of violence and backwardness. As with much satire, the quality of the work has been widely debated, as well.

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Hartman Fellow Noam Zion in San Francisco, 14 March 2010, on Pesach

He will be at Temple Emanu-El in the evening. Here is the title of his talk: “The Art, Psychology and Politics of the Four Children.” Click here for details. The synagogue’s website says registration is full. But maybe, if you tell them you read about the event on the Hartman Institute blog they will squeeze you in.

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Hartman Boys HS wins national education award in Israel

The Shalom Hartman Institute is pleased to announce that the Charles E. Smith Experimental High School for Boys has won the National Education Award, one of the highest possible honors that can be conferred upon an academic institution in Israel. A number of schools are selected for the award in each category. The Smith High School is in the religious school system category.

Read more about the award here.

קרא על הפרס בעברית

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Irit Hafetz talks to teachers in Be’eri program – 13.12.09

Irit Hafetz talks to teachers in Be’eri program – 13.12.09

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Donniel Hartman speaks to teachers from Be’eri program – 2.7.09

Donniel Hartman speaks to teachers from the Be’eri program of Judaic enrichment for secular Israeli high schools at an open house at Shalom Hartman Institute, Jerusalem, Israel, 2 July 2009

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Hartrman Institute in the news on Goldstone, Hobbes, and more

Hartman Institute ideas, scholars (including David Hartman), and programs (Be’eri) have been in the news a great deal recently. Click here to read about the Goldstone report and the Israeli army, radical rabbis, educating Israelis about their Judaism, and more.

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