Section archive - Conferences & Events

In the 20th century, Jewish education focused on strengthening Jewish identity and ensuring Jewish continuity. That approach to Jewish education no longer works for today's learners. They want to know how Jewish teachings and practices can make their lives better and the world better. They want Jewish life to help them flourish as human beings, to help them be 'happy' in the fullest Jewish sense of that term. Drawing on insights of world-renowned behavioral psychologist Dan Ariely, and bringing his findings into dialogue with Jewish teaching and practice, the 2016 Jewish Futures Conference (December 14, 2016 – Columbia University, NYC) will explore the elements of and conditions for human happiness and well-being, and how Jewish education can be redirected to answer the aspirations of 21st century learners.

The Program Committee of the 33rd Annual Conference of the Association for Israel Studies invites scholars conducting research on any aspect of Israel Studies to submit proposals for organized panels and individual papers. Of particular interest are proposals relating to the conference theme: A Century After Balfour: Vision and Reality. This year's conference will be held at the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA on June 12-14, 2017.

The Bronfman Fellowship is a fully-funded Fellowship available to outstanding Jewish students of all backgrounds who are in their junior year of high school. The program seeks intellectually curious and mature applicants with a strong character. The purpose of the Bronfman Fellowship is to invest in a cohort of bright young Jews who will be leaders of tomorrow in all areas of Jewish and public life.Included are an all-expense paid five-week (June 27 - August 3 2017), trip to Israel and two seminars in New York City where Fellows explore Jewish identity, Jewish ideas, and connect to other young Jews from both Israel and America. No Jewish educational background is required for eligibility. Fellows who are religiously observant as well as those only marginally affiliated with Judaism are selected. The Fellowships are awarded competitively to twenty-six individuals who will be entering twelfth grade in the fall of 2017. Fellowship awards are based on merit.

The Early Childhood Institute at Hebrew College will hold its Seventh Annual Early Childhood Jewish Education Conference on Monday-Tuesday, December 12 and 13, 2016, at Hebrew College, 160 Herrick Road, in Newton, Massachusetts. The theme for this year's conference is 'Miracles and Wonders' (Nisim V'Niflaot). We will explore ways to discover and appreciate the miracles in nature and the Jewish tradition, and the wonderful aspects of our students, their families, and their cultural diversity. In addition to a diverse variety of session topics related to Miracles and Wonders for new and veteran educators, this year there will be a Director's Track, a Torah Godly Play Track, a Gisha (Access) Special Needs Track that will be run in partnership with Gateways, and a Nature Track.