NCSY’s Groundbreaking YouthCon Unites Leaders in Informal Jewish Education
Source: Orthodox Union
For one day in late August, Stamford, CT became the world-wide center of experiential – that is, informal – Jewish education. More than 600 professionals and volunteers, representing more than 160 organizations across the Jewish spectrum, united for a groundbreaking moment dedicated to their passion: Jewish youth. That event, the first-ever YouthCon, conceived and organized by NCSY | Jewish Youth Leadership, the Orthodox Union’s international youth movement, addressed the challenges and opportunities of defining Jewish education within the 21st century.
Jewish educators from inside and outside the classroom from far and near, including Germany, England, and Israel,were invited to hear leading experts who presented within six fields of Best Practices, Digital Media, Israel Education, Leadership, Social Sphere and Traditional Spirituality. For instance, from 2:15-3:15 p.m., participants could choose from the following sessions (in the order of the tracks above): “Behind the Music: Creative Methods for Inspiring the Jewish Soul (a live musical experience);” “All You Need is ‘Like’: Building and Fostering Digital Relationships (panel);” “Making History Come Alive: New Ideas and Strategies for Teaching Israel;” “Leaders are Made, Not Born: Cultivating Jewish Teen Leaders;” “Repair the World: Creating Service Learning Opportunities for Today’s Teens (panel);” and “Spirituality Breakthrough: Breaking Through the Stumbling Blocks of Spirituality.”
Videos of the different presentations during YouthCon will be available in the up-coming weeks at the YouthCon website.