Section archive - Israel Education

February in Washington, DC usually means shorter days, colder temperatures, and snow. For the past few years though it has meant something entirely different throughout the Jewish World. February is Jewish Disability Awareness Month, a time when Jewish organizations, schools, synagogues and the like spend time learning about how to create a more inclusive environment. To help bridge the gap between our global Jewish community and people with disabilities in Israel we have published blogs about an array of organizations we have partnered with that strive to ensure a more fulfilling life for all.

Jewish overnight summer camp has been touted as an especially well-suited venue for Israel education. This article brings an institutional lens to test this proposition. Data come from the survey responses of 1,382 campers, CITs, and staff at 12 overnight and day camps.

It’s that time of year again. Israeli yeshiva and seminary representatives are arriving in the US to speak in high schools and present to parents at Israel fairs. And of course, students and their parents are beginning to ponder if yeshiva/seminary is right for them and if so which one. At present, there are 23 programs for young men and 21 listed on the join application for women. In addition, there are many co-ed programs, university programs, and Israel experience gap year programs of one stripe or another. In total, representatives of close to 50 different programs will be presenting at schools and Israel fairs. The seminaries and yeshivot offer a variety of superb programs with some of the most talented Jewish educators on the planet; however, the nuances and unique elements of each are sometimes lost during the 20 or so minute presentations given at Israel fairs.

The study investigated a group of 68 young North American young adults who volunteered to teach English in Israeli public schools for a year in the framework of a joint project conducted by the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Israeli Ministry of Education entitled 'Israel Teaching Fellows' that was inaugurated in 2013. Employing a pre-post design, the research explored their motivations for joining the program as well as the changes in their self-ascribed identity, attitudes toward Israel and its culture, and gains in Hebrew language proficiency and knowledge about Israel.