Another chilly day was made so much warmer by the joy of friends and learning—and that warmth continues to help our ideas grow.
Tefillah was beautifully led, giving participants the chance to pray together and explore new melodies. When we turned 180 degrees to face east, we found ourselves singing not only to God, but also—unexpectedly—to our colleagues in the hallway! It was a new and memorable experience that brought smiles all around.
Learning choices were as abundant as the flowers and plants in the gardens we grow. From text study and identity building to Jewish joy, prayer, and more, we followed our passions and dug into the areas we most wanted to cultivate in our own practices.
After a delicious lunch generously sponsored by MTEI (thank you!), we jumped into our second deep dive of the conference with an exciting array of learning opportunities:
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In Makom Community: Family Education, Beverly Socher-Lerner and Terri Soifer sparked powerful aha moments as we began to see how meaningful family involvement can deepen learning.
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Building Bridges to Combat Antisemitism, led by Hughie Stone Fish and Avram Mandell, explored how cross-pollination through relationships and community partnerships strengthens our work.
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Many Voices, Many Paths with Mara Braunfeld, RJE, invited us into the richness of Jewish texts and reflection on the many ways we show up as Jewish educators—reminding us that just as we nurture a garden, we must also nurture ourselves.
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New technology—like new gardening techniques—brings fresh possibilities. In Reimagining Jewish Learning in the Age of AI, Shira Sender guided us through both the exciting opportunities and real challenges AI presents, from ethics to personal connection.
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Moving beyond “repairing the world,” Brett Gurwitz and Jonah Canner introduced us to Restorative Justice, helping us imagine how it can take root in Jewish learning spaces.
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Caring for others can make it hard to care for ourselves. Rabbi Jen Gubitz led Spiritual Surfing: Strengthening Self and Soul in Surging Waters, offering tools to understand how our stories shape our work and how we can sustain ourselves as we give so much to others.
Sponsor sessions led by MTEI, Tivnu, SparkIL, IsraelLink, Shalom Learning, Jigzi, and Jewish Youth Promise—along with affinity groups—brought people together to explore the incredible resources offered by our AMAZING sponsors. Don’t forget to stop by the marketplace tables tomorrow morning before they close, and continue supporting them afterward! You can find links on the ARJE site.
And then… it was time to celebrate our growth! We heard our last address from Vicki Weber and David Behrman and wished them a hearty Mazel tov on their retirement from Behrman House! After a delicious dinner sponsored by The Jewish Education Project (todah!), we honored those who achieved milestones and RJEs, heard from Rabbi Rick Jacobs, and celebrated our Distinguished Educator Awards. The evening wrapped up with the ARJE Maccabiah Game Night, where our fruity teams went head-to-head in friendly competition.