This week, we're heading to the Upper East Side of Manhattan to meet Sara Beth Berman, the Director of Youth and Family Education at Temple Shaaray Tefila. With a background that includes years at URJ Camp Coleman, Sara Beth brings a sense of humor and a deep commitment for community-building to her work. Below, she shares how the ARJE has become a useful resource in her professional life and why she believes the most important thing a Jewish educator can provide is a safe space for questions.
What do you enjoy most about your work as a Jewish educator?
Children are hilarious and a delight most of the time. I’m especially amused by the ones who misbehave — we really "see" each other, which is both problematic and useful. More broadly, I’ve realized that while we only have students for about two and a half hours a week, my goal isn't just to teach them about Judaism. I want them to know they have a place where they are allowed to ask their questions and that we will always make space for them. It’s incredibly rewarding when high school graduates come back to visit and continue that conversation.
Do you have a favorite Jewish holiday?
I’m going to give it to Sukkot. Huts are glorious! I grew up in Florida where we’d eat hot dogs and sweat through our clothes in a Sukkah. Moving to New York was a shock — I went to a Sukkot event where I was freezing and everyone was having orange soup. Sukkot is also wonderful for community building. We rotate hundreds of people through the building for "Pizza in the Hut". At the end of the night, when the teens are the last ones there and the pizza boxes are piled so high they’re practically falling off the roof, it feels like we’ve really done something lovely together.
What's something in the field of Jewish education that keeps you up at night?
I talk a big talk about being a person, and building a place, that learners of all ages can come to ask questions. And yet, I’m finding the challenge of discourse to be overwhelming. Don’t get me wrong - I’m here for it - but I am often gobsmacked by the things I hear during these conversations. The heartbreaking experiences of kids experiencing antisemitism casually on the street, the 3rd grader who has questions about the number of casualties he saw reported on the news last night, or the first time a teenager wonders about the experience of a kid just like them - living in Tel Aviv, living in Gaza, or living in Tehran. I’m glad we get to have these conversations, but they can break your heart.
Last year, one of my teens asked me, “Why do people think that God cares about a math test grade when there are people that don’t have access to clean water?”
I don’t know, kiddo, what do you think?
You’ve been a member of ARJE for two and a half years. What has that experience been like?
I joined when I started my current job, though I probably should have joined back in 2012 when I started at URJ Camp Coleman. It has been an incredible value add. I’m very impressed with how the community forms both in person and online; the support is very useful. I particularly love the Facebook group, where I’ve found answers to so many questions. I always try to accompany my posts with an unhinged picture — like a photo from the Museum of Illusions where it looks like my child and I are walking sideways — to bring a bit of fun back to the community.
Who should we profile next? We want to continue highlighting the diverse voices and innovative educators within our community. If you want to nominate an ARJE member to be featured, please let us know here!