This poster describes inter-disciplinarian courses dealing with Jewish texts that were taught in religious colleges for Teacher Trainers in Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem. As educators (teachers of theater and dance) who wish to create opportunities for effective and affective involvement in the learning process of their students, the courses dealt with texts from Jewish sources on topics relevant to the women teacher trainees (female Biblical figures, the study of prayer), and combined textual analysis with interpretion via movement and stage presentation. Liberating creative forces within the inhibited teacher trainees created greater motivation to study, provided students with an opportunity for personal expression and empowered them as interpretors of the materials. These types of courses will make dance and drama an integral part of future teachers repertoire of teaching techniques.

Talpiot College. Lecturer of Drama and English in Talpiot College. Lives with her family in Jerusalem and is writing her Ph.D thesis in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology in Hebrew University on “Religious Women Theater in Israel today”. In addition teaches Theater Criticism in the Theater Department in Emuna College, Jerusalem.

Emunah College. A Choreographer/ Dancer and Lecturer in Jewish Studies, Elisheva lives in the Galillee with her husband and children. M.A. in Jewish Education from Yeshiva University. Currently Elisheva teaches creative movement and Jewish Text classes at Emnah College in Jerusalem and in Neve Shaanan College, Haifa. She founded the Dance Departments at both the Tora High school for the Arts, Jerusalem and in Orot College. Elisheva Marvis- Emunah College. A Choreographer/ Dancer and Lecturer in Jewish Studies, Elisheva lives in the Galillee with her husband and children. M.A. in Jewish Education from Yeshiva University. Currently Elisheva teaches creative movement and Jewish Text classes at Emnah College in Jerusalem and in Neve Shaanan College, Haifa. She founded the Dance Departments at both the Tora High school for the Arts, Jerusalem and in Orot College.

•understanding the content and theme of the Jewish text

•making the text relevant to the students lives and

experiences•encouraging the students’ originality and personal

interpretation of the texts•empowering religious women to self expression and

interpretation of Jewish texts•creating a workshop environment where ideas are

examined, accepted or rejected through mutual trust and

respect•convincing students to experiment with this didactic tool in

their classrooms

* Secularization of Texts (students’ reluctance

to interpret sacred texts theatrically)

* Improving discourse skills in the classroom

(constructive criticism)

* Students’ inhibitions (use of body to move, act,

perform)

* The Performance

* Oral analysis and reflection

* Written analysis and reflection

Written reflections in the form of logs or written papers were part of the learning experience during the courses. Here are some of the students observations and reflections. 1."The group has become much closer as a result of the drama lessons. It has helped us in our communication skills and has shown us that good communication between students and teacher can exist".2. "I feel as if I can express myself without fear of the audience's reaction and I can be more creative than I had ever imagined. I also learnt to accept myself with my limitations and in that way to accept my peers better too".3. "I felt that something inside me was bursting, something hidden very deep and that I had always wanted to show it to others and that is the reason why I had always tried not to participate in drama . I was ashamed and shy. Feeling that I was the focus of attention in the lesson, gave me the confidence that I can create too".4. "We must adopt a more creative attitude towards teaching our subject matter, no matter what it is in order to develop a child who thinks, is challenged and is creative."5. "I learnt that communication and "connecting" to each other is not so simple for everyone and even I myself am not open to make new connections".6. "I like writing after the lessons since it gave me a different angle to examine what had happened during the lesson and allowed me to internalize the material."7. "Now I feel more open to to things I never thought were connected to teaching such as drama, movement and communication.

Warm up

(connected to the theme of the text)

Textual analysis

(of Jewish text)

Drama / Movement improvisation

Discussion

(sharing with students moderated by teachers)

Performance

(expanding ideas through use of music, props & other students)

Feedback and Reflection

Midrash Sources Friedman H., Simon Maurice. The Midrash eds. London: Soncino Press 1939, 1951 Bialik Hayyim Nahman, and Rawnitzky, Yehoshua Hana Sefer Ha-agadah annotated and translated by Chaim Pearl. Tel Aviv: Dvir Publishing Hoouse1988

Woman Midrash Sources 

Hyman, Naomi M. Biblical Women in the Midrash: Northvale,N.J:Jason Aronson Pub 1997Greenspahn Fred E. A Typology of Biblical Women : Judaism 32:1 winter 1983

Dance/Movement Sources 

Blom, Lynne A. ; Chaplin, Tarin L The Moment of Movement Pittsburgh Pa;Pittsburgh Press 1995 Laban, Rudolph. The Mastery of Movement 2nd edition revised by Lisa Erman, NewYork :Drama Books Specialists 1967 Mettler, Barbara . Materials of Dance as a Creative activity. Tucson Arizona: Mettler Studios,1960  Tucker, Joanne. Torah in Motion. Denver, Colorado: A.R.E Publishing Inc.1990

Body- Soul SourcesFinkel, Avram Yakov. In my Flesh I see G-d Northvale,N.J:Jason Aronson Pub 1995Kramer, Chaim. Anatomy of the soul: Jerusalem, Israel; Breslov Research Institute 1998 

Drama and EducationA.Boal,(1992), Games for Actors and Non-Actors, London & NY, Routledge.D. Hornbrook,(1989) Education and the Dramatic Art, Routledge, London & N.Y.L.B. Kelner, (1993), The Creative classroom: A guide for using Creative Drama in the Classroom, Heinman,N.H.N. McCaslin, (2000), Creative Drama in the Classroom and Beyond, Longman, London.G.B. Siks, (1977) Drama with Children, Harper & Row, N.Y.R. Mittan, (1989), "The Peer Review Process: Harnessing students' communicative Power" in D.M. Johnson & D. H. Roen (ed.) Richness in Writing, N.Y& London, Longman.