HOSTED BY

American Jewish UniversityLos Angeles, California

JON A. LEVISOHN, 2014 PROGRAM CHAIRLAUREN APPLEBAUM, 2014 CONFERENCE CHAIR

THE NETWORK FOR RESEARCHIN JEWISH EDUCATION

Annual 28th

Conference JUNE 8 – JUNE 10, 2014

WELCOME TO THE 28TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE

OF THE NETWORK FOR RESEARCH IN JEWISH EDUCATION.

We look forward to a fascinating conference as we convene academics, practitioners and researchers from

many disciplines and institutions to share the latest studies in the field of Jewish educational research.

This year, sessions follow four formats:

PAPER SESSION:Presentations of completed or nearly completed work

SPOTLIGHT SESSION: Open, interactive session about key issues in Jewish education

ROUNDTABLE SESSION:Multiple perspectives on an important topic in Jewish education

CONSULTATION: Collegial discussion of work in progress

The conference promises to be an exciting venue for exchanging ideas and for networking with fellow Jewish education professionals.

PROGRAM COMMITTEE:Jon A. Levisohn, Program Chair

Lauren Applebaum, Conference ChairBen Jacobs, Meredith Katz, Jeff Kress, and Tali Zelkowicz

NRJE COORDINATORBeth Lutzker-Levick

NRJE CHAIRJonathan Krasner

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� PROGRAM � SUNDAY, JUNE 8

1:00-3:00 PM JJE BOARD MEETING ..................................................................................................... Board room

2:30-6:30 PM REGISTRATION ......................................................................................................... 3rd Floor Lobby

3:00-3:30 PM FIRST TIMERS' ORIENTATION ......................................................................................... Room 307 Facilitator: Tali Zelkowicz (HUC-JIR)

4:00-4:30 PM INTRODUCTION & WELCOME ........................................................................................ Room 223 Jon A. Levisohn (Brandeis), Program Chair Lauren Applebaum (AJU), Conference Chair Miriam Heller Stern, Dean Graduate Center of Education, AJU

4:30-6:00 PM SESSION S1 ........................................................................................................................ Room 223

CELEBRATING THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE JOURNAL OF JEWISH EDUCATION: WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW ABOUT JEWISH EDUCATION Convener: Michael Zeldin (HUC-JIR) Panelists: Isa Aron (HUC-JIR), Sharon Avni (CUNY), Sharon Feiman-Nemser (Brandeis), Jonathan Krasner (HUC-JIR), Jeffrey Kress [via video] (JTS), Sivan Zakai (AJU)

6:00-7:00 PM RECEPTION ..................................................................................................... Patio outside Room 223

CELEBRATING THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE JOURNAL OF JEWISH EDUCATION Sponsor: The Journal of Jewish Education and The Network for Research in Jewish Education

7:00-8:00 PM DINNER ..................................................................................................................... Berg Dining Hall

8:00-9:00 PM KEYNOTE .................................................................................................................. Berg Dining Hall

PEDAGOGIES OF ENGAGEMENT Professor Lee Shulman (Stanford)

9:00-9:30 PM DESSERT RECEPTION ............................................................................................. Berg Dining Hall

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MONDAY, JUNE 9 8:00-9:30 AM REGISTRATION ......................................................................................................... 3rd Floor Lobby

8:00-9:00 AM BREAKFAST ............................................................................................................... Berg Dining Hall

8:00-9:00 AM CASJE MEETING ........................................................................ Designated Tables in Berg Dining Hall UPDATE AND DISCUSSION OF FUTURE DIRECTIONS (OPEN TO ALL PARTICIPANTS)

8:00-9:00 AM ALOHA MEETING .......................................................................................... Executive Dining Room

9:00-10:30 AM SESSION M1 A. SPOTLIGHT SESSION .................................................................................................. Room 224

WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA THAT HIGH-QUALITY EXPERIENTIAL JEWISH EDUCATION SHOULD SATISFY? Convener: Gail Dorph (MTEI) Panelists: Sheldon Dorph (Independent Consultant), Daniel Pekarsky (University of Wisconsin), Laura Novak Winer ( JTS)

B. PAPER SESSION ............................................................................................................. Room 225 TEACHING STORIES Chair: Pearl Mattenson (Rosov Consulting) Respondent: Moshe Krakowski (YU)

A Framework for a Moral-Imaginative Pedagogy of Talmudic Narratives Joshua Gutoff (Gratz) Enhancing the Journey: How Jewish Children's Stories Shape Theological Lives Howard Deitcher (Hebrew University)

10:30-10:45 AM BREAK .......................................................................................................................... 2nd Floor Patio

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10:45-12:15 AM SESSION M2 A. SPOTLIGHT SESSION .................................................................................................... Room 224

BECOMING A BOLDER, MORE DELIBERATE CHANGE AGENT THROUGH ACTION RESEARCH Convener: Isa Aron (HUC-JIR) Panelists: Miriam Heller Stern (AJU), Nicole Greninger (Temple Isaiah, Lafayette, CA)

B. PAPER SESSION ........................................................................................................... Room 225 MODERN JEWISH THOUGHT AS AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE Chair: Jon A. Levisohn (Brandeis) Respondent: Elliot Dorff (AJU)

Miracle as the Favorite Child of Faith: The Pedagogical Implications of Franz Rosenzweig's Concept of Miracle As a Way of Knowing Greg Beiles (University of Toronto) The Educational Philosophies of Mordecai Kaplan and Michael Rosenak Jeffrey Schein (Jewish Education Center of Cleveland), Eric Caplan (McGill) C. PAPER SESSION ................................................................................. Sperber Community Library

THE CHALLENGES OF TEACHERS' WORK Chair: Rona Novick (YU) Respondent: Ben Jacobs (NYU) "Let's Talk about It Later": Navigating Dilemmas of Practice in the Jewish Day School Context Frayda Gonshor Cohen (Mills) Comparing Sense of Preparedness and Faculty Support Among Delet Graduates at Brandeis and HUC-JIR Eran Tamir (Brandeis)

12:15-1:15 PM LUNCH ................................................................................................................................ Room 223

GREETINGS Dr. Robert Wexler, President of AJU STATE OF THE NETWORK Jonathan Krasner, NRJE Chair PRESENTATION OF NRJE RESEARCH AWARD

1:15-1:45 PM BREAK

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1:45-2:30 PM SESSION M3 CONSULTATION SESSION Supplementary Religious Education across Faith Traditions ....................................... Room 223 Elissa Kaplan (Growing Projects)

Disrupting Religious Identity: Jews and Clinical Pastoral Education .......................... Room 223 Naomi Kalish (NYU)

Family Dialogue about New Technologies: ................................................................... Room 225 The Role of Paradox and Stance for the Educator Jeffrey Schein (Jewish Education Center of Cleveland)

A New Approach to Hebrew in Congregational Jewish Education ............................. Room 230 Nicole Greninger (Temple Isaiah, Lafayette, CA)

Teaching the 'Rabbi Tale': A Discussion Toward a Theory of Practice ........................ Room 223 Barry Holtz ( JTS)

2:45-4:15 PM SESSION M4 A. PAPER SESSION .................................................................................. Sperber Community Library

ASSIMILATION RECONSIDERED: AMERICAN JEWISH CULTURAL STRADDLING IN THE CONTEXT OF SCHOOLING AND BEYOND Chair: Bruce Phillips (HUC-JIR) Reconsidering Assimilation and the Nature of Boundaries: Notes from the Field Bethamie Horowitz (NYU) Embracing the Boundary Conflicts of Jewish American Biculturalism Tali Zelkowicz (HUC-JIR) Negotiating the Boundaries of Hebrew Sharon Avni (CUNY)

B. PAPER SESSION ................................................................................................................................... Room 224

EXPLORING TEACHERS' THINKING Chair: Gil Graff (BJE-LA) Respondent: Meredith Katz (JTS) Pedagogy Lishma: Cultivating an Investigative Stance in Teachers of Jewish Texts Ziva Reimer Hassenfeld (Stanford) & Jon A. Levisohn (Brandeis) Teacher Perceptions of a Successful Jewish Community Day School Graduate Sarah Levy (Hebrew College/Northeastern University)

C. ROUNDTABLE SESSION .............................................................................................. Room 225

INITIATION AND LEARNING BY WHOLES Chair: Ofra Backenroth (JTS) Panelists: Joe Reimer (Brandeis), Arielle Levites (NYU), Jonah Hassenfeld (Stanford)

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4:15-4:30 PM BREAK .......................................................................................................................... 2nd Floor Patio 4:30-6:00 PM SESSION M5 A. PAPER SESSION ........................................................................................................... Room 224

WHAT ARE STUDENTS THINKING? Arielle Levites (NYU) Respondent: Michael Shire (Hebrew College) Hearing Students’ Voices: Adolescence, Spirituality and Prayer Deena Sigel When the Truth Isn't What Happened: The Epistemology of Chumash Learning Moshe Krakowski (YU) 4:30-6:00 PM B. ROUNDTABLE SESSION .................................................................... Sperber Community Library

TEACHERS AS LEARNERS: A DISCUSSION HONORING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF SHARON FEIMAN-NEMSER TO JEWISH EDUCATION Chair: Lee Shulman (Stanford) Panelists: Gail Dorph (MTEI), Barry Holtz ( JTS), Susan Kardos (AVI CHAI Foundation), Michael Zeldin (HUC-JIR) Sponsor: Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University

6:00-7:00 PM RECEPTION ........................................................................................... Ostrow Terrace Garden Sponsor: Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University

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TUESDAY, JUNE 10 8:00-9:00 AM BREAKFAST ............................................................................................................... Berg Dining Hall 8:00-9:30 AM REGISTRATION (luggage storage available) 9:00-10:30 AM SESSION T1 A. ROUNDTABLE SESSION ........................................................................................ Sperber Community library

ISRAEL EDUCATION IN DAY SCHOOLS: THE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS BACKSTAGE OF A MAJOR RESEARCH STUDY Chair: Shira Rosenblatt ( Jewish Federation of LA) Panelists: Pearl Mattenson (Rosov Consulting), Alex Pomson (Rosov Consulting), Jack Wertheimer (JTS/AVI CHAI Foundation) B. PAPER SESSION .......................................................................................................... Room 230

PROFESSIONAL TRAJECTORIES OF EDUCATORS Chair: Elissa Kaplan (Growing Projects) Discussant: Eran Tamir (Brandeis) Badges for Jewish Educator Professional Development Sam Abramovich (University at Buffalo) Ready to Lead?: Jewish Religious School Principal Leadership and Management Training Eran Vaisben (UC Davis) 10:45-12:15 AM SESSION T2 A. PAPER SESSION ........................................................................................................... Room 224

COMPLICATING ISRAEL EDUCATION: STUDIES OF DAY SCHOOL STUDENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF ISRAEL Chair: Ari Kelman (Stanford) Respondent: Steven M. Cohen (HUC-JIR) “Because Israel is Meant for Me”: Kindergarteners’ Thoughts and Feelings About Israel Sivan Zakai (AJU) Narrating Collective Identity: Jewish American High School Students Write the History of the State of Israel Jonah Hassenfeld (Stanford) B. ROUNDTABLE SESSION .............................................................................................. Room 225

ON-LINE LEARNING AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF DISPOSITIONS IN JEWISH EDUCATION Chair and Respondent: Dawne Bear Novicoff Panelists: Rona Novick (YU), Meredith Katz (JTS), Suzanne Brooks (YU) 12:15 PM BOXED LUNCH ........................................................................................................... 2nd Floor Patio

28th Annual Network for Research in Jewish Education Conference 2014 >> page 10

� NOTES �

28th Annual Network for Research in Jewish Education Conference 2014 >> page 11

Samuel Abramovich ......................................... T1B

Isa Aron .......................................................S1, M2A

Sharon Avni ............................................... S1, M4A

Ofra Backenroth .............................................M4C

Greg Beiles ......................................................M2B

Suzanne Brooks ............................................... T2B

Eric Caplan ......................................................M2B

Frayda Gonshor Cohen ................................ M2C

Steven M. Cohen ..............................................T2A

Howard Deitcher .............................................M1B

Elliot Dorff ........................................................M2B

Gail Dorph ............................................ M1A, M5B

Sheldon Dorph ................................................ M1A

Sharon Feiman-Nemser .................................... S1

Gil Graff .......................................................... M4B

Nicole M. Greninger .............................. M2A, M3

Joshua Gutoff ...................................................M1B

Jonah Hassenfeld ................................... M4C, T2A

Ziva Reimer Hassenfeld .................................M4B

Barry W. Holtz ......................................... M3, M5B

Bethamie Horowitz ....................................... M4A

Ben Jacobs .......................................................M2C

Naomi Kalish...................................................... M3

Elissa Kaplan ..............................................M3, T1B

Susan Kardos ................................................. M5B

Meredith Katz ......................................... T2B, M4B

Ari Kelman ........................................................ T2A

Jonathan Krasner .................... S1, Monday Lunch

Moshe Krakowski ...................................M1B, M5A

Jeff Kress ...............................................................S1

Jon A. Levisohn ......................................M2B, M4B

Arielle Levites ....................................... M4C, M5A

Sarah Levy .......................................................M4B

Pearl Mattenson ...................................... M1B, T1A

Rona Novick ............................................ M2C, T2B

Dawne Bear Novicoff.......................................T2B

Daniel Pekarsky .............................................. M1A

Bruce Phillips ...................................................M4A

Alex Pomson ...................................................... T1A

Joe Reimer ...................................................... M4C

Shira Rosenblatt ............................................... T1A

Jeffrey Schein ......................................... M2B, M3

Michael Shire ................................................. M5A

Lee Shulman ................................... Keynote, M5B

Deena Sigel .................................................... M5A

Miriam Heller Stern ....................................... M2A

Eran Tamir .............................................. M2C, T1B

Eran Vaisben ..................................................... T1B

Jack Wertheimer ................................................ T1A

Robert Wexler ............................... Monday Lunch

Laura Novak Winer ......................................... M1A

Sivan Zakai ................................................. S1, T2A

Michael Zeldin ......................................... S1, M5B

Tali Zelkowicz ................................................. M4A

� INDEX OF PRESENTERS �

CONFERENCE PATRONSAVI CHAI FoundationCovenant FoundationJack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for StudiesThe Jewish Community Foundation of Los AngelesJim Joseph FoundationThe Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life

CONFERENCE SPONSORSAmerican Jewish University Brandeis UniversityHebrew CollegeHebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Schools of Education, Los Angeles and New YorkThe Jewish Theological SeminaryNew York UniversityStanford UniversityYork University

WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO:Dee Garner, AJU Department StaffSam Levitt, AJU Director of FacilitiesRachel Silverman, AJU Graduate AssistantHannah Tobin Cohen, Akiko Yonekawa, AJU Conference VolunteersNicole Ray, Program Designer

CONFERENCE HOST

American Jewish University

NRJE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEJonathan Krasner, ChairBenjamin M. Jacobs, SecretaryEli Schaap, TreasurerMichael Zeldin, Journal of Jewish Education, Senior EditorJeff Kress, Lisa Grant, Past NRJE ChairsLauren Applebaum, 2014 Conference ChairJon A. Levisohn, 2014 Program ChairOfra Backenroth, 2013 Conference Arrangements ChairMeredith Katz, 2013 Program ChairMichelle Lynn-Sachs, Newsletter EditorCarol Ingall, Emerging Scholars Award Committee ChairRachel Lerner, Sarah Ossey Graduate Student Representatives

PROPOSAL REVIEWERSScott Aaron, Agency for Jewish LearningIsa Aron, HUCSharon Avni, CUNYOfra Backenroth, JTSDavid Bryfman, Jewish Education ProjectFern Chertok, Brandeis UniversityBeth Cousens, Imagine: Jewish Education ConsultingHoward Deitcher, Hebrew UniversityShira Epstein, JTSSharon Feiman-Nemser, BrandeisGabe Goldman, AJULisa Grant, HUCHilary Greenberg, Independent ConsultantBarry Holtz, JTSBethamie Horowitz, NYUBenjamin Jacobs, NYUElissa Kaplan, Growing ProjectsMeredith Katz, JTSAri Kelman, StanfordMoshe Krakowski, YUJeff Kress, JTSZachary Lasker, JTSMichelle Lynn-Sachs, Independent Researcher and ConsultantDeborah Miller, JTSMeir Muller, University of South CarolinaAlex Pomson, Hebrew UniversityJoe Reimer, BrandeisKaren Reiss Medwed, Northeastern UniversityRenee Rubin Ross, Jim Joseph FoundationJeffrey Schein, Jewish Education Center of ClevelandStuart Schoenfeld, York UniversityDiane Ticktin Schuster, HUC-JIRSusan Shevitz, BrandeisMichael Shire, Hebrew CollegeDeena Sigel, Independent ScholarMiriam Heller Stern, AJUEinav Symons, Kadima SchoolLeah Wolff-Pellingra, Temple Sinai, Saratoga Springs, NYSivan Zakai, AJUMichael Zeldin, HUCTali Zelkowicz, HUC

THE NETWORK IS GRATEFUL TO THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE FOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT AND EFFORTS IN MAKING THIS CONFERENCE A SUCCESS: