We Teach Who We Are: A Practical Guide for Classroom Educators
Teaching About Israel in Times of Crisis Table of Contents Introduction: The Educator at the Center Chapter 1: Understanding the Changed Landscape The New Reality The Ripple Effects Opportunities Within Crisis Chapter 2: The Educator’s Journey—Personal and Professional Integration Acknowledging Your Own Experience The Professional-Personal Interface Modeling Resilience Chapter 3: Rethinking Educational Objectives Core Questions…
The Global Jewish-Israel Syntheses Imagine: We Are All Israeli
I was thinking, growing up, my world was a tapestry of hyphenated identities. There was my Russian-American friend, my Italian-American…
Colonization vs. Decolonization
Historical Patterns of Conquest and Return in the Middle East The narrative of colonization and decolonization has become central to…
The Voice That Calls: Jewish Awakening in Our Time
Imagine being awakened at 4 AM by a voice calling you to something urgent, something that cannot wait for a…
To Occupy or Not To Occupy Gaza
The morning of October 7, 2023, marked a watershed moment in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Hamas militants breached the Gaza-Israel…
This is the calling of our time. We must reimagine our identity not just as Jews in diaspora but as members of the global People of Israel – Am Yisrael. We must acknowledge that the challenges facing Israel are challenges facing us all. We must strengthen our connections to our heritage, our homeland, and each other. Like salmon swimming upstream against the current, we have always defied easy paths. Today’s struggles, both external threats and internal divisions, require the same determination and courage that have sustained us throughout our history.
A Global Zionist Citizenship
My hope is that we as a collective awaken, focus on what binds us rather than what separates us, and leapfrog Zionism into an era Herzl and our ancestors could only dream of. Moving forward will require us to let go of the past – not forgetting our past – but willing to move forward from it and into a globalized perception of self, a global Zionist citizenship.
As no longer a people scattered in exile, but as a nation among nations, we must see ourselves through a global prism. Only then will we be successful in reclaiming, redefining, and re-educating Zionism, our destiny, succeeding in the delivery of l’dor va’dor, from generation to generation.
The intersection where we stand offers a choice: fragmentation vs unity, despair vs hope, retreat vs engagement. By choosing to strengthen our collective identity, by prioritizing Tikun Israel, and by practicing ahavat chinam, we can ensure that Am Yisrael’s journey continues for generations to come.
The better days ahead aren’t guaranteed—they require our commitment, our action, and our belief that we, the People of Israel, will not only survive this historical moment but emerge from it stronger and more united than before.
Am Yisrael Chai is not just a slogan, it is a way of life
The current state of Israel education often emphasizes advocacy over education, creating a reactive rather than proactive approach. This paper argues for evolving Israel experiential learning to incorporate diverse opinions, create spaces for dialogue, and offer shared experiences that advance both universal and particularly Jewish values.
Sinai Strategies is a think and do agency that seeks to advance purpose driven global causes as a cultural interpreter between potential collaborators. Its approach is anchored in Education Diplomacy. The foundation of this approach rests on the following key principles: Expected Outcomes are framed by the following: 1. Negotiation and Influence 2. Cross-Cultural Leadership…
Key aspects of this new framework include: The article frames this approach as “new-old” – drawing from ancient traditions and biblical sources while applying them to contemporary educational challenges, particularly in the context of modern Israel and post-October 7th realities. Beyond the Classroom: The Power of Experiential Learning Transmission of Jewish continuity and Israel connectivity…
As we prepare for this year’s Passover Seder, we reflect on the profound journey from slavery to freedom that defines our people. The Exodus story resonates deeply today as we witness the eternal struggle between darkness and light that has followed the Jewish people throughout history. Duality and Contradictions Duality and contradictions are found throughout…
I remember growing up as a kid in Brooklyn singing the Am Yisrael Chai chant, we’d sing it with great excitement and with great pride. And then I remember myself as a young adult, growing into my career as a professional Jew working for various nonprofits, always ending my talks, and my social media posts,…