“Turn it and turn it, for everything is in it.” This aphorism refers to the Torah and the endless possibilities for engaging it as a source of wisdom. But what if we also applied it to our lives? In this year in which so much has been turned upside down, what about our lives, our work and our world have we come to see in new ways? Using Jewish text, writing prompts and time to be reflective we will ground ourselves in the present moment and open our imagination to new possibilities for the year ahead. You’ll leave with a practice for reconnecting to your own creativity and a strategy for supporting your students' creative development. All are welcome, no prior knowledge or experience expected or required.

Speaker Bio: The Jewish Studio Project (JSP) innovates a new approach to Jewish creativity—one in which art is not just for artists and Jewish texts are not just for scholars. The Jewish Studio Process provides individuals and teams a way to activate their imagination and bring emotions and intuition into their engagement with Jewish life. Through community programs, immersive experiences, trainings and professional development engagements, JSP has brought its work to nearly ten thousand participants and collaborated with over 100 organizations seeking creative approaches to Jewish engagement. Rachel Brodie is the Senior Educator at JSP. She specializes in designing and facilitating professional development opportunities for other Jewish educators. Rachel holds a master’s degree in Rabbinic Literature from The Jewish Theological Seminary and a B.A. in Literature and Society from Brown University.

Music- it’s not just for music teachers! Let’s explore how classroom teachers working with any age can use music as a tool for deep learning, emotional engagement, functionality, and creativity. We’ll learn tools and repertoire to help you unlock the power of music with your students!

Speaker Bio: Eliana Light is a sought-after keynote speaker and workshop leader for Jewish educators, lay-leaders, and clergy. Her music, programs, and teaching reflect a spirit of playfulness, embodied wisdom, empathy, and joy. She balances big questions with practical tools, translating Jewish wisdom and helping you do the same. She has a Masters in Experiential Education from the Davidson School at the Jewish Theological Seminary, and a B.A. in Sociology from Brandeis University.

In this fun, fast-paced workshop, you'll discover how to create ideal conditions for kids to experience the exhilaration of making things happen in the moment together. They'll surprise themselves and each other as they learn through acting and reacting, using both Jewish sources and their own inner resources to bring learning to life. You'll learn to "set the stage" for success with different age groups and generate ideas for connecting improv to your curriculum so you can spark joy in Jewish learning.

Speaker Bio: Dr. Ariela Freedman has over 25 years experience teaching groups of all ages in the arts and sciences. She is the Owner and Founder of her business, MavenTree Consulting and also adjunct faculty at Emory's Rollins School of Public Health, where she teaches Curriculum and Instruction. Still a theater kid at heart, Ariela's laptop is covered with stickers from her favorite musicals.

Join Director/Founder of LEV Children's Museum and Co-Creator of LEVkids, Sarah DeWoskin, for a session of creating and exploration. Using your senses and materials from around your home, we'll explore a Jewish topic through various modalities. Following your own hands-on experience, we'll unpack and workshop ways to bring this kind of learning to your own classrooms no matter the age or topic area you teach. Come #LearnEngageVenture together!

Speaker Bio: Sarah DeWoskin is the Director and Founder of LEV Children’s Museum, a traveling Jewish children’s museum, and the Co-creator of LEVkids, both of which were created to engage children in Jewish exploration through hands-on experiences. Through LEV, she is following her inner voice to offer innovative engagement and education to Jewish families everywhere. A Jewish educator for over 20 years, Sarah earned her Master’s in Jewish Educational Leadership from HUC-JIR, and has worked in Jewish preschools, supplementary schools, youth groups, camps, and more. She is married to a Reform Rabbi and together they are raising three active tween/teenagers (and two rescue dogs) in South Florida.

Buy-in is everything! And there’s no better way to get your students to engage in the classroom than including their input and voices in co-creating it! From setting the vibe and “ground rules” to leading community-builders and crafting hands-on learning opportunities, youth voices authentically inform and inspire engaged learning spaces. Elevating students’ voices is a healing-centered approach, perhaps more important now than ever, given the collective trauma of the past year-plus. Participants in this hands-on session will experience and then reflect on activities that inspire and amplify participants’ voices and support social-emotional learning, modeling activities you can use all year, and sparking creativity among all learners and leaders.

Speaker Bio: Rachel Alterman Wallack, MSW, has been working with teens since she was a teen growing up in Atlanta - a long time ago! As the founder and Mission Director of the nonprofit VOX Teen Communications (aka VOX ATL), Rachel has been working professionally with youth and adults who support youth since 1993. Building on her experience co-creating spaces and programs with youth, Rachel facilitates hands-on activities that demonstrate how to co-cultivate a culture of engagement, inclusivity and belonging, where young people know their voices really matter. Her formal education includes a master’s degree in social work from the University of Georgia and a bachelor’s in Journalism from University of Texas, coupled with decades of learning from and with teenagers from all backgrounds. She still lives in Atlanta, now with three teenaged & young adult kids of her own.