Pluralism, Values, and Jewish Texts for the ISJL Education Fellows

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Which event would you most like to attend and why?

1 2 3

45

6

7

8

9

11 12

10

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What did your partner’s

choice/response tell you about their

values or priorities?

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Values, Actions, Context

Values Actions

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What did she believe?

What motivated her?

What impact did she have on the world?

What do I believe?

What motivates me?

What impact do I want to have on the world?

Wrestling with Big Questions

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Enduring Understandings

• Historical sources teach us about the context in which

they were created.

• Exploring historical sources gives us a safe way to think

about our values and talk about our differences.

• In every generation, Jews have wrestled with diverse

beliefs and practices. Conflict and disagreement are

part of communal life.

• For pluralism to be successful, we must understand

ourselves and strive to both understand and respect

others.

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Essential Questions

• How can historical texts help us reach our educational

goals?

• What makes a text “Jewish?”

• How do we reconcile conflicts between our own values

and the values held by others or by our communities?

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First Text: Letter to Haym Peretz

• Source the text

• What is it?

• Who wrote it and who is it to?

• When and where was it written?

• Analyze the text

• Why was this letter written?

• What does this text tell us about the author’s values and

beliefs?

• What does this text tell us about the historical context in which

it was created?

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Background/Historical Context

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What does this text teach us?

1. How does this text conflict or align with your

Jewish values?

2. How does this text conflict or align with the

Jewish values of the communities you

serve?

3. What, if anything, can this text teach us

about Judaism and pluralism?

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Second Text: Advertisement from Mother

Earth Magazine

• Source the text

• What is it?

• Who wrote it and who is the intended audience?

• When and where was it written?

• Analyze the text

• Why was it written?

• What does this text tell us about the author’s values and

beliefs?

• What does this text tell us about the historical context in which

it was created?

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Background/Historical Context

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What does this text teach us?

1. How does this text conflict or align with your

Jewish values?

2. How does this text conflict or align with the

Jewish values of the communities you

serve?

3. What, if anything, can this text teach us

about Judaism and pluralism?

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Closing Discussion

• What questions do you have?

• How might you use these sources in the communities you serve?

• What would your goals be in teaching these texts?

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About the Twersky Award

• Any Jewish educator working with students in grades

6-12

• Apply for the award or nominate a friend/colleague

• Two prizes

• Winner receives $2,000 + $400 for their school/program

• Finalist receives $500 + $100 for their school/program

• Deadlines:

• Submissions: Monday, June 1, 2015

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Submission requirements

• Statement of purpose

• Lesson plan

• Classroom product (handout, assignment, etc.)

• Two examples of student work

• Two letters of support (from supervisor,

colleague, student, parent, etc.)

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Other Examples

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Adapting and Scaffolding Texts

for Younger Students

Thursday, April 23@ 1pm

With Jonah Hassenfeld, Stanford School of

Education and Jewish Studies