Learning About Learning: Conversations with Scholars of Jewish Education Wed, 05 Aug 2026 14:59:37 -0400 https://www.brandeis.edu/mandel/ en-us © 2026 Learning About Learning: Conversations with Scholars of Jewish Education yes 2bf6e644-d20f-55e4-8471-e92bfcc77ecd Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University episodic false There is great scholarship being done in the field of Jewish education, but it’s not always accessible. And even when it is, it’s not always obvious why people in the field of Jewish education should care about it. That’s what this podcast is about—making really interesting scholarship on Jewish education accessible and talking with scholars about why it matters. 

Learning About Learning draws on live conversations, originally conducted as Zoom webinars. Regular episodes feature discussions between core faculty members at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education (MCSJE) at Brandeis University, and a single scholar about a specific piece of their research. Bonus episodes include multiple voices, often discussing a newly released book, recently held conference, or other topic in Jewish education. 

MCSJE is committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference in the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission. Thanks for being here, and we hope that you enjoy Learning About Learning as much as we do. 

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Jewish education, Judaism, Jewish art, Jewish Studies, research, Jewish, studies, religious studies, Israel studies, Middle East studies, educational research Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University https://storage.buzzsprout.com/wbz9usueka607204p5ujhqe4nw3g?.jpg Learning About Learning: Conversations with Scholars of Jewish Education https://www.brandeis.edu/mandel/ Episode 45: The Impact of Everyday Antisemitism Episode 45: The Impact of Everyday Antisemitism Reports from research centers and in the media make it clear that overt antisemitic incidents have surged on college campuses since October 7. But what about those subtle forms of antisemitism, which are much less likely to be reported and documented? Yael Silverstein and her colleagues asked university students, faculty, and staff about overt and subtle antisemitic experiences, and they found that both types had negative outcomes for individuals and institutions. In this session, she shares a framework for identifying, teaching about, and addressing antisemitic experiences in academic settings.

Originally recorded: 3/26/26

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Reports from research centers and in the media make it clear that overt antisemitic incidents have surged on college campuses since October 7. But what about those subtle forms of antisemitism, which are much less likely to be reported and documented? Yael Silverstein and her colleagues asked university students, faculty, and staff about overt and subtle antisemitic experiences, and they found that both types had negative outcomes for individuals and institutions. In this session, she shares a framework for identifying, teaching about, and addressing antisemitic experiences in academic settings.

Originally recorded: 3/26/26

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-19070952 Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:00:00 -0400 1727 5 9 full false Professor Jonathan Krasner Yael Silverstein Episode 44: Spotlight on Israel Education Research Episode 44: Spotlight on Israel Education Research What, if anything, can be considered “best practice” in Israel education? What are the challenges of learning about Israel in every stage of life? In this session, we explore what a team of scholars learned about research and practice in Israel education through a process of carefully sifting through the existing literature in the field. Through conversation, these experts share what their experience writing a recent article in the Journal of Jewish Education taught them about building a knowledge base about Israel education, and about Jewish education more broadly.

Panelists include Alex Pomson (Rosov Consulting), Matt Reingold (Rosov Consulting), and Sivan Zakai (HUC-JIR), with Jonathan Krasner (Brandeis University).

Co-sponsored by the Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University and the Journal of Jewish Education.

Originally recorded: 2/26/26

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> What, if anything, can be considered “best practice” in Israel education? What are the challenges of learning about Israel in every stage of life? In this session, we explore what a team of scholars learned about research and practice in Israel education through a process of carefully sifting through the existing literature in the field. Through conversation, these experts share what their experience writing a recent article in the Journal of Jewish Education taught them about building a knowledge base about Israel education, and about Jewish education more broadly.

Panelists include Alex Pomson (Rosov Consulting), Matt Reingold (Rosov Consulting), and Sivan Zakai (HUC-JIR), with Jonathan Krasner (Brandeis University).

Co-sponsored by the Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University and the Journal of Jewish Education.

Originally recorded: 2/26/26

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-18918115 Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:00:00 -0400 4092 5 8 bonus false Dr. Alex Pomson Dr. Matt Reingold Professor Jonathan Krasner Professor Sivan Zakai Episode 43: Why Teaching Jewish Texts is Not Enough Episode 43: Why Teaching Jewish Texts is Not Enough The heart of Jewish education, it seems, is the study of the Jewish textual tradition, or what insiders call “learning Torah.” There are good reasons to think about Jewish education that way. But there are also some reasons to question that assumption, based on the history of Jewish textuality and the history of Jewish culture. In this session, Jon A. Levisohn discusses a recent book chapter, where he argues that we need to think more broadly about how and why Jewish education helps young people engage with a wide range of Jewish cultural practices.

Originally recorded: 2/26/26

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> The heart of Jewish education, it seems, is the study of the Jewish textual tradition, or what insiders call “learning Torah.” There are good reasons to think about Jewish education that way. But there are also some reasons to question that assumption, based on the history of Jewish textuality and the history of Jewish culture. In this session, Jon A. Levisohn discusses a recent book chapter, where he argues that we need to think more broadly about how and why Jewish education helps young people engage with a wide range of Jewish cultural practices.

Originally recorded: 2/26/26

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-18801715 Fri, 06 Mar 2026 10:00:00 -0500 1868 5 7 full false Professor Jon Levisohn Professor Ziva Hassenfeld Episode 42: Jewish Educators’ Responses to "You Never Told Me" Episode 42: Jewish Educators’ Responses to "You Never Told Me" In this session, we explore insights into how Israel educators from Jewish high schools across the denominational spectrum approach teaching modern Israel in response to the "you never told me" phenomenon: graduates expressing disillusionment that criticisms of Israel were not covered in their high school education. Benji Davis discusses his recent study and share how educators intentionally incorporate both Zionist and Palestinian perspectives to deepen students' Jewish identification with Israel and the Jewish people, while preparing them to engage in conversations about Israel on campus.

Originally recorded: 1/15/26

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> In this session, we explore insights into how Israel educators from Jewish high schools across the denominational spectrum approach teaching modern Israel in response to the "you never told me" phenomenon: graduates expressing disillusionment that criticisms of Israel were not covered in their high school education. Benji Davis discusses his recent study and share how educators intentionally incorporate both Zionist and Palestinian perspectives to deepen students' Jewish identification with Israel and the Jewish people, while preparing them to engage in conversations about Israel on campus.

Originally recorded: 1/15/26

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-18596181 Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0500 1775 5 6 full false Professor Benji Davis Professor Jonathan Krasner Episode 41: Teaching and Learning in Jewish Day Schools Book Launch Episode 41: Teaching and Learning in Jewish Day Schools Book Launch What does the latest research in teaching and learning in Jewish day schools reveal about what’s going on in classrooms today? For this webinar, respondents Daniel Held (UJA Federation of Greater Toronto), Amanda Pogany (Luria Academy of Brooklyn), and Tali Zelkowicz (The Wexner Foundation) brought their questions to Teaching and Learning in Jewish Day Schools, a new publication focused on presenting a better understanding of how day schools are educating diverse Jewish youth in a variety of content areas. In a generous and generative conversation with Ziva Hassenfeld and Jon Levisohn, they shared some of their learnings with us.

Teaching and Learning in Jewish Day Schools is available for purchase and published in the Mandel-Brandeis Series in Jewish Education by Brandeis University Press.

Originally recorded: 12/11/25

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> What does the latest research in teaching and learning in Jewish day schools reveal about what’s going on in classrooms today? For this webinar, respondents Daniel Held (UJA Federation of Greater Toronto), Amanda Pogany (Luria Academy of Brooklyn), and Tali Zelkowicz (The Wexner Foundation) brought their questions to Teaching and Learning in Jewish Day Schools, a new publication focused on presenting a better understanding of how day schools are educating diverse Jewish youth in a variety of content areas. In a generous and generative conversation with Ziva Hassenfeld and Jon Levisohn, they shared some of their learnings with us.

Teaching and Learning in Jewish Day Schools is available for purchase and published in the Mandel-Brandeis Series in Jewish Education by Brandeis University Press.

Originally recorded: 12/11/25

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-18461673 Tue, 06 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0500 4170 5 5 bonus false Amanda Pogany Dr. Daniel Held Dr. Tali Zelkowicz Professor Jon Levisohn Professor Ziva Hassenfeld Episode 40: How the Conflict Shapes the Israeli Classroom Episode 40: How the Conflict Shapes the Israeli Classroom In a time of continued war and exhaustion, how are teachers in Israel teaching, and what do they prioritize in their classrooms? In a longitudinal study, scholars Ziva Hassenfeld and Hadar Fisher asked these questions of 41 teachers in Israel, beginning just three weeks after October 7 and continuing with a group of 12 for another two years. In this session, they share insights into these teachers' ethic of care and how they enact in their teaching varied ideas surrounding their diverse understandings of students' well-being.

Originally recorded: 11/20/25

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> In a time of continued war and exhaustion, how are teachers in Israel teaching, and what do they prioritize in their classrooms? In a longitudinal study, scholars Ziva Hassenfeld and Hadar Fisher asked these questions of 41 teachers in Israel, beginning just three weeks after October 7 and continuing with a group of 12 for another two years. In this session, they share insights into these teachers' ethic of care and how they enact in their teaching varied ideas surrounding their diverse understandings of students' well-being.

Originally recorded: 11/20/25

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-18317763 Mon, 08 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0500 1684 5 4 full false Dr. Hadar Fisher Professor Jon Levisohn Professor Ziva Hassenfeld Episode 39: Spotlight on Jewish Education Two Years After October 7 Episode 39: Spotlight on Jewish Education Two Years After October 7 Two years after October 7, that date seems to mark a watershed in Jewish life around the world, including in North America. In this session, we explore how American Jewish educators and Jewish educational institutions have responded, how the changed environment has affected their work, and how they might need to think differently about the work of Jewish education in the days and years to come.

Panelists included Nina Bruder (Jewish New Teacher Project), Alex Pomson (Rosov Consulting), Matt Reingold (Rosov Consulting), Miriam Heller Stern (BJE: Builders of Jewish Education) with Jon Levisohn (Brandeis University).

Originally recorded: 11/4/25

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Two years after October 7, that date seems to mark a watershed in Jewish life around the world, including in North America. In this session, we explore how American Jewish educators and Jewish educational institutions have responded, how the changed environment has affected their work, and how they might need to think differently about the work of Jewish education in the days and years to come.

Panelists included Nina Bruder (Jewish New Teacher Project), Alex Pomson (Rosov Consulting), Matt Reingold (Rosov Consulting), Miriam Heller Stern (BJE: Builders of Jewish Education) with Jon Levisohn (Brandeis University).

Originally recorded: 11/4/25

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-18218346 Wed, 19 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0500 3788 5 3 bonus false Dr. Alex Pomson Dr. Matt Reingold Nina Bruder Professor Jon Levisohn Professor Miriam Heller Stern Episode 38: What Rabbinical Students Say They Need From Their Training Episode 38: What Rabbinical Students Say They Need From Their Training Spiritual formation has long been considered an important part of theological education for seminary students in Christian contexts, but what about students in Jewish seminaries? In a recent study of Jewish seminarians' perspectives of their formation needs, scholars learned that rabbinical students at a progressive seminary seek training in areas such as mental health, diversity, and social justice; relational spaces for cultivating virtue capacities; and opportunities for meaningful reflection and processing of their growth. In this session, lead researcher Laura Stein discusses what can be learned about the future directions of Jewish clergy students' formation, and what can be done to address their evolving needs.

Originally recorded: 10/23/25

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Spiritual formation has long been considered an important part of theological education for seminary students in Christian contexts, but what about students in Jewish seminaries? In a recent study of Jewish seminarians' perspectives of their formation needs, scholars learned that rabbinical students at a progressive seminary seek training in areas such as mental health, diversity, and social justice; relational spaces for cultivating virtue capacities; and opportunities for meaningful reflection and processing of their growth. In this session, lead researcher Laura Stein discusses what can be learned about the future directions of Jewish clergy students' formation, and what can be done to address their evolving needs.

Originally recorded: 10/23/25

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-18131842 Tue, 04 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0500 1753 5 2 full false Cantor Laura Stein Professor Ziva Hassenfeld Episode 37: Bringing the Big World into the Little Classroom Episode 37: Bringing the Big World into the Little Classroom What issues in the contemporary world matter most to Jewish children, and how do children make sense of these issues? How do educators make sense of children’s ideas and their implications for the work of Jewish education? American Jewish 4th and 5th graders have concerns about many important world issues—climate change, homelessness, the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Hamas war, political polarization, and so much more—and their teachers face the complexities of addressing political issues, shifting cultural norms, and more. In this session, scholars Lauren Applebaum and Sivan Zakai discuss their findings from a collaborative study with Jewish children enrolled in both day and supplementary schools, and their educators.

Originally recorded: 9/18/25

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> What issues in the contemporary world matter most to Jewish children, and how do children make sense of these issues? How do educators make sense of children’s ideas and their implications for the work of Jewish education? American Jewish 4th and 5th graders have concerns about many important world issues—climate change, homelessness, the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Hamas war, political polarization, and so much more—and their teachers face the complexities of addressing political issues, shifting cultural norms, and more. In this session, scholars Lauren Applebaum and Sivan Zakai discuss their findings from a collaborative study with Jewish children enrolled in both day and supplementary schools, and their educators.

Originally recorded: 9/18/25

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-17963499 Mon, 06 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0400 1837 5 1 full true Dr. Lauren Applebaum Professor Jon Levisohn Professor Sivan Zakai Episode 36: Antisemitism on Campus After October 7 Episode 36: Antisemitism on Campus After October 7 In this special event, authors from a themed issue of Journal of Jewish Education discuss their articles on antisemitism on college campuses since October 7. The issue spotlights cutting-edge research to broaden and deepen our understanding of antisemitism and anti-Zionism by analyzing their contemporary manifestations and implications for Jewish education and learning. This webinar features the following authors speaking about their papers:

Moderated by Nicole Samuel (Brandeis University)

Originally recorded: 6/4/25

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> In this special event, authors from a themed issue of Journal of Jewish Education discuss their articles on antisemitism on college campuses since October 7. The issue spotlights cutting-edge research to broaden and deepen our understanding of antisemitism and anti-Zionism by analyzing their contemporary manifestations and implications for Jewish education and learning. This webinar features the following authors speaking about their papers:

Moderated by Nicole Samuel (Brandeis University)

Originally recorded: 6/4/25

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-17346523 Mon, 16 Jun 2025 14:00:00 -0400 3947 4 9 bonus false Dr. Graham Wright Nicole Samuel Professor Jonathan Krasner Professor Rebecca Kobrin Professor Vikki Katz Episode 35: Spotlight on Contemporary Jewish Theology Episode 35: Spotlight on Contemporary Jewish Theology Recent years have witnessed an impressive outpouring of important new work in contemporary Jewish theology. In this Spotlight Session, we gather four leading scholars, each of whom has recently produced an important work of Jewish theology, to think together about the implications of their ideas for Jewish education. 

This webinar features the following panelists in discussion with Jon Levisohn (Brandeis University) about their books:

Originally recorded: 5/1/25

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Recent years have witnessed an impressive outpouring of important new work in contemporary Jewish theology. In this Spotlight Session, we gather four leading scholars, each of whom has recently produced an important work of Jewish theology, to think together about the implications of their ideas for Jewish education. 

This webinar features the following panelists in discussion with Jon Levisohn (Brandeis University) about their books:

Originally recorded: 5/1/25

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-17209260 Thu, 22 May 2025 10:00:00 -0400 3977 4 8 bonus false Professor Jon Levisohn Professor Julia Watts Belser Professor Mara Benjamin Professor Yonatan Brafman Rabbi Shai Held Episode 34: Fraternities and Sororities as Jewish Communal Spaces | Dr. Jenny Small Episode 34: Fraternities and Sororities as Jewish Communal Spaces | Dr. Jenny Small Traditionally-Jewish fraternities and sororities are not often considered sites of Jewish community. In this session, Jenny L. Small discusses findings from interviews with fraternity and sorority life (FSL) educators, revealing their perspectives that students in these organizations bear distinctly gendered burdens around Jewish heritage and continuity. The educators in this study lacked a strong understanding of Jewish identity and how students express those identities through FSL; however, effectively supporting these organizations can help them function as sites of belonging for Jewish college students during turbulent times on campus.

Originally recorded: 3/20/25

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Traditionally-Jewish fraternities and sororities are not often considered sites of Jewish community. In this session, Jenny L. Small discusses findings from interviews with fraternity and sorority life (FSL) educators, revealing their perspectives that students in these organizations bear distinctly gendered burdens around Jewish heritage and continuity. The educators in this study lacked a strong understanding of Jewish identity and how students express those identities through FSL; however, effectively supporting these organizations can help them function as sites of belonging for Jewish college students during turbulent times on campus.

Originally recorded: 3/20/25

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-16875843 Fri, 28 Mar 2025 10:00:00 -0400 1695 4 7 full false Dr. Jenny Small Professor Jonathan Krasner Episode 33: Using Both/And Thinking to Repair a Rift in Jewish Education | Dr. Tali Zelkowicz Episode 33: Using Both/And Thinking to Repair a Rift in Jewish Education | Dr. Tali Zelkowicz The field of Jewish education has now been split into two sub-fields, referred to as “formal” or “informal” (or “experiential”) education. But this division is artificial and proving profoundly limiting, distorting, and even harmful. What might be the ultimate potential of the field were we able to employ a balanced and integrated use of the full range of educational competencies, across all settings? In this session, Tali Zelkowicz shares recent work, in which she applies both/and thinking to surface a more expansive and integrative vision of Jewish learning that can empower and endure.

Originally recorded: 2/27/25

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> The field of Jewish education has now been split into two sub-fields, referred to as “formal” or “informal” (or “experiential”) education. But this division is artificial and proving profoundly limiting, distorting, and even harmful. What might be the ultimate potential of the field were we able to employ a balanced and integrated use of the full range of educational competencies, across all settings? In this session, Tali Zelkowicz shares recent work, in which she applies both/and thinking to surface a more expansive and integrative vision of Jewish learning that can empower and endure.

Originally recorded: 2/27/25

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-16786339 Thu, 13 Mar 2025 12:00:00 -0400 1627 4 6 full false Dr. Tali Zelkowicz Professor Ziva Hassenfeld Episode 32: Fluid Meanings of the Yarmulke Across Educational Contexts | Dr. Anastasia Badder Episode 32: Fluid Meanings of the Yarmulke Across Educational Contexts | Dr. Anastasia Badder In her article, "When a Yarmulke Stands for All Jews: Navigating Shifting Signs from Synagogue to School in Luxembourg," Anastasia Badder asks: How do congregational school students experience moments in which they were confronted with Jewishness outside of the classroom, in their secular schools and public spaces? And taking a material approach, how does the presence (and absence) of yarmulkes influence those experiences? In this session, she discusses findings from fieldwork she conducted as an ethnographer and teacher in a Jewish congregational school researching the ways children learn about and how to do Jewishness.

Originally recorded: 1/23/25

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> In her article, "When a Yarmulke Stands for All Jews: Navigating Shifting Signs from Synagogue to School in Luxembourg," Anastasia Badder asks: How do congregational school students experience moments in which they were confronted with Jewishness outside of the classroom, in their secular schools and public spaces? And taking a material approach, how does the presence (and absence) of yarmulkes influence those experiences? In this session, she discusses findings from fieldwork she conducted as an ethnographer and teacher in a Jewish congregational school researching the ways children learn about and how to do Jewishness.

Originally recorded: 1/23/25

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-16554006 Mon, 03 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0500 1754 4 5 full false Dr. Anastasia Badder Professor Jon Levisohn Episode 31: Jewish Creativity: An Essential Aspiration for Jewish Education | Professor Miriam Heller Stern Episode 31: Jewish Creativity: An Essential Aspiration for Jewish Education | Professor Miriam Heller Stern Habits of creative thinking have sustained the Jewish people through centuries of crisis and opportunity. How might the enterprise of Jewish education reclaim and teach creativity? Weaving together a wide range of theory and research, including affective neuroscience, Jewish philosophy and education, and studies of creativity and arts education, Miriam Heller Stern discusses a framework for fostering Jewish creativity that can be pursued across the Jewish educational ecosystem.

Originally recorded: 11/7/24

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Habits of creative thinking have sustained the Jewish people through centuries of crisis and opportunity. How might the enterprise of Jewish education reclaim and teach creativity? Weaving together a wide range of theory and research, including affective neuroscience, Jewish philosophy and education, and studies of creativity and arts education, Miriam Heller Stern discusses a framework for fostering Jewish creativity that can be pursued across the Jewish educational ecosystem.

Originally recorded: 11/7/24

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-16177046 Tue, 26 Nov 2024 09:00:00 -0500 1848 4 4 full false Professor Miriam Heller Stern Professor Ziva Hassenfeld Episode 30: Spotlight on Jewish Education after October 7 Episode 30: Spotlight on Jewish Education after October 7 The attack on October 7th, the ensuing war, and the changed environment in the US have all led to questions about how American Jewish educational institutions have responded, and how they should. What do we know about the impact of the last year on schools, synagogues, camps, Israel trips, and other initiatives? How have educators been affected? How have children? What new trends are emerging? In this session, a group of scholars and educational leaders offer ideas for educators and educational institutions one year into this new environment.

Panelists include Jonathan Krasner (Brandeis University), Matt Reingold (community educator/independent scholar), Amanda Winer (research consultant), Sivan Zakai (HUC-JIR) with Jon Levisohn (Brandeis University).

Originally recorded: 10/31/24

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> The attack on October 7th, the ensuing war, and the changed environment in the US have all led to questions about how American Jewish educational institutions have responded, and how they should. What do we know about the impact of the last year on schools, synagogues, camps, Israel trips, and other initiatives? How have educators been affected? How have children? What new trends are emerging? In this session, a group of scholars and educational leaders offer ideas for educators and educational institutions one year into this new environment.

Panelists include Jonathan Krasner (Brandeis University), Matt Reingold (community educator/independent scholar), Amanda Winer (research consultant), Sivan Zakai (HUC-JIR) with Jon Levisohn (Brandeis University).

Originally recorded: 10/31/24

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-16126929 Mon, 18 Nov 2024 11:00:00 -0500 3921 4 3 bonus false Dr. Amanda Winer Dr. Matt Reingold Professor Jon Levisohn Professor Jonathan Krasner Professor Sivan Zakai Episode 29: How Educators Can Overcome Barriers to Engaging with the Conflict | Dr. Keren Fraiman Episode 29: How Educators Can Overcome Barriers to Engaging with the Conflict | Dr. Keren Fraiman There is a growing consensus that successful and holistic Israel education demands a sophisticated and nuanced engagement with critical questions within Israel, and in particular, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This feels especially pressing in a post October 7th world. Despite this critical need, many educators continue to express reticence about conflict education. In this session, Keren Fraiman explores why educators are hesitant to engage in conflict education, highlighting the greatest sources of challenge and a typology of barriers to entry. Importantly, she shares what we can do to support our educators, educational systems, and the community more broadly.

Originally recorded: 10/10/24

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> There is a growing consensus that successful and holistic Israel education demands a sophisticated and nuanced engagement with critical questions within Israel, and in particular, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This feels especially pressing in a post October 7th world. Despite this critical need, many educators continue to express reticence about conflict education. In this session, Keren Fraiman explores why educators are hesitant to engage in conflict education, highlighting the greatest sources of challenge and a typology of barriers to entry. Importantly, she shares what we can do to support our educators, educational systems, and the community more broadly.

Originally recorded: 10/10/24

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-16084575 Mon, 11 Nov 2024 10:00:00 -0500 1790 4 2 full false Dr. Keren Fraiman Professor Jon Levisohn Episode 28: How American Activists Helped Free Soviet Jews | Professor Shaul Kelner Episode 28: How American Activists Helped Free Soviet Jews | Professor Shaul Kelner In his recent book, Shaul Kelner recounts the compelling stories of heroism that helped to free Soviet Jews. In this session, he discusses how this activism reached Jewish educational spaces — through bar and bat mitzvah twinning, school field trips to rallies, summer camp programming, and much more — and reshaped the Jewish American experience from the Johnson era through the Reagan-Bush years.

Originally recorded: 9/26/24

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> In his recent book, Shaul Kelner recounts the compelling stories of heroism that helped to free Soviet Jews. In this session, he discusses how this activism reached Jewish educational spaces — through bar and bat mitzvah twinning, school field trips to rallies, summer camp programming, and much more — and reshaped the Jewish American experience from the Johnson era through the Reagan-Bush years.

Originally recorded: 9/26/24

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-16084561 Mon, 11 Nov 2024 10:00:00 -0500 1686 4 1 full false Professor Jonathan Krasner Professor Shaul Kelner Episode 27: Teaching Israel: Studies of Pedagogy from the Field | Sivan Zakai and Matt Reingold Episode 27: Teaching Israel: Studies of Pedagogy from the Field | Sivan Zakai and Matt Reingold How do educators from differing pedagogical orientations learn, undertake, and ultimately improve the work of teaching Israel? In this conversation, Teaching Israel: Studies of Pedagogy from the Field editors Sivan Zakai and Matt Reingold discuss the complex issues facing those who teach about Israel, along with respondents Lisa Grant (Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion) and Alex Pomson (Rosov Consulting), and moderator Sharon Feiman-Nemser (Brandeis University).

Sivan Zakai is Sara S. Lee Associate Professor of Jewish Education at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Los Angeles. She directs the Children’s Learning About Israel Project and codirects Project ORLIE: Research and Leadership in Israel Education. She received a National Jewish Book Award in 2022 for My Second Favorite Country: How American Jewish Children Think About Israel.

Matt Reingold teaches and is the cohead of the Jewish History Department at TanenbaumCHAT in Toronto, Canada. He is the author of Gender and Sexuality in Israeli Graphic Novels: Contested Masculinity and Independent Femininity, Reenvisioning Israel Through Political Cartoons, and The Comics of Asaf Hanuka: Telling Particular and Universal Stories.

Teaching Israel is available for purchase and published in the Mandel-Brandeis Series in Jewish Education by Brandeis University Press.

Originally recorded: 5/30/24



At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> How do educators from differing pedagogical orientations learn, undertake, and ultimately improve the work of teaching Israel? In this conversation, Teaching Israel: Studies of Pedagogy from the Field editors Sivan Zakai and Matt Reingold discuss the complex issues facing those who teach about Israel, along with respondents Lisa Grant (Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion) and Alex Pomson (Rosov Consulting), and moderator Sharon Feiman-Nemser (Brandeis University).

Sivan Zakai is Sara S. Lee Associate Professor of Jewish Education at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Los Angeles. She directs the Children’s Learning About Israel Project and codirects Project ORLIE: Research and Leadership in Israel Education. She received a National Jewish Book Award in 2022 for My Second Favorite Country: How American Jewish Children Think About Israel.

Matt Reingold teaches and is the cohead of the Jewish History Department at TanenbaumCHAT in Toronto, Canada. He is the author of Gender and Sexuality in Israeli Graphic Novels: Contested Masculinity and Independent Femininity, Reenvisioning Israel Through Political Cartoons, and The Comics of Asaf Hanuka: Telling Particular and Universal Stories.

Teaching Israel is available for purchase and published in the Mandel-Brandeis Series in Jewish Education by Brandeis University Press.

Originally recorded: 5/30/24



At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-15264707 Mon, 17 Jun 2024 14:00:00 -0400 3899 3 10 full false Dr. Alex Pomson Dr. Matt Reingold Professor Sharon Feiman-Nemser Professor Sivan Zakai Rabbi Lisa Grant, Ph.D. Episode 26: Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration in Jewish Education Episode 26: Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration in Jewish Education In this special event, authors from a recent themed issue of Journal of Jewish Education discuss their articles on race, ethnicity, and immigration in Jewish education. The issue spotlights the experiences of underrepresented individuals and serves as compelling testimony to the diverse array of Jewish experiences and identities, challenging prevailing norms about how Jewish educational spaces are designed and who benefits from them. This webinar features the following authors speaking about their papers:

Moderated by Ilana Horwitz (Tulane University)
 
Co-sponsored by the Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, the Grant Center for the American Jewish Experience at Tulane University, and the Journal of Jewish Education.

Originally recorded: 5/2/24

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> In this special event, authors from a recent themed issue of Journal of Jewish Education discuss their articles on race, ethnicity, and immigration in Jewish education. The issue spotlights the experiences of underrepresented individuals and serves as compelling testimony to the diverse array of Jewish experiences and identities, challenging prevailing norms about how Jewish educational spaces are designed and who benefits from them. This webinar features the following authors speaking about their papers:

Moderated by Ilana Horwitz (Tulane University)
 
Co-sponsored by the Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, the Grant Center for the American Jewish Experience at Tulane University, and the Journal of Jewish Education.

Originally recorded: 5/2/24

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-15123728 Thu, 23 May 2024 09:00:00 -0400 4223 3 9 bonus false Ariela Ronay-Jinich Dr. Elana Riback Rand Dr. Marva Shalev-Marom Hannah Kober Professor Ilana Horwitz Episode 25: Visualizing Jewish Texts and Practices through the Graphic Novel | Dr. Talia Hurwich Episode 25: Visualizing Jewish Texts and Practices through the Graphic Novel | Dr. Talia Hurwich What happens when students of classical Jewish texts encounter visual representations of those texts, not just words? In her recent study Reconsidering Religious Gender Normativity in Graphic Novel Adaptations, Talia Hurwich learned that students often respond in deeply personal ways to visual representations of topics that may otherwise be suppressed by social norms around Jewish texts and practices. In this session, she discusses the role graphic novels can play in mediating between traditional religious practices and modern social change.

Originally recorded: 4/11/24

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> What happens when students of classical Jewish texts encounter visual representations of those texts, not just words? In her recent study Reconsidering Religious Gender Normativity in Graphic Novel Adaptations, Talia Hurwich learned that students often respond in deeply personal ways to visual representations of topics that may otherwise be suppressed by social norms around Jewish texts and practices. In this session, she discusses the role graphic novels can play in mediating between traditional religious practices and modern social change.

Originally recorded: 4/11/24

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-14919249 Fri, 19 Apr 2024 12:00:00 -0400 1688 3 8 full false Dr. Talia Hurwich Professor Jon Levisohn Episode 24: Spotlight on the Gap Year Episode 24: Spotlight on the Gap Year For over a generation, many American Jewish young adults have spent a year between high school and college in Israel—the “gap year.” How does the gap year contribute to North American Jewish education? How does it complicate that work? What does it mean for young adults to go from “here" to “there" to participate in this important educational experience? What do we know about the spiritual, intellectual, and emotional growth of those who do a gap year? What are the elements that contribute to growth among participants in the gap year, and what are the impediments to growth?

This session brings together:  Shalom Berger (Herzog College), Jonathan Schwab (Yeshiva University), Tilly Shemer (Shalom Hartman Institute), and Amy Weinreb (Masa Israel Journey) in conversation with Jon Levisohn.

Originally recorded: 2/29/24

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> For over a generation, many American Jewish young adults have spent a year between high school and college in Israel—the “gap year.” How does the gap year contribute to North American Jewish education? How does it complicate that work? What does it mean for young adults to go from “here" to “there" to participate in this important educational experience? What do we know about the spiritual, intellectual, and emotional growth of those who do a gap year? What are the elements that contribute to growth among participants in the gap year, and what are the impediments to growth?

This session brings together:  Shalom Berger (Herzog College), Jonathan Schwab (Yeshiva University), Tilly Shemer (Shalom Hartman Institute), and Amy Weinreb (Masa Israel Journey) in conversation with Jon Levisohn.

Originally recorded: 2/29/24

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-14729796 Wed, 20 Mar 2024 10:00:00 -0400 4089 3 7 bonus false Professor Amy Weinreb Professor Jon Levisohn Rabbi Dr. Shalom Berger Tilly Shemer Episode 23: Why Young Jews Love Yiddish | Dr. Sandra Fox Episode 23: Why Young Jews Love Yiddish | Dr. Sandra Fox Over the last two decades, talk of Yiddish as an alternate path of engaging with Jewishness comes up in the Jewish press almost cyclically — a journalistic evergreen. In this session, historian and Yiddish podcaster Sandra Fox explains how Yiddish became culturally significant, why young people are flocking to learn Yiddish in larger numbers than ever before, and what the growth of Yiddish says about American Jewish youth culture.

More information can be found in her article, 'The Passionate Few': Youth and Yiddishism in American Jewish Culture, 1964 to Present.

Originally recorded: 2/8/24

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Over the last two decades, talk of Yiddish as an alternate path of engaging with Jewishness comes up in the Jewish press almost cyclically — a journalistic evergreen. In this session, historian and Yiddish podcaster Sandra Fox explains how Yiddish became culturally significant, why young people are flocking to learn Yiddish in larger numbers than ever before, and what the growth of Yiddish says about American Jewish youth culture.

More information can be found in her article, 'The Passionate Few': Youth and Yiddishism in American Jewish Culture, 1964 to Present.

Originally recorded: 2/8/24

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-14556330 Thu, 22 Feb 2024 14:00:00 -0500 1719 3 6 full false Professor Jon Levisohn Sandra Fox Episode 22: How Israeli-Americans Think About Their Kids’ Hebrew Learning | Hannah Kober Episode 22: How Israeli-Americans Think About Their Kids’ Hebrew Learning | Hannah Kober Like other immigrants, many Israeli expatriates find themselves asking how they can maintain their culture on American soil. But what happens when their children learn their heritage language in American educational settings? In this session, Hannah Kober discusses the surprising finding from her recent research that the long-held narrative about Israeli-Americans as producers of Hebrew language education, and not as consumers, needs reconsideration.

Originally recorded: 1/18/24

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Like other immigrants, many Israeli expatriates find themselves asking how they can maintain their culture on American soil. But what happens when their children learn their heritage language in American educational settings? In this session, Hannah Kober discusses the surprising finding from her recent research that the long-held narrative about Israeli-Americans as producers of Hebrew language education, and not as consumers, needs reconsideration.

Originally recorded: 1/18/24

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-14414656 Wed, 31 Jan 2024 12:00:00 -0500 1675 3 5 full false Hannah Kober Professor Jon Levisohn Episode 21: Navigating Ideological Differences in Pluralistic Jewish Schools | Dr. Esther Friedman Episode 21: Navigating Ideological Differences in Pluralistic Jewish Schools | Dr. Esther Friedman How and why does the ability to navigate ideological differences within classrooms matter to Jewish education — and beyond? In this session, Esther Friedman discusses her recent study on the lived experiences of Orthodox teachers who teach Bible in pluralistic community schools and the institutional-level challenges they face.

Originally recorded: 12/7/23

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> How and why does the ability to navigate ideological differences within classrooms matter to Jewish education — and beyond? In this session, Esther Friedman discusses her recent study on the lived experiences of Orthodox teachers who teach Bible in pluralistic community schools and the institutional-level challenges they face.

Originally recorded: 12/7/23

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-14142773 Wed, 13 Dec 2023 14:00:00 -0500 1957 3 4 full false Dr. Esther Friedman Professor Ziva Hassenfeld Episode 20: Spotlight on Jewish Learning: Past, Present and Future Episode 20: Spotlight on Jewish Learning: Past, Present and Future What have we learned about Jewish learning in the past, where are we today, and what do we still need to learn for the future? Join MCSJE for this special Spotlight Session in honor of Brandeis University’s 75th anniversary, at which Brandeis scholars of Jewish education share some of the most important developments in the field of Jewish education and why they matter for the flourishing of individual students and the vibrancy of the Jewish community.

Panelists: Sharon Feiman-Nemser, Ziva Hassenfeld, Jonathan Krasner, Jon Levisohn, and Joe Reimer

Originally recorded: 11/30/23

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> What have we learned about Jewish learning in the past, where are we today, and what do we still need to learn for the future? Join MCSJE for this special Spotlight Session in honor of Brandeis University’s 75th anniversary, at which Brandeis scholars of Jewish education share some of the most important developments in the field of Jewish education and why they matter for the flourishing of individual students and the vibrancy of the Jewish community.

Panelists: Sharon Feiman-Nemser, Ziva Hassenfeld, Jonathan Krasner, Jon Levisohn, and Joe Reimer

Originally recorded: 11/30/23

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-14133354 Tue, 12 Dec 2023 09:00:00 -0500 3885 3 3 bonus false Professor Jon Levisohn Professor Jonathan Krasner Professor Joseph Reimer Professor Sharon Feiman-Nemser Professor Ziva Hassenfeld Episode 19: Getting Serious About Play in Jewish Education | Rabbi Judd Levingston, PhD Episode 19: Getting Serious About Play in Jewish Education | Rabbi Judd Levingston, PhD Beyond lifting the spirits of teachers and students, play in Jewish education spaces can also shape moral development and character. Drawing from his new research, Judd Kruger Levingston shares how teachers and administrators can cultivate "a moral ecology of play" in classrooms, hallways, gathering spaces, and playgrounds. In this session, Levingston speaks about ways in which a wide variety of approaches to play across the curriculum and throughout a school's culture can transform a young person's values and moral outlook.

Originally recorded: 11/15/23

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Beyond lifting the spirits of teachers and students, play in Jewish education spaces can also shape moral development and character. Drawing from his new research, Judd Kruger Levingston shares how teachers and administrators can cultivate "a moral ecology of play" in classrooms, hallways, gathering spaces, and playgrounds. In this session, Levingston speaks about ways in which a wide variety of approaches to play across the curriculum and throughout a school's culture can transform a young person's values and moral outlook.

Originally recorded: 11/15/23

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-14049643 Tue, 28 Nov 2023 12:00:00 -0500 1770 3 2 full false Professor Jon Levisohn Rabbi Judd Levingston, PhD Episode 18: What 19th Century Jewish Education Can Teach Us about Jewish Education Today | Professor Laura Yares Episode 18: What 19th Century Jewish Education Can Teach Us about Jewish Education Today | Professor Laura Yares Most histories of American Jewish education deride 19th-century Jewish Sunday schools. But when Laura Yares looked more closely at the curricula, the operative philosophies and the experiences that students and teachers had in these schools, she found that they did important cultural work. In this session, she discusses her recent book, Jewish Sunday Schools: Teaching Religion in Nineteenth-Century America, and describes what educators can learn from this pioneering generation in American Jewish education..

Originally recorded: 10/19/23

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Most histories of American Jewish education deride 19th-century Jewish Sunday schools. But when Laura Yares looked more closely at the curricula, the operative philosophies and the experiences that students and teachers had in these schools, she found that they did important cultural work. In this session, she discusses her recent book, Jewish Sunday Schools: Teaching Religion in Nineteenth-Century America, and describes what educators can learn from this pioneering generation in American Jewish education..

Originally recorded: 10/19/23

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-13873631 Mon, 30 Oct 2023 12:00:00 -0400 1813 3 1 full false Professor Jonathan Krasner Professor Laura Yares Episode 17: What We Can Learn from Seymour Fox and the Visions of Jewish Education Project | Professor Jon Levisohn Episode 17: What We Can Learn from Seymour Fox and the Visions of Jewish Education Project | Professor Jon Levisohn In the 1990s and the early 2000s, Jewish educators and educational institutions started talking about “vision” in a new way, prompted by the efforts of the Mandel Foundation and especially its influential leader Seymour Fox. For many, the publication of Visions of Jewish Education (2003) was a landmark event in the field. Jon A. Levisohn discusses a forthcoming article in which he analyzes how Fox’s ideas about vision in Jewish education developed over time, some of the challenges that he encountered, and what we can still learn from them. This session is led by Professor Jonathan Krasner (MCSJE).

Originally recorded: 5/3/23

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> In the 1990s and the early 2000s, Jewish educators and educational institutions started talking about “vision” in a new way, prompted by the efforts of the Mandel Foundation and especially its influential leader Seymour Fox. For many, the publication of Visions of Jewish Education (2003) was a landmark event in the field. Jon A. Levisohn discusses a forthcoming article in which he analyzes how Fox’s ideas about vision in Jewish education developed over time, some of the challenges that he encountered, and what we can still learn from them. This session is led by Professor Jonathan Krasner (MCSJE).

Originally recorded: 5/3/23

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-12809120 Mon, 08 May 2023 15:00:00 -0400 1674 2 17 full false Professor Jon Levisohn Professor Jonathan Krasner Episode 16: What Girls Learn in Jewish Families | Professor Ilana Horwitz Episode 16: What Girls Learn in Jewish Families | Professor Ilana Horwitz In the past, Jewish families, like many others, offered girls fewer educational opportunities than boys. But that has not been the case for some time now. In her recent scholarship, Ilana Horwitz demonstrates the ways that girls raised by Jewish parents complete more years of college and attend more selective schools than girls from comparable socioeconomic backgrounds raised by non-Jewish parents. She argues that this is based on a distinctive “religious subculture” in the home.

More information can be found in her article, From Bat Mitzvah to the Bar: Religious Habitus, Self-Concept, and Women’s Educational Outcomes (American Sociological Review, February 28, 2022).

Originally recorded: 3/15/23

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> In the past, Jewish families, like many others, offered girls fewer educational opportunities than boys. But that has not been the case for some time now. In her recent scholarship, Ilana Horwitz demonstrates the ways that girls raised by Jewish parents complete more years of college and attend more selective schools than girls from comparable socioeconomic backgrounds raised by non-Jewish parents. She argues that this is based on a distinctive “religious subculture” in the home.

More information can be found in her article, From Bat Mitzvah to the Bar: Religious Habitus, Self-Concept, and Women’s Educational Outcomes (American Sociological Review, February 28, 2022).

Originally recorded: 3/15/23

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-12548494 Thu, 30 Mar 2023 09:00:00 -0400 1714 2 16 full false Professor Ilana Horwitz Professor Jon Levisohn Episode 15: Spotlight on Mahloket Episode 15: Spotlight on Mahloket Mahloket—that is, dispute or principled debate—has long been celebrated as a Jewish ideal, not only within Jewish texts (where sages debate laws, interpretations and principles) but within the practice of engagement with those texts (where, for example, students might engage in debate about laws, interpretations or about principles). What does Mahloket look like at its best? How does Mahloket function as a kind of signature pedagogy (or at least a signature practice) within Jewish education? What does it mean to “educate for Mahloket,” and what are the benefits and challenges of doing so? In what ways is Mahloket a model for substantive engagement across difference?

This session brings together: Aaron Dorfman (A More Perfect Union: The Jewish Partnership for Democracy), Robbie Gringras (educator, performer and writer For the Sake of Argument), Orit Kent (Pedagogy of Partnership powered by Hadar), Abi Dauber Sterne (For the Sake of Argument), and Mike Uram (Jewish Federations of North America), in conversation with Jon Levisohn (Brandeis University). 


Originally recorded: 2/28/23

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mahloket—that is, dispute or principled debate—has long been celebrated as a Jewish ideal, not only within Jewish texts (where sages debate laws, interpretations and principles) but within the practice of engagement with those texts (where, for example, students might engage in debate about laws, interpretations or about principles). What does Mahloket look like at its best? How does Mahloket function as a kind of signature pedagogy (or at least a signature practice) within Jewish education? What does it mean to “educate for Mahloket,” and what are the benefits and challenges of doing so? In what ways is Mahloket a model for substantive engagement across difference?

This session brings together: Aaron Dorfman (A More Perfect Union: The Jewish Partnership for Democracy), Robbie Gringras (educator, performer and writer For the Sake of Argument), Orit Kent (Pedagogy of Partnership powered by Hadar), Abi Dauber Sterne (For the Sake of Argument), and Mike Uram (Jewish Federations of North America), in conversation with Jon Levisohn (Brandeis University). 


Originally recorded: 2/28/23

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-12413897 Fri, 10 Mar 2023 09:00:00 -0500 3634 2 15 bonus false Aaron Dorfman Abi Dauber Sterne Dr. Orit Kent Professor Jon Levisohn Rabbi Mike Uram Robbie Gringas Episode 14: Children’s Theories About Judaism | Dr. Anna Hartman Episode 14: Children’s Theories About Judaism | Dr. Anna Hartman Children’s ideas about the world are rich, nuanced, sometimes amusing and surprising, and for Anna Hartman, always fascinating. In this session, she shares her doctoral research in the field of early childhood Jewish education, in which she explores the theories about Judaism that are held by young children, and provides a window into their process of exploring and participating in Jewish life.

Originally recorded: 2/8/23

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Children’s ideas about the world are rich, nuanced, sometimes amusing and surprising, and for Anna Hartman, always fascinating. In this session, she shares her doctoral research in the field of early childhood Jewish education, in which she explores the theories about Judaism that are held by young children, and provides a window into their process of exploring and participating in Jewish life.

Originally recorded: 2/8/23

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-12336919 Mon, 27 Feb 2023 10:00:00 -0500 1653 21 14 full false Dr. Anna Hartman Professor Jon Levisohn Episode 13: Why Jewish Day Schools Should Teach Students to Read Torah | Professor Ziva Hassenfeld Episode 13: Why Jewish Day Schools Should Teach Students to Read Torah | Professor Ziva Hassenfeld Jewish day schools expend significant time and energy in teaching Torah. But what are they trying to accomplish in this work? In this session, Ziva Hassenfeld discusses her soon-to-be published research on students’ learning to read Torah, in order to argue that Jewish day schools can induct students into a way of reading texts that will serve them in all endeavors, from their academic studies to text messaging with friends.

Originally recorded: 12/7/22

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Jewish day schools expend significant time and energy in teaching Torah. But what are they trying to accomplish in this work? In this session, Ziva Hassenfeld discusses her soon-to-be published research on students’ learning to read Torah, in order to argue that Jewish day schools can induct students into a way of reading texts that will serve them in all endeavors, from their academic studies to text messaging with friends.

Originally recorded: 12/7/22

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-12024562 Wed, 11 Jan 2023 14:00:00 -0500 1640 2 13 full false Professor Jon Levisohn Professor Ziva Hassenfeld Episode 11: How Do Jewish Day School Kids Think About the Holocaust? | Professor Meredith Katz Episode 11: How Do Jewish Day School Kids Think About the Holocaust? | Professor Meredith Katz Holocaust education is a staple of Jewish day school education. What messages do day school students take from this education? In this session, Meredith Katz discusses her recently published study, which explores how a group of day school kids navigated questions of particularism and universalism, and how Holocaust education helped them to see themselves as civic actors in the broader community.

Originally recorded: 10/27/22

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Holocaust education is a staple of Jewish day school education. What messages do day school students take from this education? In this session, Meredith Katz discusses her recently published study, which explores how a group of day school kids navigated questions of particularism and universalism, and how Holocaust education helped them to see themselves as civic actors in the broader community.

Originally recorded: 10/27/22

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-11802553 Fri, 02 Dec 2022 11:00:00 -0500 1712 2 11 full false Professor Jon Levisohn Professor Meredith Katz Episode 12: How Debbie Friedman (and CAJE) Gave Jewish Education a New Soundtrack | Professor Judah Cohen Episode 12: How Debbie Friedman (and CAJE) Gave Jewish Education a New Soundtrack | Professor Judah Cohen In this session, Judah Cohen discusses his recent article on the crucial role that Debbie Friedman played in making song leading a core part of the Coalition for Alternatives in Jewish Education (CAJE). He also addresses the changes in Jewish education that resulted from this alliance, and why it still matters.

Originally recorded: 11/17/22

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> In this session, Judah Cohen discusses his recent article on the crucial role that Debbie Friedman played in making song leading a core part of the Coalition for Alternatives in Jewish Education (CAJE). He also addresses the changes in Jewish education that resulted from this alliance, and why it still matters.

Originally recorded: 11/17/22

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-11802532 Fri, 02 Dec 2022 11:00:00 -0500 1695 2 12 full false Professor Jon Levisohn Professor Judah Cohen Episode 5: Spotlight on Daf Yomi Episode 5: Spotlight on Daf Yomi Rabbi Professor Jane Kanarek (Hebrew College), Rabbi Avi Killip (Hadar), Professor Barry Wimpfheimer (Northwestern), Sara Wolkenfeld (Sefaria), moderated by Professor Jon Levisohn (Brandeis University).

For decades following its invention in 1923, Daf Yomi was practiced by experienced, mostly haredi Talmud scholars, and criticized by many as well. Over time, the practice grew in popularity in that community. But in the 21st century, the practice has expanded dramatically, both in terms of the background of the participants and in terms of the very concept of what it means to “do the daf.”

In this session, four highly experienced educators help us think about what Daf Yomi means, now, as a Jewish cultural or spiritual practice. What does it mean as a unifying practice (everyone who participates is "on the daf") that actually comprises many distinct and diverse practices? What does Daf Yomi represent, as a mode of engagement with the Jewish tradition that is both continuous and discontinuous with traditional modes of study? How does it bring people together in shared purpose? How does it meet individual needs or advance individual goals?

Originally recorded: 2/1/22

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Rabbi Professor Jane Kanarek (Hebrew College), Rabbi Avi Killip (Hadar), Professor Barry Wimpfheimer (Northwestern), Sara Wolkenfeld (Sefaria), moderated by Professor Jon Levisohn (Brandeis University).

For decades following its invention in 1923, Daf Yomi was practiced by experienced, mostly haredi Talmud scholars, and criticized by many as well. Over time, the practice grew in popularity in that community. But in the 21st century, the practice has expanded dramatically, both in terms of the background of the participants and in terms of the very concept of what it means to “do the daf.”

In this session, four highly experienced educators help us think about what Daf Yomi means, now, as a Jewish cultural or spiritual practice. What does it mean as a unifying practice (everyone who participates is "on the daf") that actually comprises many distinct and diverse practices? What does Daf Yomi represent, as a mode of engagement with the Jewish tradition that is both continuous and discontinuous with traditional modes of study? How does it bring people together in shared purpose? How does it meet individual needs or advance individual goals?

Originally recorded: 2/1/22

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-11783717 Tue, 29 Nov 2022 15:00:00 -0500 3972 1 5 bonus false Professor Barry Wimpfheimer Professor Jon Levisohn Rabbi Avi Killip Rabbi Jane Kanarek, PhD Sara Wolkenfeld Episode 4: Spotlight on Adult Jewish Learning Episode 4: Spotlight on Adult Jewish Learning Adult Jewish learning is flourishing in synagogues, JCCs, board tables, leadership cohorts, service cohorts, and of course, online. This session is an occasion to talk with a group of experienced educators about what they learned from their studies of adult Jewish learning opportunities—who the learners are, why they participate, what happens, and how they grow or develop through the experience. It features insights gathered from the research they conducted for the Mandel Center's Portraits of Adult Jewish Learning project.

Sarra Alpert (Avodah), Rabba Yaffa Epstein (Wexner Foundation), Dr. Jane Shapiro (Orot: Center for Jewish Learning), Dr. Diane Tickton Schuster (Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education), moderated by Professor Jon Levisohn (Brandeis University).


Originally recorded: 12/13/21

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Adult Jewish learning is flourishing in synagogues, JCCs, board tables, leadership cohorts, service cohorts, and of course, online. This session is an occasion to talk with a group of experienced educators about what they learned from their studies of adult Jewish learning opportunities—who the learners are, why they participate, what happens, and how they grow or develop through the experience. It features insights gathered from the research they conducted for the Mandel Center's Portraits of Adult Jewish Learning project.

Sarra Alpert (Avodah), Rabba Yaffa Epstein (Wexner Foundation), Dr. Jane Shapiro (Orot: Center for Jewish Learning), Dr. Diane Tickton Schuster (Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education), moderated by Professor Jon Levisohn (Brandeis University).


Originally recorded: 12/13/21

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-11783700 Tue, 29 Nov 2022 15:00:00 -0500 3621 1 4 bonus false Dr. Diane Tickton Schuster Dr. Jane Shapiro Professor Jon Levisohn Rabba Yaffa Epstein Sarra Alpert Episode 7: Inside Jewish Day Schools Book Discussion | Dr. Alex Pomson and Professor Jack Wertheimer Episode 7: Inside Jewish Day Schools Book Discussion | Dr. Alex Pomson and Professor Jack Wertheimer What can we learn from carefully crafted portraits of nine well-regarded Jewish day schools that vary in size, location, sponsorship, ideological orientation? How do these schools go about their work and how do school leaders respond to the pressing challenges that day schools face in the 21st century?

Authors Alex Pomson and Jack Wertheimer share highlights from their 2022 book, Inside Jewish Day Schools: Leadership, Learning and Community and respond to comments and questions from Amanda Pogany (Luria Academy), Daniel Held (UJA Federation of Greater Toronto) and Susie Tanchel (Hebrew College). Sharon Feiman-Nemser (Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education) moderates the discussion.

Inside Jewish Day Schools was published as part of the Mandel-Brandeis Series in Jewish Education.

Originally recorded: 3/24/22

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> What can we learn from carefully crafted portraits of nine well-regarded Jewish day schools that vary in size, location, sponsorship, ideological orientation? How do these schools go about their work and how do school leaders respond to the pressing challenges that day schools face in the 21st century?

Authors Alex Pomson and Jack Wertheimer share highlights from their 2022 book, Inside Jewish Day Schools: Leadership, Learning and Community and respond to comments and questions from Amanda Pogany (Luria Academy), Daniel Held (UJA Federation of Greater Toronto) and Susie Tanchel (Hebrew College). Sharon Feiman-Nemser (Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education) moderates the discussion.

Inside Jewish Day Schools was published as part of the Mandel-Brandeis Series in Jewish Education.

Originally recorded: 3/24/22

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-11671618 Thu, 10 Nov 2022 14:00:00 -0500 3799 1 7 bonus false Amanda Pogany Dr. Alex Pomson Dr. Daniel Held Dr. Susie Tanchel Professor Jack Wertheimer Professor Sharon Feiman-Nemser Episode 10: My Second-Favorite Country Book Discussion | Professor Sivan Zakai Episode 10: My Second-Favorite Country Book Discussion | Professor Sivan Zakai Israel has long occupied a prominent place in the lives and imaginations of American Jews, serving as both a symbolic touchstone and a source of intercommunal conflict. Sivan Zakai's book, My Second-Favorite Country: How American Jewish Children Think About Israel, is based on the major findings from her research project with MCSJE on Children's Learning About Israel. This project is the first longitudinal study of how American Jewish children come to think and feel about Israel, tracking their evolving conceptions from kindergarten to fifth grade.

In this event to mark the publication of the book, Zakai and her fellow panelists explore the implications for the theory and practice of Jewish education. Panelists included Keren E. Fraiman (Spertus Institute), Robbie Gringras (educator, performer and writer), and Jonah Hassenfeld (Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Boston), moderated by Jon Levisohn (Brandeis University).

Originally recorded: 6/16/22

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Israel has long occupied a prominent place in the lives and imaginations of American Jews, serving as both a symbolic touchstone and a source of intercommunal conflict. Sivan Zakai's book, My Second-Favorite Country: How American Jewish Children Think About Israel, is based on the major findings from her research project with MCSJE on Children's Learning About Israel. This project is the first longitudinal study of how American Jewish children come to think and feel about Israel, tracking their evolving conceptions from kindergarten to fifth grade.

In this event to mark the publication of the book, Zakai and her fellow panelists explore the implications for the theory and practice of Jewish education. Panelists included Keren E. Fraiman (Spertus Institute), Robbie Gringras (educator, performer and writer), and Jonah Hassenfeld (Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Boston), moderated by Jon Levisohn (Brandeis University).

Originally recorded: 6/16/22

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-11671289 Thu, 10 Nov 2022 14:00:00 -0500 3960 1 10 bonus false Dr. Jonah Hassenfeld Dr. Keren Fraiman Professor Jon Levisohn Professor Sivan Zakai Robbie Gringas Episode 9: How Jewish Communities Educate | Dr. Mijal Bitton Episode 9: How Jewish Communities Educate | Dr. Mijal Bitton Most analyses of Jewish education, like most analyses of general education in Western, liberal society, emphasize the individual student. But some communities approach education very differently. Mijal Bitton discusses her research into how the Syrian Jewish community educates its members, formally and informally, to maintain bonds of commitment.

Originally recorded: 5/4/22

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Most analyses of Jewish education, like most analyses of general education in Western, liberal society, emphasize the individual student. But some communities approach education very differently. Mijal Bitton discusses her research into how the Syrian Jewish community educates its members, formally and informally, to maintain bonds of commitment.

Originally recorded: 5/4/22

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-11609596 Tue, 01 Nov 2022 12:00:00 -0400 1664 1 9 full false Dr. Mijal Bitton Professor Jon Levisohn Episode 8: What Can We Learn From Jewish Education? | Professor Ari Y. Kelman Episode 8: What Can We Learn From Jewish Education? | Professor Ari Y. Kelman The term "Jewish education" is used to refer to a broad array of practices, approaches, and institutions. Ari Kelman has written a new book, Jewish Education, forthcoming from Rutgers University Press in its Key Words in Jewish Studies series. The series includes books designed to "provide clear and judiciously illustrated accounts of terms currently in use and to chart histories of past usage." In this conversation, Kelman talks about a broad shift from what Jewish education has meant, in modernity, to what it might mean for Jewish life in the 21st century.

Originally recorded: 4/11/22

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> The term "Jewish education" is used to refer to a broad array of practices, approaches, and institutions. Ari Kelman has written a new book, Jewish Education, forthcoming from Rutgers University Press in its Key Words in Jewish Studies series. The series includes books designed to "provide clear and judiciously illustrated accounts of terms currently in use and to chart histories of past usage." In this conversation, Kelman talks about a broad shift from what Jewish education has meant, in modernity, to what it might mean for Jewish life in the 21st century.

Originally recorded: 4/11/22

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-11609590 Tue, 01 Nov 2022 12:00:00 -0400 1348 1 8 full false Professor Ari Y. Kelman Professor Jon Levisohn Episode 6: Accentuating the American Jewish Hebrew Speaker | Professor Sharon Avni Episode 6: Accentuating the American Jewish Hebrew Speaker | Professor Sharon Avni What can we learn about society, people's relationship with Israel, Jewish people, and themselves, through Hebrew accents? Possibly quite a bit! This conversation focuses on Sharon Avni's recent work on how the everyday acts of speaking, learning, and engaging with Modern Hebrew inform our understanding of contemporary American Jewish life.

Originally recorded: 3/10/22

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> What can we learn about society, people's relationship with Israel, Jewish people, and themselves, through Hebrew accents? Possibly quite a bit! This conversation focuses on Sharon Avni's recent work on how the everyday acts of speaking, learning, and engaging with Modern Hebrew inform our understanding of contemporary American Jewish life.

Originally recorded: 3/10/22

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-11609587 Tue, 01 Nov 2022 12:00:00 -0400 1519 1 6 full false Professor Jon Levisohn Professor Sharon Avni Episode 3: How the Study of Jewish History Informs the Arts | Professor Miriam Heller Stern Episode 3: How the Study of Jewish History Informs the Arts | Professor Miriam Heller Stern How does a Jewish theater company draw upon Jewish history to wrestle artistically with universal human questions? How do they weave new narratives through the work of interpretation? Miriam Heller Stern, in recent work published as a chapter of the edited volume Portraits of Adult Jewish Learning: Making Meaning at Many Tables, addresses these questions and analyzes how the model of a creative company can be a powerful way of conceiving of adult Jewish learning.

Originally recorded: 12/10/21

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> How does a Jewish theater company draw upon Jewish history to wrestle artistically with universal human questions? How do they weave new narratives through the work of interpretation? Miriam Heller Stern, in recent work published as a chapter of the edited volume Portraits of Adult Jewish Learning: Making Meaning at Many Tables, addresses these questions and analyzes how the model of a creative company can be a powerful way of conceiving of adult Jewish learning.

Originally recorded: 12/10/21

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-11609573 Tue, 01 Nov 2022 12:00:00 -0400 1489 1 3 full false Professor Jon Levisohn Professor Miriam Heller Stern Episode 2: Learning at a Jewish Museum | Professor Laura Yares Episode 2: Learning at a Jewish Museum | Professor Laura Yares What happens when young adults visit a Jewish museum? What do they learn about Jews and Judaism, and how are they changed by what they see, touch, hear and feel? In this talk, Laura Yares discusses findings from a pre-pandemic study of 30 young adult visitors to the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia, and describes the rich learning that can occur in episodic, leisure time Jewish educational settings. This study has been published as a chapter of the edited volume Portraits of Adult Jewish Learning: Making Meaning at Many Tables.

Originally recorded: 11/11/21

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> What happens when young adults visit a Jewish museum? What do they learn about Jews and Judaism, and how are they changed by what they see, touch, hear and feel? In this talk, Laura Yares discusses findings from a pre-pandemic study of 30 young adult visitors to the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia, and describes the rich learning that can occur in episodic, leisure time Jewish educational settings. This study has been published as a chapter of the edited volume Portraits of Adult Jewish Learning: Making Meaning at Many Tables.

Originally recorded: 11/11/21

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-11609566 Tue, 01 Nov 2022 12:00:00 -0400 1464 1 2 full false Professor Jon Levisohn Professor Laura Yares Episode 1: How Camp Ramah Met the Challenges of the 1990s | Professor Jonathan Krasner Episode 1: How Camp Ramah Met the Challenges of the 1990s | Professor Jonathan Krasner The Jewish overnight camping industry was on the verge of major changes in the late 1980s, when Shelly Dorph became the head of the Ramah National Commission. Jonathan Krasner discusses the case of Ramah and how it reflects on the challenges and opportunities that Jewish non-profit summer camps faced in the 1990s and early 2000s, and what it means for Jewish camps today.

Originally recorded: 10/14/21

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> The Jewish overnight camping industry was on the verge of major changes in the late 1980s, when Shelly Dorph became the head of the Ramah National Commission. Jonathan Krasner discusses the case of Ramah and how it reflects on the challenges and opportunities that Jewish non-profit summer camps faced in the 1990s and early 2000s, and what it means for Jewish camps today.

Originally recorded: 10/14/21

At the Mandel Center, we are committed to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship, especially scholarship on teaching and learning, in order to make a deep and lasting difference on the lives of learners and the vibrancy of the Jewish community. That’s our mission.

To learn more about the Mandel Center, and sign up to attend upcoming  virtual and physical events, visit our website. 

Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.

]]> Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University Buzzsprout-11609526 Tue, 01 Nov 2022 12:00:00 -0400 1486 1 1 full false Professor Jon Levisohn Professor Jonathan Krasner