Educators

The Best of 2014

2014 brought so many great things to Behrman House this year. As the year is winding down we wanted to take another look at our favorite additions and what's to come for 2015. 

4 Ways to Encourage Students' Learning This Winter Break

It's important to help students maintain their Hebrew progress while they are on winter break.  In a recent article from The Washington Post, they presented 4 tips for students during break. We were inspired and put a Jewish touch on their suggestions for a more Jewish focus.  Here is how families can prevent educational atrophy:

Give Your Latkes an Extreme Makeover!

It's time to take your latkes to the next level! Impress your guests this Hanukkah with these creative recipes. Here are some of our favorites: Cheesy Potato Latkes. Simply add some cheese and the ooey-gooey goodness will thoroughly impress your guests.   

Hebrew Through Play: Apps and Games

Keep students focused during winter break with fun, family friendly Hebrew apps and games.  Children won't get rusty with Hebrew letter recognition with the Unlimited Alef Bet interactive mobile app. Families can use their iPhone, iPad, and Android devices to successfully learn to decode the Alef Bet with animated Hebrew words that talk!

New Haggadah Welcomes All to Passover Table

Children of all abilities and disabilities can participate fully in your seder this year with the new Gateways Haggadah. This easy-to-hold, concise Haggadah is respectful to all participants, whatever their abilities, to ensure that all can take part meaningfully in a complete Passover seder. 

What is Experiential Education and How Does Behrman House Support it?

We keep going back to this article by Carole Gerecht that appeared early this year as part of a series on experiential education, the process of teaching Jewish life, and Jewish values, by building meaningful Jewish experiences - creating learning opportunities through lessons and programs that combine traditional methods of text study, learning, and service, with physical and emotional interaction between learners.&nbsp

Hebrew Through Play: Days of the Week

You shoot, you score, you learn!  Introduce students to the new Basketball Hebrew Days of the Week game, from the popular Alef Bet Quest. This new game allows students to shoot basketballs in a three-point shooting contest. Students will learn to recognize the days of the week in Hebrew and work towards a high score!

Hot Topics: Whose Kotel is it?

What is the nature of the Kotel, and what laws should govern the use of it for religious and secular purposes? Hot Topics: Whose Kotel is it? helps students understand that although the Kotel is a sacred site for all Jews, the rules governing its use are currently dictated by Orthodox authorities, but make their own decisions about what the rules should be. 

My Jewish Coach Eases Tension at Your Thanksgiving Table

Thank You Educators!

We at Behrman House are profoundly grateful for our educator colleagues, who work ceaselessly for rich, engaging, inclusive, innovative Jewish education throughout our community.  Do you know an educator who is making a difference in Jewish education? Make your appreciation known AND get broader recognition for a colleague through JEDThanks.

Hot Topics: What Does it Mean to Not be Cruel to Animals and Still Eat Meat?

Humans are omnivores, and historically people around the world have consumed both plants and animals. What does Jewish tradition have to say about our relationship with animals? In order for us to be able to eat our favorite hamburger and chicken dinners, farmers need to raise and care for the animals that we eat. Jewish tradition clearly teaches us that we cannot be cruel to animals, but it is also clear that it is acceptable to eat meat, kill animals, and/or have them to perform farm work. 

Shoot Some Hoops and Tell Us: What's Your High Score?

We've refreshed your favorite primer, Alef Bet Quest, with a few new games for the school year-- how well have you done? After completing each lesson, a matching interactive game will be available to help students learn how to decode Hebrew.  One of the new games allows students to shoot basketballs in a three-point shooting contest. Students will learn to recognize Hebrew letters and vowels as they play through both Jewish cultural words and everyday Hebrew words. 

Everyone Has a Place at the Passover Table

This Passover we are bringing a very special haggadah to your seder tables. The Gateways Haggadah welcomes families with children of all abilities and disabilities to your Passover seder with step-by-step directions for every element of the Passover seder.  Each prayer's meaning is illuminated by more than 70 vibrant photographs and 150 picture communication symbols developed by Mayer-Johnson™.

3 Ways to Engage Students this Giving Tuesday

On Tuesday, December 2, 2014, families, students, teachers, and community centers around the world will come together to celebrate generosity and giving. Here's how you can encourage students to get involved. 

Join Robyn Faintich at the Conference for Educators in California, November 18th!

Robyn Faintich be attending the Jewish Service Learning: A Conference for Educators in California November 18th, 2014, will you? This year the BJE is hosting special sessions with Repair the World and our friend and creator of the new Jewish Values Challenge playing cards, Robyn Faintich.  Join Robyn and discover ways to create learning opportunities using our new Jewish Values Challenge cards in informal settings.

Woman Rabbi Marks History for Judaism

A rabbi once teased that a woman rabbi was like an orange on a ceremonial seder plate used during Passover. Neither belonged. Rabbi Deborah Waxman thinks otherwise. 

Kveller is Right, Hebrew School IS Awesome!

Yes, Malina Saval remembers the days memorizing haftarah portions and growing up listening to others complaining that Hebrew school was a waste of time, but in her latest Kveller blog post Saval begs to differ.  Part-time Hebrew School educator, online magazine editor for Kveller, and mother of two spends every Sunday sharing her Jewish wisdom with 8th grade students.

Hot Topics: What Does Jewish Tradition Say About Gun Control?

Guns kill an average of eight young people under age 20 every day in the United States. Because of the dangers guns can present, proponents of gun control advocate for new laws that will limit gun possession, sales, and use. But while some want more gun control laws, others believe that the right to bear arms - granted to every U.S. citizen by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution - should be protected. 

OLC Secret New Feature: Get a Head Start

This past summer the Online Learning Center gained some new features to better suit your classroom needs, including this secret feature for a quick and easy head start to setting up your classrooms. As part of the changes we made to the OLC this year, there is a small, secret new feature for you to get a head start setting up your OLC classes even before you purchase your licenses!

Hot Topics: Should Students Criticize Israel's Policies?

Our latest Hot Topics lesson plan for high school students touches a very sensitive subject--the current debate over whether and how to criticize the State of Israel and its policies.

Teach Israel

 Experience Modern Israel

New from Behrman House. Fly to Israel without a plane ticket.

Discover Israel

 Let's Discover Israel

Offer younger children an exciting and age-appropriate introduction to the Jewish homeland