A Letter from the Publisher
When you came to work today Jewish education was very different than the experience you knew when you first considered becoming an educator. Whether you are a seasoned director or starting your first job, your world is changing fast. There is more technology and often less organizational support; kids respond differently than they used to, and pedagogy is trying to keep up.
No one knows where all this will lead. But Behrman House will be with you at every step. Our catalog for the coming school year was just mailed two weeks ago. In it you’ll see evidence of how we can navigate change together, at a pace deliberate enough to keep our balance, yet fast enough to stay current.
First: our Online Learning Center. Over 400 schools are now enrolled. It’s easy enough for kids, sophisticated enough to build your school around, and members-only so that children are sheltered from outside risks. And we’re adding features to make it even simpler to use. Plus, the OLC is supported by a growing body of innovative resources in Hebrew and Judaica. Take a look at pages 4 and 7 in our new catalog to find out more.
Of course we’re still about books! In this new educational world, our materials help by accommodating the changing ways kids learn and their need to make meaning through personal connection. Jewish Holidays Jewish Values (p. 9 in the catalog) uses journaling to help students to build meaning from their own feelings and experiences as they learn to use holiday celebrations as a way to express Jewish values. The Building Jewish Identity and Living Jewish Values series (pp 30-33) use a variety of reflection strategies to help kids connect Judaism to their own lives.
Experiential education is built into all that we do. Sometimes these are ideas for in-person experiences, and sometimes they take advantage of technology to let us go places we can’t get to during school time. Most notably, Experience Modern Israel (p.54) lets kids actually build Israel experiences using web-based resources. In Our Place in the Universe (p.48), students explore environmental issues and their own relationships to the natural world, all through a Jewish lens.
Beyond our materials, we’re here to support you. We have abundant teacher resources, both in print and online, and we offer tips, training, and advice that’s just an email or phone call away. Take advantage. Be in touch. We’ll help you continue to make your school an energizing, engaging place.
With every best wish,
David E. Behrman
Want a copy of our catalog? Order it here.
