Teachers & Educators

Five Fall Holiday Stories from Apples & Honey Press Highlight Values of Tikkun Olam, Community, Teamwork, and Torah for Children

Apples & Honey Press, Behrman House’s children’s book imprint, has five books just right for the fall holiday season. Created with 3- to 8-year-olds in mind, each one uses a compelling story to bring an important Jewish value into focus. And to help you use them in your setting, we have created a teacher resource for each book that includes a summary of the key elements of the story, a look at the values illuminated, and some questions, ideas, and discussion starters for using the story with young learners.

Resources to Supplement Your Yom Kippur Teaching

Yom Kippur marks a period of introspection and reflection - both personally and professionally. As we head into the season, now is a good time to review your strategies for teaching this holiday.From our vast trove of learning materials, we rounded up some resources for you to inspire your student learning this new year.

How One College Is Using Shalom Coloring These High Holidays

During finals week last year at the University of Rochester, Hillel gave coloring pages to its students to help them relax. The experiment resonated, and this year, Hillel is taking it up a notch.

Meet David Adler, Author of Yom Kippur Shortstop

Award-winning author David Adler has written more than 250 book in his 40+ year writing career, including Hanukkah Cookies with Sprinkles. His latest story is Yom Kippur Shortstop, newly published by Apples & Honey Press. 

Webinar: For Teachers - Back to School with Hebrew in Harmony

Teaching Hebrew in Harmony this year? Please join us for a 40-minute webinar on Thursday, September 7, at 1:00 PM Eastern, in which we'll learn how the three Hebrew in Harmony components work together — student journal, digital companion, and Curriculum Core.

Reflecting the Changing Face of the Jewish Community

Community thrives on diversity. The Jewish community includes diversity of all kinds -- geography, opinion, religious practice, ability, family makeup, race, and more. All of these differences make the community stronger, more exciting, and more creative.  

Gauge Language Skills with the Hebrew Reading Assessment

Whether your students are returning for another year or they’re new to the program, the Hebrew Reading Assessment can help you understand your students’ skills - at every level. Use these black-line masters to assess accuracy and fluency in decoding, whether it’s  the end of a unit of study, the end of a term, or the beginning and end of each year. With every assessment, you will understand where each student is struggling and will be better informed on where the focus should be.

New Year, New Learning: Tools for Teaching Hebrew to Adults

Fall isn't just about new beginnings for children. Adults in many communities are interested in learning to read Hebrew to engage more deeply in Jewish religious life - whether via prayers or readings at a synagogue or the blessings and rituals of home observance. Just as children learn in different, there are different ways of approaching beginner Hebrew for adults. JoHanna Potts, a rabbi and educator who has taught Hebrew to adults for more than 30 years in the Washington D.C. area, shares some observations about teaching this type of student.

Welcome Students Back to School with Icebreakers from The Jewish Educator's Companion

Think about a time when you stepped into a classroom or event or any room full of unfamiliar faces. Daunting, right? Using creativity, practical tools, and a little prep work, you can help your students and staff break the ice and begin building relationships quickly and successfully.

Teach Outside the Box with Behrman House Materials

Encourage some playful interaction as well as quiet, mindful reflection with our Behrman House playing cards and student journals. Whether you're looking to teach Hebrew or Jewish values, these materials will get students moving, laughing, and thinking about their lessons in new and memorable ways. Also available for educators is a new pedagogical resource from Batsheva Frankel. Scroll down to learn more about The Jewish Educator's Companion: Practical Tools & Inspirational Ideas.

Give Teachers the Gift of Mindful Planning

There’s no better way to start a new school year than in a place of mindfulness. Educators can get organized from the get go with our newly released teacher planner, to plan, keep track of the holidays, record student attendance, and begin from a place of harmony.

Get Cooking and Welcome Teachers for the New Year

It’s never too early to show your teachers that you appreciate their hard work.

Professional Development Using The Jewish Educator's Companion

The work of Jewish educators is indeed challenging, and the rewards, of course, are limitless.

New Apples & Honey Press Books Chosen for PJ Library

Four books from Apples & Honey Press are being sent to children all over North America through the PJ Library program.

How to Get the Most from Our Catalog

You need quality materials for yourself, your students, and your families. Use our annual catalog to find what's right for you from among our 1,296 titles. Here are some tips to getting the most from catalog:

Starting a New Job? 3 Things to Do Right Now

Settling into a new job can feel overwhelming and exciting at the same time. Spend five minutes now to ensure things run smoother later.  1. Check that we have your new address. We can best help you if we have your current contact information. That means your new mailing and email addresses. Having updated contact information allows us to help you quickly when you call to place an order, and to send you our catalog and announcements about new materials. 

The God Gap: What It is and How to Bridge It

Have you ever experienced a disconnect between your childhood beliefs about God and the realities of life? Perhaps it comes after facing a tragic illness or death, or witnessing suffering, which clouds your faith and leads you to either give up on God and Judaism or to continue believing despite pain. 

How Dr. Ruth Westheimer’s Life of Reinvention is Retold in a Graphic Novel Called Roller-Coaster Grandma

“Embrace change—use your imagination to reinvent yourself.” This was the message Dr. Ruth Westheimer delivered at the 2017 conference of the Association of Jewish Libraries. She described her life of reinvention, beginning with her escape from Nazi-occupied Germany on a Kindertransport to a children’s home in Switzerland, and continuing with sniper training with the Haganah (“I could put five bullets in the center of the target, and take apart a gun and put it back together again in the dark with my eyes closed!).

How to Make a Book: Redesigning a Cover

We tell children not to judge books by their covers. But when it comes to actual books, first impressions are crucial. In this first in an occasional series, Behrman House Art Director Ann D. Koffsky shares some insight into cover design, focusing on older books that have gained new life with a new  cover. What makes a good cover?

Packing for Camp? Rainy Day Essentials You Don't Want to Forget

Summer's arrived, and that means it's camp season. As you finish your packing and planning, remember to include some activities to use with your campers on rainy days or downtime. We also ship to camps. Playing Cards Games are more than just fun. They provide informal, hands-on learning opportunities that also build positive memories. Yes, they're learning. And yes, it's fun.

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