Teachers & Educators

Welcome Summer: Resources for Shavuot

While the sun shines outside and winter becomes a distant memory, many of us take this time to step away from our work and refresh our lives. In the Jewish tradition, this is also the time to renew our relationship with God and Israel through the celebration of Shavuot. Prepare for this important joyous holiday and enjoy the start of the summer season with the following family resources and suggested reading. Learn about the history, significance, and traditions of Shavuot as a family:

Arguing for the Sake of Heaven: Teach Teens the Art of Jewish Debate

by Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz Throughout my twenty five years as a rabbi I have taught teens in confirmation and post-confirmation classes. No experience has been more thrilling than the formal debates I recently conducted in those classes. These debates grew out of my new book, Judaism’s Great Debates: Timeless Controversies from Abraham to Herzl which has just been published in both youth (Behrman House) and adult (JPS) editions.

DeLeT at Brandeis Seeks Future Teachers

Do you know someone who would be an ideal candidate for the DeLeT MAT (Master of Arts in Teaching) at Brandeis? DeLeT prepares teachers for Jewish day schools. Candidates can choose from among several tracks, including one for Hebrew teachers in grades 1-8; one for prospective secondary Tanakh and general studies teachers; and a third for those interested in teaching general studies in grades 1-6 with an emphasis on integrating Jewish values and content into the curriculum.

Teachers as Partners: Easing the Way into the Online Learning Center

How can I get my teachers excited and motivated about using the Online Learning Center? That’s the most common question education directors ask as we roll out the new Online Learning Center.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles Offers Israel Matters to Local Synagogues

The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles has announced it will provide copies of Israel Matters to rabbis throughout the Los Angeles area to present to their b’nai mitzvah from the pulpit – at no cost to their synagogues. Published by Behrman House this month and originally developed by the Holy Land Democracy Project of The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, Israel Matters fulfills an important role in educating young teens, as well as their families, on the past, present, and future of Israel.

Give your students the gift of Jewish engagement this summer with J-Land!

Give your students the fun of an interactive, Jewish online environment this summer! Behrman House has partnered with Compedia to help you give students an end of year gift they can use all summer. J-Land Online is a virtual world for Jewish children. This safe, personalized online world for kids aged 4-8 features a variety of games that incorporate math, reading, and thinking skills together with activities that highlight Jewish identity through holidays, heritage, Israel, and Hebrew. Children learn through virtual adventures in a safe, closed Internet environment.

iPads vs Laptops

An Interview with Andy J. Shannon, Head of IT at Behrman Houseby Terry Kaye  TK: Educators regularly ask you whether to buy iPads or laptops for their schools. What do you say? AJS: I understand the urge to buy iPads. I myself have bought three. iPads are cool. They’re more easily transportable, conducive to sharing in groups, and allow you to easily download and use apps from the App Store.

When Jewish Values Collide

Recently, the New York Times and the Washington Post reported the final outcome of a sad story that embarrassed the Jewish community. Rabbi Menachem Youlus, a sofer and Jewish bookstore owner in Silver Spring, MD, pleaded guilty to mail and wire fraud in a scheme to steal money from Save a Torah, a non-profit organization he had helped to create.

Have a Fun and Festive Purim with Behrman House

Get your costumes and graggers ready, Purim begins the evening of March 7! To help you prepare for this festive holiday, we have plenty of games, videos, skits and resources for you to incorporate into your home and classroom. (Note: The items with an asterisk can only be viewed once you are logged in to our website. To log in or quickly create a free account, click "Log in" or "Sign up" at the top of our website)

Behrman House to Headline Las Vegas Tech Conference

It’s easy to fall in love with tech toys but how do we choose tools that build 21st Century skills and advance the curricular goals we have set for our schools? That’s the topic of Terry Kaye’s keynote address at the Merging Technology With Jewish Education conference at Midbar Kodesh Temple, Las Vegas, on February 26 and 27, 2012.

Truth and the Desecration of God’s Name

By Jeffrey Spitzer

Truth and the Desecration of God’s Name

By Jeffrey Spitzer

Comings and Goings at Behrman House

2012 brings us several staff changes here at Behrman House.

Behrman House in the News: Digital Learning Beyond the Classroom

A recent article in The Jewish Week highlights our new and upcoming Online Learning Center, a digital platform that creates a modern learning environment. This online portal enables educators to create interactive communities, reworking schools to be up to date with the newest technologies. In this article you will learn how these digital classrooms can dramatically improve Hebrew schools, find out what makes the Online Learning Center unlike Blackboard, Moodle, or any other online portal for secular education, and discover the stimulating features it offers.

Teach and Celebrate Hanukkah with Behrman House

Hanukkah is coming! Be ready to light the first candle on Tuesday, December 20.

The Prize for Perseverance

When I saw the news headlines announcing that Professor Dan Shechtman, an Israeli, won the Nobel Prize in chemistry, I was proud. But when I read further and learned the details of his story, I knew that we just had to interview him for Babaganewz.  Professor Shechtman discovered something called quasicrystals, but his fellow scientists initially rejected this discovery. He was mocked, expelled from his scientific group, and made a laughingstock. But he persisted, eventually proving the truth in his discovery and now winning the coveted Nobel Prize for it.

Grabbing—and Keeping—Students’ Attention

This is the first of three articles on how we can engage our students and ensure they learn. “Help kids have a great day every day and build capacity!”

A Benefit for NATE Members

Free professional development webinars are among the benefits NATE members enjoy. Our Consulting Group was delighted to be asked by the NATE Professional Development team to present a webinar on Blended Learning on Tuesday, October 25 at 1:00 pm Eastern.

What Jewish Education Should Do

Guest Blog by Rabbi Daniel G. Zemel, Senior Rabbi, Temple Micah, Washington, DC In his recent book The Social Animal, David Brooks provides a roadmap for what we should be doing in our religious schools.  And for me it creates a sense of urgency, for in the process of illustrating what our religious schools should be achieving, it points out with every passing day that we don’t do it, we lose a sacred opportunity to help our children grow. Brooks writes;

BH Staff: Daily Focus on Our Customers

At Behrman House, especially during the busy back-to-school season, our focus is on serving our customers. In addition to processing orders that come in by phone, fax, and the web, David Schwarz, our Customer Support Lead, speaks to educators almost every day. A great listener, he focuses on each school’s needs and helps direct educators to the best options Behrman House has to offer. “It’s an amazing feeling when I get off the phone with an educator knowing they feel much more prepared and confident in their curriculum choices,” David said.

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