Teaching Tzedaka Long Distance

Shulamith Cohn

As a veteran educator, having spent thirty plus years both in formal and informal education, I was excited to try something new and different. I was offered a position by JETS, teaching an 8th grade Judaic Studies class on Jewish Values online to Adelson Community School in Las Vegas, NV, three times a week.

I was excited, but nervous. Several questions came to mind:  Could I effectively connect with the class so far away? Would my lessons be interactive and exciting, a "Beit Midrash" style where ideas and opinions were easily shared? Would the students be able to work in groups and "discover" concepts as I successfully encouraged when I taught in a f2f (face to face) classroom?

The following are my thoughts as I reflect on the current topic.

Connecting modern students to their ancient heritage is an exciting and dynamic process. Kind hearts and the giving nature of people come across through skype or directly in a class room. These are the topics I aimed to get across, and, I discovered, the goals are the same whether they are f2f or online.

"How much should we give? Which organization best meets the needs of the poor? How do I prioritize my giving? Can one give something else besides money?"

These, and other questions, arose in our discussion of our obligation as Jews to engage in Tikkun Olam whether they relate specifically  to the concept of Tzedaka or building a world of chessed.

My first goal, therefore, was to 'climb the Maimonidies's ladder of Tzedaka!' Students worked in groups to identify different ways of giving and found the picture that best matched the Maimonidies's principles.

"Wow," says one student. "That just happened yesterday! I packed cans at "Three Square". This qualifies level seven of Maimonidies' Ladder of Tzedaka, when both receiver and giver don't know each other.

"Before Shabbat I put some money in the tzedaka box," contributes another student. This qualifies as the sixth step on the Maimonidies's ladder of tzedaka.

Group work followed and pairs of students researched different charity options by viewing videos and articles detailing the work  of different organizations who :

• provide food and shelter for the poor,
• sponsor a school for children at risk,
• provide a loan of medical equipment, 
• offer job training and new skills to enable someone to find a job
• provide services for seniors who are Holocaust survivors

Each team presented its charity and the class as a whole decided how much "virtual money" to allot to each of the above listed charities. Everyone had an opinion, each student proudly shared their own personal favorite tzedaka.  Most importantly, the lesson was internalized as each student resolved before Passover to find an opportunity to give real tzedaka.

Reflecting on the lesson and preparation I feel satisfied that my students were able to internalize the concepts and I with extensive preparation was able to give them  a solid learning experience.

In teaching long distance,  one must furnish students with different activities that will help them concretize the knowledge and acquire the skill set being taught. Online  technology tools can be used that allow the student to interface with classmates and with the teacher. At times, effective technology allows a student to review  in a fun way and removes the  tedious factor from review. In that respect,  using online technology might actually prove superior to the “ regular “ classroom since the student seems to enjoy  the review when using technology for homework purposes.  As the goal of teaching is to make students active participants in the learning process, I think that distance learning and its online platform satisfies the students need for action and allows them to take an active  role in  the learning initiative .

Shutafut blog

When I was growing up in the pre-Internet days our Hebrew school assemblies were full of movies about Israel. We saw plenty of movies about Israel's achievements and military struggles but the movies that made the most impression on me were those that depicted the lives of every day Israelis. Our teachers tried to explain how Israeli kids lived, what their homes looked like, what they did at school and on vacations and, in general, how their lives differed from ours but the descriptions were vague and I never really felt a connection.

Today the Internet has brought us the ability to learn about each other more easily.  Jewish American youngsters are still fascinated by Israelis and Israeli kids are just as curious about the lives of their North American peers.

A unique Shutafut -- Partnership -- program is being run by JETS,Jerusalem EdTech Solutions, in which North American classrooms are twinned with Israeli ones. The program connects Jewish Day Schools and public schools with Israeli peers to allow them to "meet" each other virtually and explore each other's cultures in an atmosphere of mutual collaboration.

Once two classrooms have been twinned,  heterogeneous groups are created between the two schools, , with equal numbers of Israeli students and North American students in each group. The small groups facilitate better communication between the students who can more easily express themselves within "their" group and begin to develop relationships with each other.

Assignments are presented on an LMS – Learning Management System such as wikispaces or Haiku LMS and the students are encouraged to work asynchronously to investigate, research and express ideas on their group's platform. After the students introduce themselves to each other they respond to in depth projects, answering questions, discussing issues and reviewing each other's submissions. Teachers from both schools brainstorm with JETS to choose a meaningful topic. ,

The Israeli studentsare encouraged to post in English to strengthen their English language skills and, as appropriate, the North American studentsare encouraged to post in Hebrew to encourage their Hebrew skills.

Topicscovered include

·         Holiday celebrations

·         Tikkun Olam, Volunteerism

·         Environmentalism

·         Cultural issues

·         Jewish Demographics

·         Jewish life in Israel and in the Diaspora

·         Israel achievements

·         Building unity

To date, JETS has facilitated over 15 school partnership twinning programs, including cities such as Birmingham, Rosh Haayin, Vancouver, Edmonton, Emek Hahula, and Metulla. Due to popular demand, the program has expanded to include new classrooms, both in Israel and in North America. The program is expected to expand to the UK, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand in the near future.

Throughout my high school years, I reveled in pen-pal relationships with Israeli teens. In many ways the Shutafut program also functions as a high tech pen-pal arrangement. Students build relationships, learn about each other and have a chance to strengthen their language skills as they study about each other's day-to-day lives and cultures, all as part of their school experience. 

Please email JETS Israel if you'd like to peruse the Partnership LMS's. 

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, recognized for his work in promoting tzeddek and Jewish ethics, recently shared his thoughts on the Times of Israel blog about the failure of the Hebrew School framework to prepare Jewish youth to grow and develop as committed, active members of the American Jewish community.

The article was criticized by some readers for "rehashing old news" but since the majority of American Jewish youth who receive any formal Jewish education do so through the congregational enrichment model, the subject seems as timely as ever.

In his article Yanklowitz reviewed many of the problems that are inherent in today's Hebrew school framework. These include the problems that  the material is irrelevant to most of the kids, many teachers are ill-equipped to teach on a proper level and the families themselves see Hebrew school as last on the totem pole of priorities -- a message that the children pick up quickly and well.

Yanklowitz even goes as far as to say”there is no correlation between attendance in Hebrew school and a sustained commitment to Jewish life. I’d like to say it is better than nothing but I’m not sure anymore. Sometimes the damage of forcing our kids to participate in a boring, out of touch Jewish experience can alienate them forever."

Yet tens of thousands of Jewish families are committed to providing their kids with a Jewish education and since JewishDay School is not a solution for everyone, the Hebrew school model seems to be here to stay. A recent article by Jordana Horn even goes as far as to indicate that Hebrew schools can be, in some instances, a better option than Jewish Day Schools (her view is questioned by many observers).

Which brings up the question that Jewish educators have been struggling with for decades -- how does the Jewish community create an engaging congregational school framework that will address these issues?

Yanklowitz makes several suggestions. These involve moving the classes to Saturday mornings so that parents will be included in the process, creating more experiential Jewish learning as a basis for further study, strengthening peer-learning activities and reducing the emphasis on Bar/Bat Mitzvah study (as well as the obligations to "join" the Hebrew school for a specific amount of time in order to celebrate a Bar/Bat Mitzvah at the synagogue).

Introducing online learning into an existing Hebrew school framework can also strengthen the afternoon school experience. Distance learning offers new and vibrant opportunities that include asynchronous activities, games, interactive assignments and other enjoyable components that create an energetic and engaging learning environment to present a high quality atmosphere which heightens the students' interest and motivation.

JETS' online learning programs have been a staple of Jewish day schools for several years but they are now being adopted by increasing numbers of afternoon schools. Topics are chosen by the students and their teachers -- Contemporary Jewish Issues, Virtual Tours of Israeli Historical and Archaeological Sites, Jewish Leadership, Hip Hop Hebraics, Tikkun Olam, Ancient Israel, Interactive Textual Study, Jewish environmentalism, Israel's Ethiopian Community, and more. The classes then meet with a teacher who provides material for consideration along with follow-up games and activities that the students can enjoy on their laptops or tablet devices.

Online learning means that the students are not obligated to listen to lectures, take tests, wait their "turn" to participate or sit through boring lectures. The classes create a vibrant environment that combines collaborative learning with independent exploration for a truly new look at what Hebrew school can offer.

Learning Management Systems

JETS Israel has been experimenting with different learning management systems, both for distance learning courses and PD classes.

Smadar Goldstein, director of JETS Israel, has reviewed some of her impressions of the Haiku system, one of her preferred systems, in a recent PLP Network blogpost.

http://plpnetwork.com/2013/07/18/learning-management-systems-favorites/#comment-72604

JETS Shutafut Partnership Online Jewish Learning

JETS has just completed another year of Shutafut/Partnership programs, twinning schools in North American with Israeli schools for weekly activities in which the students meet each other  through online activities to exchange ideas and learn together.

 Partnership Communities

The Shutafut program will be entering its 4^th year for students paired between Birmingham Alabama and Rosh HaAyin Israel, its 3^rd year for the partnership between Edmonton Alberta and Emek HaHula and its 2^nd year for the partnership between Vancouver British Columbia and Alai Giva which is located along Israel's Northern border. The Edmonton/Emek HaHula and the Vancouver/Alai Giva programs partnered Jewish Day Schools with Israeli schools while the Birmingham/Rosh Haayin partnership included Birmingham public school classes in its program.

While the goal of many Federation Partnership programs involves an eventual face-to-face meeting between representatives of the two partnership communities, the JETS programs encompass entire classrooms in which all of the students are able to participate in the online activities which allow them to meet their peers overseas, ask questions, compare lifestyles and learn about each other's families, cultures, activities and other aspects of their lives.

Topics

The students are invited to participate in the decision-making process to help decide which projects and subjects will be covered each year. Some of this year's subjects included discussions about heroes, environmentalism, Tikkun Olam, volunteerism and diversity. Students share their experiences of how they celebrate their own holidays as they learn about how their counterparts across the ocean celebrate the same holidays as well and their own unique holidays.

The coursework for Birmingham/Rosh HaAyin included course material about the arts in recognition of Rosh Haayin's status as Israel's "City of the Arts."

As the school year comes to a close all of the groups participated in sessions that dealt with Holocaust Day, Israel's Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Israel's Independence Day with videos, biographies and additional motivating materials.  

Learning Strategies

JETS Shutafut groups use Wikis, interactive learning platforms that allow teachers to present thoughtful, open-ended questions to the students who then post their own answers on the board for all to see.

The Israeli students are expected to post in English and those North American students who have studied Hebrew post in Hebrew. In this way the students not only cover the course material but they strengthen their language skills. 

Plans for Next Year

Six new Israeli schools are expecting to join the Shutafut program next year, three from the Jersualem area and three from the Galilee. This Friends Across the Sea program will pair these schools with six North American Day schools and will explore subject ranging from "The Changing World" to "Jewish Peoplehood."

  

JETS Blogpost Eye on Israel -- JconnecT Open House

Participants study Eye on Israel at JconnecT Open House

As JETS and JconnecT gear up for the 2013/2014 school year, a series of virtual Open Houses are being offered throughout the summer to provide students, parents , educators and other community members with a chance to participate in a sample JconnecT class.

The JconnecT program offers online Jewish learning to students who don't have access to a Jewish school for afternoon and Sunday school studies or who have not integrated into a local framework.

Through JconnecT students enter a virtual classroom Live every Sunday morning to meet with other students from around the country and explore Jewish concepts and information as they "meet" who participate in the class with them online.

The 2013/2014 school year will feature two Sunday Morning Live classes -- Hip Hop Hebraics (Sundays at 10:00a.m. CST) and Contemporary Jewish Issues (Sundays at 11:00CST). Participating students are invited, as part of their registration, to join two dynamic, free Shabbatons which are held in conjunction with the Memphis Hebrew Academy. 

Memphis Shabbaton at the Memphis Hebrew Academy

On May 19^th,over a dozen students from throughout the United States met, online, to experience an online JconnecT class, including Omaha, NE, Portland, ME, Birmingham, AL and Memphis, TN. JconnecT Instructor and Director Smadar Goldstein led the class from her Jerusalem office  and JconnecT Founder Rabbi Gil Perl joined in from the Margolin Hebrew Academy in Memphis, TN. 

Smadar began the class with an icebreaker designed to get the students to know one other in an educational and entertaining format. Then she the class moved into content, a look at the Eyes onIsrael,based on the Biblical text that "the eyes of God are always on Israel." [Dvarim11:12]

Using a variety of online tools, the students examined what this verse meant in ancient times and what it means to the modern State of Israel, Americans and Israelis. Students also discussed if 'eyes on Israel' refers to a G-d given right, or if Jewish people have to act a certain way in order to receive the privilege of having G-d's 'Eyes on Israel.'  he lesson then proceeded to ask the participants to explore how they see the verse relating to them,  in their own lives.

The lively, dynamic class presented opportunities for all participating students to ask questions, express their ideas and exchange views.

More Open Houses are scheduled throughout the summer. To sign up for a free Open House students, families and other individuals are invited to contact smadar@jetsisrael.com. 

Lighting Up A Nation, A Shavuot Story

Lighting Up A Nation

A Shavuot Story

By Smadar Goldstein

God summoned me from my resting place in the clouds, and gave me a serious mission.

“I WANT YOU TO BE SCARY.” God told me.

“Aren't I always scary?” I asked.

“I WANT YOU TO BE SCARIER. USE YOUR FISTS.”

Hmmm…Haven’t been told that in a while, I thought. “Like with Noah?” I asked. Then, I had thrown so many rods; it took me months to restock! My rods knocked down trees and ripped apart huts and boats. The world looked awful. My partner, Rain, filled it up with so many raindrops; nothing was left except for Noah's ark, drifting alone on waves. Though using my fists was fun, I was sad to see His creations disappear in the flowing waters.

“DO NOT DESTROY ANYTHING.”

“But….How can I use my fists and not destroy anything?”

“THINK OF SOMETHING. BEGIN WHEN YOU HEAR THE BLAST OF THE SHOFAR, THE RAM’S HORN.”

“Shofar? What's going on?” God didn’t reply. The shofar meant business. The last time I'd heard it, a ram was sacrificed instead of Isaac, almost 300 years ago! I remember when Abraham climbed Mt. Moriah, his sharpest sword in hand, Isaac walking solemnly by his side. While Isaac watched, Abraham built an altar with strong sticks and branches. Isaac climbed up on it. Just when Abraham raised his sword high above his head, tears streaming down his face, the angel Gabriel stopped him. God commanded Gabriel not to let Abraham harm Isaac. Instead, Abraham sacrificed a ram caught in the bushes, and the first shofar was born.

Now, I watched God address all the Elements: Fog, Smoke, Thunder, even Hail, ordering each to be their most frightening, yet not dangerous.

Looking down toward Earth, I saw masses of scared people huddled below us at Mt. Sinai. I didn’t blame them for being scared. I was scared, too.

"TRRRRRRRRRRRUUUUUUUUUUUAAAAHHHHHHH!" The shofar blasted. I searched, but saw no one blowing. Instead of lowering in sound, the blast grew louder. Whoa!

I rushed to my rods and roared, hurling ten in each cloud-hand. Following orders, I had coated each lightning bolt with soft, silver dew. The rods were shinier than normal, and, I thought, quite beautiful. I was about to throw my last rod when I heard God’s voice.

“DESCEND TO THE PEOPLE, LEST THEY ARE DESTROYED BY SEEING GOD, AND MANY WILL FALL. AND LET THE PRIESTS ALSO, …SANCTIFY THEMSELVES, LEST GOD EXPLODE UPON THEM!” (Exodus 19:21,22)

Explode? I stared down. What a mess! People were running in all directions. Children cried. Cattle bellowed.

"Stop!" cried a child, raising his hands to his ears.

"Let's go," bawled another boy, pulling his mother’s leg.

"I've got to get out of here!" a man shouted as he crawled behind a bush. My rods descended. One of them fell near the man in the bush. I called out that the rods were harmless, but there was too much noise. He fainted.

I heard a man's voice, much lighter than God's. Who was here? God said no visitors! “The people cannot come up to Mt. Sinai, for You have told us to set boundaries around the mountain, and sanctify it.” (Exodus 19:23) Moses was with us! God appeared, smoked in red and gray flames.

Wow! I had never seen Him like this. When He destroyed the world except for Noah, He had stood with us Storm elements, holding my last stack of rods, tears in His eyes. When Abraham brought Isaac to sacrifice, He had filled the air of Mt. Moriah with white smoke and white ashes. This was petrifying!

I held my rod tightly, wondering if Moses would go up in flames.

The flames shot red sparks, and then exploded in a fiery orange blast.

"The mountain's exploding!" cried a man.

"We're going to die!" a woman shrieked.

“…DESCEND, THEN COME UP,...YOUR BROTHER, AARON WITH YOU. BUT LET NOT THE PRIESTS AND THE PEOPLE BREAK THROUGH TO COME UP TO GOD, LEST HE EXPLODE UPON THEM (Exodus 19:24).”

Moses emerged from the orange smoke, unharmed. Slowly, the noises quieted. Birds didn't chirp. Cattle were stunned into silence. I looked to the oceans, awed. Whales and dolphins floated on the water’s surface. An octopus waved a tentacle.

Moses descended Mt. Sinai.

"He's glowing!" a woman shouted.

"God is walking with him!" Women argued about Moses' face, which shone with an eerie glow.

"Gather round the mountain!" called a mother.

"It's safe now!"

"Yes, come! Moses will relay God's message!"

One priest called to Moses. “You speak with us and we will hear, but let not God speak with us, lest we die (Exodus 21:16).”

Moses spoke:

“I am God, your God, who took you out of Egypt from the house of slavery, out of the house of bondage.

Do not have any other gods before me…

Do not make for yourselves any graven images or any likeness of any thing….

Do not take the name of God, your God, in vain…

Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy…

Honor your father and mother…

Do not kill.

Do not commit adultery.

Do not steal.

Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Do not covet your neighbor’s house, your neighbor’s wife, his servants, his donkey, or anything that is his. (Exodus 20:2-14)

I listened to the people, perched high on a gray cloud.

"It is God's Torah!" a priest shouted.

"I have waited for this moment my whole life!" a man cried, wiping tears from his eyes.

"Ema, what is God telling us to do?" a child asked.

"To listen to His laws." The mother answered.

"Hold my hand, dear, and let's listen together." The small boy held his mother's hand, and looked to the child next to him. He held out his hand. Soon, there was not a free hand among the people. Chaos turned to unity.

I sighed, wiping silver rod-tears from my eyes.

"It is done. We are a nation now," smiled a man, clasping hands with his neighbor.

"Hodu LaHashem, ki tov, Praise God, for He is good," said a priest, wrapping his arm round his neighbor. Every Jewish hand linked to another.

"We are one," responded the next priest.

"One God," said the next.

"One nation," said another.

"One nation, one God," a priest repeated. The words swept through the crowds like the fire in Moses' eyes.

Swaying in unison, the Jewish nation called out, “All the words which God said, we will do (Exodus 24:3).”

I set down my rod. I took the leftover sparkling dew, and with a nod of approval from God, sprinkled it down to the pulsing, singing nation below.

"It's raining!" said a child.

"No, it's – it's – it's – what is it?" replied his mother.

"It’s the light of the Torah," answered the child, and started to dance with his brothers and sisters.

God hugged me, and then helped me sprinkle sparkling dew on the dancing children.