To counter the increase in antisemitism in the U.S. and around the world, the Center for Jewish-Inclusive Learning, a division of The Jewish Education Project, launched a digital portal to support K-12 educators in public and independent schools so they can teach about the Jewish experience with confidence and cultural competence. The portal, live now in advance of May’s Jewish American Heritage Month, houses a curated, diverse set of resources and curricula from content providers, offering educators and their students a centralized location from which to source material about the Jewish people, history and identity.
“Education has the power to replace ignorance with insights and dispel misinformation with facts,” said Amy Amiel, chief program officer of The Jewish Education Project. “Now is the time to grow our work on a scale that reflects the challenges of the world around us. Our new portal is accessible to everyone, offering resources from numerous organizations, professional development and other content that explores Jewish culture, identity and history, as well as current and historical events. These materials will prepare teachers and their students to discuss today’s big issues, all to elevate the Jewish experience in education, building student capacity for critical thinking and increasing empathy and understanding. We must engage educators across all schools and educational settings if we want to overcome antisemitism with knowledge and action.”
Through the Center for Jewish-Inclusive Learning’s portal, public and independent school administrators, staff and teachers can now access a range of services and content from various organizations, all curated and designed to help schools address the current moment of increased hate and polarization, including:
- Educational content: K-12 resources and curricula researched and created by experts from across the educational ecosystem with deep knowledge of Jewish subjects, the classroom and the work of nurturing the academic, social and emotional skills students need to explore new ideas, contextualize current events and address antisemitism.
- Custom consultation: Experts will help educators consider ways to bring Jewish history and perspectives into the curriculum in an authentic way, share resources on the Jewish experience, Israel and antisemitism and support schools in creating more inclusive environments through professional development and student programs.
- Engagement opportunities: Professional development events and resources to deepen the knowledge and skills educators need to teach about the Jewish people with confidence while meeting educational standards and evaluation criteria.
- Curriculum guidance: Perspectives, insights and tips to help ensure resources and curricula that explore the Jewish experience are accurate and effective.
As the Center for Jewish-Inclusive Learning continues to grow and expand its resources, its services are currently offered to educators in the New York area.
The digital portal of the Center for Jewish-Inclusive Learning is available to all and can be found at cjilearning.org.
