Conference program

Sunday

Sunday | 6.20.2021 | Heichal Shlomo, Jerusalem

10:00Registration
10:30–11:45

Plenary Session – Conference Launch

Conference goals and greetings – Chair: Rabbi Prof. Yehuda Brandes

Greetings: President Reuven (Ruby) Rivlin, Prof. Yaffa Zilbershats, Chair, Planning & Budgeting Committee of the Council for Higher Education of Israel, Mrs. Shosh Nagar, Director of Religious Education Administration, Mr. Shlomo Bakish, Head of the Board of Directors, Lifshitz College, Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, President of Yeshiva University
11:45–11:55Musical interlude
11:55–12:30

Lecture: Rabbi Prof. Yehuda Brandes – Teacher Training in Religious Education: Challenges and Dilemmas

12:30–13:30

Lunch and Mincha

13:30–15:00

Parallel Sessions – Round 1:

Fundamental Issues in Religious Education

Educating towards belief, Prayer education, Responding to the “Off the Derech” phenomenon, Social education and values education.
15:00–15:15

Break and refreshments

15:15–16:45

Parallel Sessions – Round 2:
Management challenges in religious education: The image of the religious principal, Management of varied institutions in religious education, Segregation and integration in religious education.

16:45–17:45

Panel Discussion:

Religious teacher training from a multicultural perspective. Chair: Prof. Yitzhak Kraus – Head of Orot Israel College. Participants: Prof. Haim Shaked Head of Hemdat HaDarom College

18:00–20:00

Jerusalem tour:

Challenges and growth in religious education in Jerusalem (5 choices of tours in the city).

Monday

Monday | 11 Tammuz | 6.21.2021 | Alon Shvut Campus

09:30-10:00Registration
10:00–11:00

Panel:

Between religious-Jewish education and religious coercion: A discussion among lecturers from secular, religious and ultra-Orthodox colleges. Chair: Dr. Avichai Kellerman, Head of the Department of Education and Vice-Rector, Herzog College.

Participants: Dr. Yehudit Hasida, Rabbi Ze’ev Sharon, Mr. Yuval Seri

11:00–11:15Break and refreshments
11:15–12:45

Parallel Sessions – Round 3:

Research in Religious Education: The image of the religious teacher, challenges faced by the national religious education system, studies on religious teacher education in contrast with teacher training in other streams, the challenge presented by technology in religious teacher education.

12:45–13:15

Poster Session:

Master’s Student’s Research + Presentation of the work of outstanding undergraduates.
13:15–14:15Lunch and Mincha
14:15–15:45

Parallel Sessions – Round 4:

Studies in the thought and philosophy of religious education and the history of religious / Jewish teacher education in Israel and around the world.

15:45–16:00Break and refreshments
16:00–17:00

Panel:

Religious Education Post-Corona – “The day after.” Implications of the Corona virus on changes at the religious level and on situations of risk and dropout. Chair: Prof. Shlomo Romi. Participants: Rabbi Dr. Yonah Goodman – Director of Education and Pedagogy, Yeshivot and Ulpanot Network of Bnei Akiva, Member of the Hemed Council, Ms. Yonat Lemberger – Director of Ulpanat Oriah, Mr. Netanel Avivi – Director, National Religious Youth at Risk.

19:00–21:00

Inauguration of the auditorium at Heichal Shlomo, Jerusalem

An evening event for invited guests.

Tuesday

Tuesday | 12 Tammuz | 6.22.2021 | Alon Shvut Campus

09:30-10:00 Registration
10:00–11:00 Panel: National Religious Education system session: The future of religious educators’ training with the shift to the Council for Higher Education. Participants: Directors and Heads of the National Religious Education stream. Chair: Dr. Ezra Kahalani, Rector, Herzog College. Participants: Prof. Rivka Vadamani, Malag, Rabbi Avaraham Gisser, Director of Hemed, Bentzi Dal
11:00–11:15 Break and refreshments
11:15–12:45 Parallel Sessions – Round 5: Can they coexist? Curricula and Curriculum Planning in Religious Education: New vs. Old, Innovative Pedagogy, Curriculum Research, Challenges in Curriculum Planning in Religious Education.
12:45–13:15 Poster Session: Scholars, dissertations and seminar materials from graduate and undergraduate students.
13:15–14:15 Lunch and Mincha
14:15–15:45 Parallel Sessions – Round 6: Research Discussion: Discussion platforms for lecturers, researchers and student teachers: The Image of the Educator as a Values Educator. Led by: Regev students from various colleges
15:45–16:00 Break and refreshments
16:00–17:15 Summary and Concluding Remarks – Where do we go from here in religious education? With the participation of member of the conference steering committee: Prof. Shlomo Romi, Prof. Zehavit Gross, Prof. Yuval Dror, Prof. Naama Tzabar Ben Yehoshua, Dr. Rona Novick, Dr. Tammy Eisenmann, Dr. Yair Barkai. Concluding remarks – Rabbi Prof. Yehuda Brandes – Looking forward to the next conference!

International participants: Please note that most of the conference presentations will take place in Hebrew. There will be sessions in English on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.