By Sabrina May, Director of Preschool at JCC East Bay
Just as the Purim joy fades away in the Jewish calendar’s rearview mirror, The Prince of Egypt soundtrack grows louder, and louder within the JCC of the East Bay’s walls. Pesach is officially here!
Each year as Passover approaches, I think of the many leaders of the Passover story: Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Jocheved, and Nahshon; and how to present them in our Early Childhood Education (ECE) spaces. I also think of the pharaoh, who to me emphasizes what a lot of leaders look like in today’s society: a single important figure at the center stage who claims to represent the people, with little to no humility, bypassing democratic values.
In the Torah and Jewish tradition, we often tell the stories of leaders, who remind us that true Jewish values like ometz lev (courage of heart) and tzedek (justice) aren’t always accompanied by loud voices, or even power. Take Nahshon for example, the first of the Israelites to enter the Red Sea in the pursuit of freedom. Yearly, Nahshon reminds us that Moses’ dream may not have been a reality without his own leadership which came in the form of a metaphoric whisper.
A few weeks ago, Jenni Mangel, Director of Educational Leadership at Jewish Learning Works hosted a session for our early childhood educators about Israel through time. She created an atmosphere of nuance and respectful disagreement (a true Jewish value). With such a complex topic, Jenni challenged teachers to reject simple answers to layered questions. Additionally, through storytelling led by maps, and interactive exercises about different narratives, the educators in the room were able to have open, and honest dialogues about Israel in a post October 7th world. We gained critical knowledge about the history of the land, and began a generative discussion about Israel education in Jewish early childhood education.
As world leaders take center-stage in navigating international turmoil, I reflect quietly on our Moses (Jenni), and our Nahshons (our ECE teachers) who humbly create the space for our next generation to strive to live by our Jewish values. And may our continued pursuit of bringing thoughtful Israel education to our Jewish ECE spaces be truly marked by the small but mighty footsteps of our educators.
Chag Pesach Sameach!
