Our Values & Commitments

מנהיגות · Manhigut · Leadership

We are fearless in our pursuit of continuous improvement, experimentation, and thought leadership that expands the intellectual horizons of those with whom we work.

סקרנות · Sakranut · Curiosity

We are lifelong learners who delight in discovery, and strive to spark imaginative inquiry among those we serve.

קשר · Kesher · Connectedness

We believe in the power of belonging, and seek to equip Jewish educators not only with the tools and practices they need to thrive alongside their learners, but also to foster a strong community of support.

אחריות · Achrayut · Mutual Responsibility

We share responsibility with learners and educators alike to bring our best selves to the experience of vibrant Jewish learning, and to the pursuit of a more just and perfect world.

הגשמה עצמית · Hagshama Atzmit · Personal Fulfillment

We recognize every Jewish educator and learner as a whole, creative and resourceful person worthy of finding joy and meaning in Jewish life.

Our Commitment to Israel Education

Exploring Israel with learners of any age has perhaps never been more difficult. When we teach about Israel, each of us in the room — whether teacher or learner — comes with our own knowledge, experiences, and assumptions. It is in this context that Jewish LearningWorks develops its Israel education offerings.

We acknowledge that no teacher, and no topic can be value neutral, and we choose partners that we believe will create a safe learning environment for participants. 

We embrace an approach Rabbi Laura Novak Winer termed Yediat Yisrael/Knowing Israel as we work together to sharpen our content knowledge, and develop the tools required to reach learners with divergent ideas, experiences and positions. Rabbi Novak Winer writes: “Yediat Yisrael more accurately reflects the type of knowledge, understandings, and connections our learners need. Yes, it may lead to ahavat Yisrael, but that is not the primary objective. Yediat Yisrael aims for learners to find and navigate their own meanings and connections with Israel, as the historic homeland, as a global, diverse Jewish community, and as the modern State. Yediat Yisrael aims to build understanding.”

Ultimately, meaningful Israel education (in fact all education) depends on educators bringing themselves to the work. We are committed to taking an intentional, and  learner-centered approach to this topic, and remain open to your feedback.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION & BELONGING

Jewish education is essential, and our educational leaders, teachers, and clergy hold the sacred responsibility of providing it. 

We understand that people move through the world with different identities, and depending on where they are and what they have experienced, some identities are more marginalized than others. Educators must engage in teaching practices that allow the most vulnerable to feel welcomed and respected, and to make clear who and what behaviors are accepted within their classrooms in order to support this. 

As an organization, we understand that:

  • Access to the wisdom and traditions of the Jewish people is the right of every learner who seeks them. We equip educators to create settings that are welcoming and approachable to all, no matter the learners’ background, knowledge, experience, or unique barriers that may exist. 
  • Multiplicity of voices and perspectives expands thinking and understanding, and is at the heart of Jewish learning. 
  • Belonging, community, and responsibility to one another are core components  of Jewish peoplehood, and a cornerstone of meaningful Jewish education. 

As educators, we know that people learn best when:

  • They see themselves reflected in the classroom, and in what they are learning.
  • They are given the opportunity to experience and learn from differences.
  • They are offered multiple ways to learn, ensuring that all types of learners have ways of accessing meaning, understanding, and knowledge. 
  • They are given access to new learning, no matter what their background,  level or skill.
  • They feel safe, supported, valued, and that they belong fully.
  • They are honored as whole people, and are given the opportunity to see their peers as whole people as well.

In order for educators to facilitate teaching and learning grounded in these principles, they must continually upskill, and implement practices that help learners of all ages, abilities, backgrounds and identities learn to their optimal potential.  Jewish LearningWorks is committed to advancing understanding and best-practices of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging  for Jewish educators, and strives to model what it means to be stewards of purpose, meaning, and hope to all who come through our doors.

Our Anti Racism Commitment

Holding fast to the value of b’tzelem elohim/all humans are created in the divine image, Jewish LearningWorks celebrates belonging, diversity, equity, and inclusion as central to our mission. Through our value of achrayut/mutual responsibility, we advance the shared responsibility of learners and educators to bring their best selves to the experience of vibrant Jewish learning, and to the pursuit of a more just and perfect world.

One of the ways we enact these values is by acknowledging that we are part of an existing system of racism and privilege and by committing ourselves to an anti racist practice. At Jewish LearningWorks, this commitment requires centering racial equity in our organizational priorities, committing resources for educators to develop cultural and anti-racist competencies, and diversifying our staff, educators, participants, and board members. Our board and staff commit to working towards this vision by developing an action plan and reevaluating it regularly as our community and the needs of Jewish educators evolve.