AI is here. For those of us who grew up in the 80s, this was a thing of science fiction. In my wildest dreams, I don’t think I could have ever imagined the ubiquitous nature of AI in our world. Ads on TV invite us to use ChatGPT to plan the perfect date, plan out our vacation to Hawaii, or tell me where I can purchase that exact sweater I saw someone wearing. So many of our electronic devices now have AI built into their systems so it can learn the patterns of our daily life. All of this in the name of efficiency, productivity, working smarter and not harder. And, while many of us approach the use of AI with caution (personally speaking), now is the time to explore the ways in which we can harness AI to support us in our work. The Bay Area has always been at the forefront of innovation and technology and in that vein at least two of our local day schools are currently offering AI electives in their schools this year. 

At Jewish LearningWorks, we deeply value our relationships with the educators in our community and, therefore, as educators transition and explore new opportunities, we are uniquely positioned to guide and connect with folks on their professional journey. Therefore, it was fortuitous when Evan Wolkenstein, a long-time Jewish educator and colleague reached out to us as he explores a shift into educational technology. We knew many educators were already utilizing AI tools and we also know most educators lack the time it takes to truly feel competency using AI. Evan was thrilled for the opportunity to utilize his expertise both in Jewish education and educational technology to provide an important and current learning opportunity for our professional community. Evan understands the unique lens for the Jewish LearningWorks community on the intersection of Jewish values, and use of AI for educators and students. This fall, he facilitated three workshops with the members of our Early Childhood Directors’ Community of Practice, and our Bay Area Jewish Youth Resilience Roundtable. For Early Childhood Education Directors, their workshop focused on the “Greatest Hits of AI” to make their work easier. He shared communication protocols for weekly teacher newsletters, parent emails, and classroom documentation. He demonstrated how AI can build a complete rollout for a policy revision and budget analysis. As with any tool, the more nuanced our understanding of its functionality can significantly improve its effectiveness. 

For the adolescent educators in the Resilience Roundtable, two separate workshops: Part one focused on practical tools for classrooms, and other informal settings. Part two was about how we can support students in navigating AI in alignment with Jewish values. Like many in the educational system, we recognize that there is so much we don’t know about how AI will continue to shape our lives. In partnership with you, our Jewish lens will guide us in our exploration of these new technologies. Much like one of our foundational stories of holding two truths at the same time, we continue to hold the lessons of moving forward while also holding on to the analog and ancient spiritual wisdom of our tradition. Our celebration of time over space, of unplugging and being present for one another, of embracing the power of ritual, becomes all the more essential to guide us through the uncharted landscape that lies before us.