In Jackson, faculty takes on Jewish education

Jackson, Mississippi, hotbed of Jewish education? Hard to believe but true. Five faculty members and the co-learning leaders from Congregation Ahavath Sholom’s Learning and Engagement Center (CAS LEC) trained at the Institute of Southern Jewish Learning with fellow educators representing 80 congregations. Fort Worth took the prize for the biggest group from any city in the 15 states attending.
CAS LEC just completed an amazing year of learning for our students and their families. The annual conference on Jewish education provided the faculty the opportunity to continue their educational journey and attend sessions that addressed options to help shape the coming year.
CAS LEC teachers Fani Kiselstein, Inbal Morris, Penny Brister, Elaine Bumpus, Gillat Brautbar, along with education leaders Rivka Marco and Rebecca Isgur, networked, learned, and enjoyed the intensive 48 hours on the ground. Elaine Bumpus shared, “The Conference was both exhilarating and exhausting. The curriculum is designed for everyday use by the everyday teachers. They gave us a set of tools and taught us how to use them.”
Some of the many offerings were two-day intensives with interesting topics “Hands On, Minds On,” “Classrooms on the EDGE,” and “From Tzedakah to Tzedek.” Wildcard sessions included “I Don’t Roll on Shabbos: An Exploration of Shabbat through Text, Pop Culture and the Big Labowski.” Yes, there was even a Study Hall with choices from “Topsy-Turvy T’filah” to “Market Your EVENTURE.”
Gillat Brautbar said, “We learned a lot! It was a great experience for everyone.” The many engaging and meaningful learning activities, soulful spiritual minyanim, and new insights into student and parent populations promise a meaningful Jewish educational experience for all who join the CAS Learning and Engagement Center.
For more information and to register your students, contact Rivka Marco or Rebecca Isgur, lec@ahavathsholom.org or 817-731-4721.
— Submitted by
Rebecca Isgur