Happy New Year! (According to the Torah, Nissan is the first month on the Jewish calendar.)

With the beginning of Nissan, our minds turn to Pesach. Wishing everyone a healthy, happy, meaningful, and kosher Pesach!

Tzipi
Jewish Education Community Planner
CJL's  E-NEWSLETTER
This newsletter is published on the first day of every Jewish month. We welcome your feedback and invite you to join us as we explore the joys of Jewish learning in Milwaukee and beyond. Share your feedback  here .

Thank you to everyone for helping make the Salute to Jewish Educators such an amazing event. It was a privilege to be together with educators from all 18 (חי) schools in Milwaukee. The event was attended by about 250 people, a great mix of people from different schools, parts of Milwaukee, and ages. People had a great feeling about being Jewish educators in Milwaukee. See pictures below.
Supplementary School Awards Preschool Awards
Day School Awards Chai and Double Chai Awards Lifshutz Mitzvah Award
GIFT Curriculum Award GIFT Curriculum Award Inspiration Award for Information Jewish Education
Adam Margolis
   
We showed two videos at the Salute to Jewish Educators. You can see them here.
 
 
Pesach
Pesach (Passover) celebrates the Exodus from Egypt and the birth of the Jewish Nation. This year the Sederim are held on Friday, March 30 and Saturday, March 31. The Passover narrative is so critical to Jewish identity. There are so many traditions related to Pesach, it can seem overwhelming. Here are some links to help you break down the basics and get started learning.
 
For a review of the holiday basics, click here.
 
For a recap of the story of Pesach, click here or watch one of these fun videos.
 
 
 
 
For a beginners guide to the seder, click here.
 
 
  Teaching Resources
  • Many fun videos about Pesach available online. They are great to show in the classroom or to get yourself in the mood for the holiday. Click here for a playlist of some of my favorites.
  • Looking for project and lesson plan ideas, get ideas from JTeach.org here.
  • For ideas about how to make your  seder  more interactive, read the article from MyJewishLearning.com  here .

The Milwaukee Jewish Federation's Education Task Force recommended that we establish a grants process for supporting innovation in Jewish education. We are thrilled to announce that, after much work with our committee of educators and lay leaders, the Education Innovation Grant Application process went live on March 15! See the application here
 


VISION STATEMENT
:
Expose more children to Jewish education by lowering barriers, and creating excellent, sustainable, and impactful programs for Jewish learning.
 
DESCRIPTION:
  • The Milwaukee Jewish Federation is pleased to release the Jewish Education Innovation Grants Request for Proposals (RFP). This program is designed to develop fresh and creative educational programming in the Milwaukee Jewish Community.
  • The Milwaukee Jewish Federation will award up to $20,000 in new grants to Jewish organizations addressing the Jewish educational needs of Greater Milwaukee.
  • The focus will be on programs that exemplify respect for different approaches to Jewish life, reach unaffiliated families, add to Milwaukee's diversity of educational experiences, and/or offer opportunities for collaboration across the Jewish community.
  • The Milwaukee Jewish Federation seeks programs and projects that are impactful, measurable, and possibly replicable on a larger scale based upon need, future resources, and programmatic success. This grant is for the establishment of new programs. Selected grantees will receive a grant of between $2,500-$10,000. The grants could be a one-year or multi-year grant, depending on the program needs.
Informational meetings are being held on Tuesday, March 13 at 7 pm and Wednesday, March 14 at noon. Contact Tzipi Altman-Shafer for more information.
 
Stay tuned for information about new and exciting things happening in Jewish Education in Milwaukee.
 
There are so many educational opportunities in Milwaukee. If you would like some help finding the right program for your child, contact Tzipi Altman-Shafer to talk about how you can "Go Jewish" with your family (414-963-2718 or TziporahA@MilwaukeeJewish.org).
Mid-Winter In-Service
On February 18, twenty-five local religious school teachers gather at Congregation Sinai for professional development with educator Mindy Gold of Chicago. The morning was interactive and engaging and gave us a chance to do a deep dive into Pesach. We are so grateful we had this opportunity to learn with and from Mindy.




 
LOMED: Learning Opportunities for Milwaukee Educators
(Formerly CSI-Congregational School Initiative)
LOMED classes are open to all Jewish educators in Milwaukee. The $300 stipend for completing 9 hours of training is available to all teachers participating in the program.
Dates and times may change. For more information, contact  Tzipi .
    
LOMED: Connections Between Pesach, Lag B'Omer & Shavuot
Monday, March 19, 2018, 6:30-8:30 pm, Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC

LOMED: Don't Forget Shavuot
Monday, May 7, 2018, 6:30-8:30 pm, Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC

LOMED Book Club
All book club meetings are open to the entire community. Please plan to read the books and join us. 
     
Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn by Daniel Gordis   
Thursday, May 1, 2018, 6:30-8:30 pm,  *Note the New Date*
Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC
Looking for a Job in a Local Jewish School?
Want to be a substitute teacher at a local Jewish school? Please sign up for the sub list here .
Upcoming Community Events
ABOUT THE COALITION FOR JEWISH LEARNING
The Coalition for Jewish Learning, the Education Department of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, promotes and advances Jewish education in the greater Milwaukee community, provides a support system for the community's institutions of Jewish learning, and forges coalitions to ensure excellence in Jewish education.

1360 N. Prospect Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53202
p. 414.963.2718
f. 414.390.5747



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"Ben Zoma says: Who is the wise one? One who learns from all people, as it says, 'I have acquired understanding from my teachers.'"
- Pirkei Avot 4:1