Mandel Project on Teaching the American Jewish Experience
The teaching of Jewish history does not receive the attention that it deserves, and this is especially true in congregational schools, where teachers are pressed for time and lack the necessary training to create ambitious lessons grounded in rigorous historiographical methods. However, for over 2 decades, Jonathan Krasner has taught Jewish history, studied the teaching of Jewish history, and taught teachers of Jewish history. For 2025-26, Jonathan will develop and deliver a sustained, year-long professional development program for a group of 8 Boston-area congregational-school teachers, supported by the education directors at their congregations.
The year-long professional development project will train these educators in the use of a set of lesson plans that Jonathan is developing around 4 topics that are central to the study of American Jewish history: antisemitism, American Jewish-Israeli relations, church-state relations in the US, and Jewish diversity. The educators will then pilot these lessons with their middle school students. The teachers’ experiences will be used to hone the lessons, which will ultimately be made available online.
Marion Gribetz, Director of Congregational Education Initiatives at Hebrew College, will assist with the recruitment of participants and consult on curriculum development.
The following synagogues in the metro-Boston area will participate in the program:
- Congregation Beth Elohim (Acton)
- Dartmouth Hillel and Kol Ha'Emek (Hanover, NH)
- Temple Emanuel (Newton)
- Temple Emunah (Lexington)
- Temple Isaiah (Lexington)
- Temple Israel (Natick)
- Temple Shalom (Medford)
- Temple Shir Tikva (Wayland)