Programs
MCSJE has developed programs that engage and inspire established and emerging researchers and practitioners with the goal of driving impact in the field of Jewish education scholarship.
Featured Content Slideshow
Research
MCSJE’s faculty and community of affiliated scholars conduct research that promotes a deeper understanding of learners and learning in Jewish education.
Conferences and Events
MCSJE offers a robust schedule of events throughout the year. Many events are open to the public, while others are tailored to audiences of scholars or educational leaders.
The Leading Research Center for Jewish Educational Scholarship
The Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education (MCSJE) is dedicated to advancing the field of Jewish educational scholarship through expansive research on teaching and learning and by convening and catalyzing other scholars and practitioners in the field through important programs, events and conferences.
We are pleased to announce that we are accepting applications for the 2025-2026 cohort of the Boston Undergraduate Fellows Program and Providence Undergraduate Fellows Program.
MCSJE's Undergraduate Teaching Fellows program offers professional learning to undergraduates who are working in supplemental Jewish education. Working in collaboration with other student fellows, under the mentorship of a master educator, they explore their own Jewish journeys, reflect on their teaching, develop new inquiry skills, and gain insight into their students’ learning.
for more information and to apply for the 2025-26 undergraduate fellows Program
Bringing the Big World into the Little Classroom | Dr. Lauren Applebaum and Professor Sivan Zakai
September 18, 1 PM - 1:30 PM
Learning About Learning | What issues in the contemporary world matter most to Jewish children, and how do children make sense of these issues? How do educators make sense of children’s ideas and their implications for the work of Jewish education? American Jewish 4th and 5th graders have concerns about many important world issues—climate change, homelessness, the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Hamas war, political polarization, and so much more—and their teachers face the complexities of addressing political issues, shifting cultural norms, and more. In this session, scholars Lauren Applebaum and Sivan Zakai discuss their findings from a collaborative study with Jewish children enrolled in both day and supplementary schools, and their educators.
What Rabbinical Students Say They Need from Their Training | Cantor Laura Stein
October 23, 1 PM - 1:30 PM
Learning About Learning | Spiritual formation has long been considered an important part of theological education for seminary students in Christian contexts, but what about students in Jewish seminaries? In a recent study of Jewish seminarians' perspectives of their formation needs, scholars learned that rabbinical students at a progressive seminary seek training in areas such as mental health, diversity, and social justice; relational spaces for cultivating virtue capacities; and opportunities for meaningful reflection and processing of their growth. In this session, lead researcher Laura Stein will discuss what can be learned about the future directions of Jewish clergy students' formation, and what can be done to address their evolving needs.
'Teaching and Learning in Jewish Day Schools' Book Event
December 11, 1 PM - 1:30 PM
Book Event | What does the latest research in teaching and learning in Jewish day schools reveal about what’s going on in classrooms today? For this webinar, respondents Daniel Held (UJA Federation of Greater Toronto), Amanda Pogany (Luria Academy of Brooklyn), and Tali Zelkowicz (Wexner Institute) were asked to review Teaching and Learning in Jewish Day Schools, a new publication focused on presenting a better understanding of how day schools are educating diverse Jewish youth in a variety of content areas. The respondents will share their feedback in a talk with editors Jon Levisohn and Jonathan Krasner. Teaching and Learning in Jewish Day Schools is available for purchase and published in the Mandel-Brandeis Series in Jewish Education by Brandeis University Press.
How the Conflict Shapes the Israeli Classroom | Professor Ziva Hassenfeld and Dr. Hadar Fisher
November 20, 1 PM - 1:30 PM
Learning About Learning | In this time of continued war and exhaustion, how are teachers in Israel teaching, and what do they prioritize in their classrooms? In a longitudinal study, scholars Ziva Hassenfeld and Hadar Fisher asked these questions of 41 teachers in Israel, beginning just three weeks after October 7 and continuing with a group of 12 for another two years. In this session, they will share insights into these teachers' ethic of care and how they enact in their teaching varied ideas surrounding their diverse understandings of students' well-being.
Featured Videos
Antisemitism on Campus After October 7
June 4
In this special event, authors from a recent themed issue of Journal of Jewish Education will discussed their articles on antisemitism on college campuses since October 7. The issue spotlights cutting-edge research to broaden and deepen our understanding of antisemitism and anti-Zionism by analyzing their contemporary manifestations and implications for Jewish education and learning, broadly defined. Panelist include Vikki Katz (Chapman University), Rebecca Kobrin (Columbia University), Jonathan Krasner (Brandeis University), and Graham Wright (Brandeis University), with moderator Nicole Samuel (Brandeis University).