Qushiyot Israel Education Fellowship
Description:
Qushiyot, the Israel Education Fellowship, is a full-year network experience that offers participants the opportunity to connect with colleagues of diverse perspectives and partake in a range of learning opportunities to spur innovation in Israel Education. Qushiyot is a comprehensive philosophical and pedagogical approach to Israel education which embraces the vibrant complexity of Israel. The fellowship, offered in partnership with Makom, is centered around an 8-day training in Israel, together with NY-based workshops, a full mentoring process and tools to apply a comprehensive, practical approach to Israel education, empowers educators to develop meaningful and relevant Israel educational experiences for their sites.
Additional information:
This is a closed, cohort-based network. Applications for the Dalet track are available on our website, and will be accepted until Sept. 6th. Click here to learn more.
This network is designed for Education Directors, Principals, Rabbis and Jewish educators in New York who: are working in P/T Jewish educational settings, congregations and JCCs; have current or future responsibility for teaching Israel at their institution; work regularly and directly with students grades 6 – 12; have spent significant time in Israel (more than 10 days); have a desire to upgrade the Israel education at their institution; feel inspired by the challenge of Israel education; and can meet the time commitments required by the program.
About the facilitator:
Abby Pitkowsky is the Director of Israel Education and Westchester Region. Abby earned her BA from SUNY Binghamton and her MA degree in Jewish Education from JTS. Abby began her career in Jewish Education in both informal and formal frameworks in the NY area. She lived in Israel for nine years where she worked for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, serving Jewish communities overseas primarily in Eastern and Central Europe and the former Soviet Union. After returning to the U.S. Abby shifted her professional focus to her local NY Jewish community. Abby’s current work is supporting educators to develop meaningful and relevant Israel educational opportunities for their institutions.
Testimonials:
I am now able to frame the Israel conversation in a way that both students and adults can understand without going directly into politics and personal feelings.
The 4HQ training and the Qushiyot seminar has helped me to think about Israel in the here and now better, and avoid irrelevant past issues and spend more time on really current issues.
I am [now] attuned to the importance of teaching about authentic Israel, without shying away from complexity.
The 4HQ training has significantly impacted my ability to create curriculum and implement Israel education by providing me with conceptual frames, updated content and pedagogical strategies to authentically explore the complexity, depth and breadth of Israel with my students, teachers and parents. I am grateful for the opportunity to be a participant.