In a post-October 7 world, these issues have only been exacerbated. And it was with these sentiments that Dean Shannon, Jewish Education Teacher at Sir Manasseh Meyer International School (SMMIS) first approached the 2025 Jewish Educators’ Seminar.
As he candidly shares, “The seminar was filled with wisdom, depth, inspiration and even tears.”
Held in the historic heart of Barcelona, Spain, the seminar brought together twenty educators from diverse backgrounds and countries, each representing a unique facet of the global Jewish educational community.
The attendees hailed from schools in countries such as Spain, France, Italy, Bulgaria, Israel, Peru, Mexico, Costa Rica, Singapore and South Africa.
Notably, four educators from war-torn Ukraine also made the arduous journey to Barcelona, a trip that under normal circumstances would take around five hours but instead took them at least two days. This dedication highlights their commitment to furthering their educational impact despite significant challenges.
Throughout the four-day event, there were a variety of sessions designed to inspire and challenge the attendees to think creatively about delivering their curriculum.
As Dean puts it, “One of the highlights was an exploration of classical Jewish sources on ecology. The session started with the leader hanging texts on a washing line.
We were encouraged to look at the sources from ‘different angles’ and then choose the text with which we most identified. This then led into a chevrutah-style learning session and demonstrated the extent to which Judaism contains powerful wisdom to face 21st century challenges.”
Another memorable aspect of the event for Dean was the guided online tour of Sefaria and the National Library of Israel.
Sharing his thoughts, Dean says, “These practical sessions provided insights in how to enable students to discover and utilise primary sources to enhance their Jewish identity.”
Continuing, he adds, “We even explored how to best use AI in the classroom to facilitate our teaching.”
Besides the excellent opportunities for learning and sharing, the seminar also proved to be a time of deep reflection and thought. During a post 7 October activity, Dean and other teachers shed tears and spent time contemplating the Jewish identity through the use of artistic postcards.
During another session, they explored the powerful effect of ‘culinary stories’ and the symbolic role of food along with its connections to Jewish identity.
Reflecting on the broader cultural immersion aspects of the seminar, Dean highlights, "The walking tour of old Jewish Barcelona provided insights into the importance of ‘urban space’ in education and the Xueta Island movie screening demonstrated the depth, breadth, and tragedy of Jewish history. Despite being a terrible artist, the most memorable and enjoyable session was one on Midrash and art."
This session particularly resonated with Dean and his peers as it combined creative expression with traditional Jewish textual study, offering a fresh perspective on interpreting ancient wisdom. These activities not only enriched the educators’ understanding but also equipped them with unique methods to engage their students in learning about their heritage in more interactive and meaningful ways.
Reflecting on the comprehensive experience of the seminar, Dean shared his renewed confidence in engaging his students with innovative lessons.
"I am now more confident in delivering a similar creative lesson to my capable students," he stated. Each session not only enriched his teaching techniques but also deepened his personal connection to his Jewish roots.
In his closing thoughts, Dean expressed deep gratitude for the organisers' efforts.
"I am grateful for all the incredible work ORT does. The Jewish Educators’ Seminar demonstrated how deep, profound, diverse, and beautiful Judaism is. The team made us feel like superheroes who are here to deliver our message to the next generation and to help make the world a better place," he affirmed.
This sentiment captures the essence of the seminar's impact: empowering educators to leave a lasting influence on their students and communities, echoing the rallying cry, "Am Yisrael Chai!"
