Adapting: The Future of Jewish Education

In moments of conflict, listening to the other side can feel like the last thing we want to do. But in this week's episode of Adapting, Billy Planer reminds us why it's one of the most important things we can do.  

David Bryfman speaks with Billy, who is the founder of Etgar 36, a Jewish educational nonprofit that takes teenagers on a five-week journey across the U.S. to engage with all sides of political issues. Drawing on his experiences as an educator and the ideas in his new book, Conversations That Matter, Billy explores what meaningful education looks like when students are encouraged to question, engage, and even reach conclusions different from their teacher’s. At a time when disagreements over Israel, politics, and identity are increasingly difficult to navigate, this conversation asks what it takes to keep talking, and why learning to engage across differences may be one of the most important lessons we can teach our students today. 

Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.org

This episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Dina Nusnbaum. The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. 

This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. 

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

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In a polarized world that teaches young people to think in binaries, the Bronfman Fellowship does something countercultural by inviting teens to embrace pluralism, curiosity, and complexity. 

Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath sits down with Becky Voorwinde, CEO of the Bronfman Fellowship, to discuss the Fellowship's important leadership work and its effective approaches in engaging teens. This episode provides teen educators with valuable takeaways for creating intentional learning spaces that encourage young people to embrace others who think differently from them, and bridge divides. 

Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.org

This episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Dina Nusnbaum. The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. 

This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. 

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

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If suffering breeds comedy, who should be funnier than the Jewish people after the last 3,000 years? 

This week, David Bryfman talks about humor in hard times with Israeli-American comedian, writer, and educator Benji Lovitt. 

Having recently returned to the U.S. after living in Israel for nearly two decades, Benji brings a unique perspective on the differences between Israeli and American Jewish humor, particularly in times of crisis. From inspirations like Larry David and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, they unpack why Jews have developed such a strong comedic tradition, the different ways humor shows up across Jewish communities, and why absurdity, exaggeration, and satire can sometimes educate more than dialogue ever could. 

Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.org

This episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Dina Nusnbaum. The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. 

This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. 

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

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As we approach the third anniversary of the October 7th massacre, Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath sits down with thought leader Yossi Klein Halevi of the Shalom Hartman Institute for a profound conversation about what it means to be a survivor people and how that identity is changing. 

Yossi describes October 7th as a point of rupture in the Jewish story, a moment that returned Jews to a mindset of victimhood even as the Jewish people now possess something generations of Jews did not: power. The result is this tension between self-defense and morality, or being a "Purim Jew" and a "Pesach Jew." The tension is particularly palpable for educators trying to help young people make sense of Jewish identity and Israel in an increasingly polarized world.

Together, their conversation poses a series of important questions for educators: How can we move beyond a singular narrative of Jewish powerlessness without losing sight of the history that shaped us? And how can educators provide grounding and guidance as young people navigate this profoundly transformed moment in Jewish life? 

Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.org

This episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Dina Nusnbaum. The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. 

This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. 

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

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At the end of the day, Jewish educators empower their learners to feel like they're in the driver's seat of their own Judaism. This is the hallmark of Jewish thriving.  

Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath discusses how Jewish media can create new access points for learning, connection, and belonging with Molly Tolsky, Editorial Director of Culture & Lifestyle at 70 Faces Media and Founding Editor of Hey Alma. 

Specifically, they get into what Molly wishes Jewish institutions knew while in this work, how she makes learning accessible with new initiatives like Hey Alma Hebrew School, and what young Jews are seeking as they navigate their own Jewish journeys, especially post-October 7th. 

This conversation will offer insights for those working in both online and analogue Jewish education spaces about how we can create communities where people feel empowered to explore, learn, and find their own paths to Jewish thriving. 

Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.org

This episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Dina Nusnbaum. The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. 

This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. 

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

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Joy might sound like the fluffy, easy, and "nice to have" way of exploring Judaism. But what changes when joy is the intentional, critical centerpiece?  

From the smell of challah to a grandmother exclaiming, "What is this balagan?", Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath explores the seriousness of Jewish joy with authors Suzy Ultman and Amanda Kingloff.  

Their new book, The Art of Jewish Joy, helps children and families make meaning of their identity through the sacred act of creating. The activities in these pages give you permission to leap into your Jewish joy and embrace whimsy, perfect for any Jewish classroom or home! 

Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.org

This episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Dina Nusnbaum. The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. 

This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. 

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

Send us Fan Mail

Around 2,000 years ago, Jews gathered around the Temple to celebrate the festival of Sukkot. They debated, danced, sang, ate challah, and drank wine. That's not escapism; that's Jewish life.

David Bryfman kicks off Season 7 of Adapting with a solo episode pondering the question: After everything the Jewish people have endured, how do we create more room for joy in Jewish life? How can educators incorporate more fun and joy into Jewish learning? David makes the argument that Jewish joy isn't something we feel; it's what we create for one another. And educators have the opportunity to create joyful memories for their learners every day.

Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.org

This episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Dina Nusnbaum. The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. 

This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. 

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

Send us Fan Mail

After October 7, educators were asked to guide students while still making sense of their own evolving relationship to Israel and to Jewish peoplehood. What does it mean to teach when the ground beneath the curriculum is still shifting? What has changed in Israel education? What do educators need to hear? 

As season of six of Adapting comes to a close, Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath interviews David Bryfman on what’s changed in Israel education after October 7, drawing on ideas from his new book, Heroism & Hope: Recharging Israel Education in a Post-October 7 World. Together they reflect on how educators and communal leaders have had to navigate the emotional and ideological terrain since October 7, and how history and memory are being shaped in real time. Sharing personal anecdotes and powerful insights, Bryfman articulates a vision of Jewish learning rooted in pride, inquiry, and student agency, offering language for education that makes space for reflection before it demands answers. 

Purchase the book at https://www.amazon.com/Heroism-Hope-Recharging-Education-Post-October/dp/B0GZBH6QLL/

Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.org

This episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Dina Nusnbaum. The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. 

This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. 

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

Send us Fan Mail

This week on Adapting, Samantha Vinokor-Meinrath sits down with Ariela Ronay-Jinich, founder and executive director of Olamim, to explore how education helps people navigate the richness of their identities. Drawing on her experiences as a Mexican Jew, educator, and parent, Ariela reflects on how her identities shaped her understanding of learning as a powerful tool for development, belonging, and community-building. 

Ariela shares how Olamim empowers parents, children, and grandparents to create Jewish meaning together through stories, practices, culture, and shared experiences. From Latin-Jewish families to the broader Jewish community, she argues that Jewish learning is not simply about transmitting knowledge but about helping people become more fully themselves while seeing their family's unique story as an essential part of the larger Jewish story. Their conversation examines what happens when we reimagine Jewish education with families—not institutions—at the center. 

Learn more about Olamim at olamim.org.

Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.org

This episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Dina Nusnbaum. The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. 

This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. 

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

Send us Fan Mail

Every few years, Jewish education declares the Hebrew school model overdue for reinvention, yet the same structures persist. That tension sits at the center of this conversation.  

In this episode, David Bryfman speaks with Jonathan Krasner, the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Chair of Jewish Education Research at Brandeis University, about the history and possible innovation in Jewish education. Together they examine the role of B-Mitzvah, and why many families remain satisfied with a model educators often criticize. For educators, funders, and communal leaders wrestling with institutional change and the future of Jewish learning, this conversation offers both historical perspective and a more honest framework for thinking about what comes next. 

Read Jonathan Krasner's piece: https://www.sourcesjournal.org/articles/when-jewish-educational-innovation-reinforces-the-status-quo 

Learn more about The Jewish Education Project at jewishedproject.org

This episode was produced by Miranda Lapides and Dina Nusnbaum. The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben. 

This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media. 

If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

Send us Fan Mail