OpenDor Media

Due to popular demand, Unpacked for Educators held its first Israel education conference at the The Jewish Leadership Academy in Miami last week, aimed at equipping educators with essential theoretical and practical skills required to navigate difficult topics in times of conflict. The conference was made possible with generous funding from the Gisela & Daniel Ades Foundation and the Maimonides Fund. In partnership with the Jewish Federation of Broward Country, the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools in North America, the Jewish Education Project, and the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education, 45 educators, representing over 23 educational institutions, were taught how to address the big questions surrounding Israel’s history as well as current events in a nuanced way. Read more: https://bit.ly/4dhCrMI

Jews have a rich history of remarkable innovations that have transformed the world. From life-saving medical devices and Google to stainless steel and Stan Lee’s Marvel superheroes, Jewish ingenuity and resilience have resulted in incredible inventions that continue to impact the world today. This UNPACKED video explores the stories behind ten groundbreaking Jewish inventions that are as interesting as the brilliant minds behind them. https://lnkd.in/dGAqR8zm

Why are Israeli protesters breaking into IDF bases Sde Teiman and Beit Lid? Last week, a crowd of Israeli protesters, joined by members of the Knesset (Israel’s parliament), stormed into the Sde Teiman detention center in southern Israel after military police arrested several IDF soldiers on suspicion of abusing imprisoned terrorists. Hours later, another group of protesters stormed onto the IDF’s Beit Lid base in central Israel where the detained soldiers were being held. The latest UNPACKED article examines what happened and why these protests at Sde Teiman and Beit Lid erupted in the first place. https://lnkd.in/dUCEh6AN

Today we had the privilege of facilitating our first Unpacked for Educators OpenDor Media conference held at the The Jewish Leadership Academy in Miami, Florida for Israel educators from 23 different schools and institutions. Shoutout to the team Sarah Gordon Noam Weissman Hart Levine Alex Harris, Aiden Segal and Gil Perl for a deep and meaningful first day!

Today, the Unpacked for Educators team kicked off the first ever Unpacked for Educators Conference in Miami! In these unprecedented times post-October 7, educators have encountered countless challenges in and out of the classroom related to Israel education. Over the next couple of days, middle and high school educators will attend sessions aimed at equipping them with essential theoretical and practical tools relating to Israel and Zionism education. They will learn how to integrate these topics into their curricula as well as how to address big questions surrounding current events in Israel, and specifically the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The UNPACKED team was in Tel Aviv this week, filming the next episode of a new YouTube series that forms part of a multimedia project titled 'Israel 101'. The 10-part series will feature monthly YouTube episodes and accompanying articles on the UNPACKED website, aimed at helping young Jews build a stronger connection to Israel. The Unpacked for Educators team is also developing a curriculum using this content, which will debut in Toronto schools in early 2025. With Israel constantly in the news due to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the need for understanding of Israel as a dynamic, complex country and society has never been more relevant. Israel 101 will showcase the story of Israel through the lens of everyday life, love, and conflict that exists within Israeli society, and the complexity of the Israeli experience. Read more about the project: https://bit.ly/3WwG9L0

Our hearts have been with the Druze community of Majdal Shams since the horrific attack on Saturday, where 12 children were killed by a Hezbollah rocket. Since the attack, our UNPACKED team have been hard at work creating and collating relevant content which we hope will educate on current events in Israel after what has been a particularly turbulent and dramatic week (see the first comment for a round-up of this content). As part of these efforts, Mijal Bitton and Noam Weissman recorded an emergency episode with returning guest Haviv Gur for their podcast, Wondering Jews with Mijal and Noam, diving into the Hezbollah attack, the potential escalation in the north, Ismail Haniyeh's assassination, and the internal turmoil in Israel. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/d5vN55ns

🇦🇺 The Unpacked for Educators team are in Australia, facilitating impactful sessions with educators, students and the wider Jewish community. 🇦🇺 Avi Posen and Hona Dodge have been working their way through Melbourne and Sydney, introducing a new curriculum aimed at equipping Jewish secondary school students to confront anti-semitism and anti-Zionist sentiment they may encounter in university. The team has also been facilitating sessions for the younger grades, youth movements, and university students, and getting to know the vibrant Australian Jewish community. Many new relationships are being developed and hundreds of people are joining the UNPACKED family. Next stop: Perth!

Introducing the first episode of a new YouTube series from Unpacked: 🇮🇱 Israel 101🇮🇱 With generous support from the Weisfeld Family Charitable Foundation, our Unpacked division launched a new series on YouTube this week. Featuring monthly episodes about Israeli history, politics, and culture, this series will help young Jews build a stronger connection to Israel. In the first episode, host Yirmiyahu Danzig explores ancient biblical narratives, modern archaeological discoveries, and his own family history, to uncover the profound historical connection all Jews have with Israel. Watch now: https://bit.ly/4fbnkpv

In preparation for Season 7 of our Unpacking Israeli History podcast, we visited Israel last week! On Unpacking Israeli History, we explore historical events from a variety of angles and viewpoints, offering fresh perspectives on the country's complex past. In this spirit, Noam Weissman spent a few days in Israel meeting with and interviewing individuals with varying religions, beliefs, and opinions - all with the goal of learning about their unique experiences and perspectives. We're looking forward to incorporating these diverse insights into the upcoming season.