L’DOR V’DOR F A M I LY, E D U C A T I O N A N D S E N I O R L I V I N G
FAMILIAR FACE, NEW ROLE By Danielle Wirsanksy, Jewish Community Alliance
Natalia Fisher is a familiar figure at Michele Block Gan Yeladim. She served as the school’s curriculum coordinator for the past several years and will now take on the new role as the school’s Pedagogista. Pedagogy is the art of teaching. It is helping teachers think of the bigger picture and beyond—not just, “What am I going to teach today?” It is the how and why of teaching. The primary responsibility of the Pedagogista is to work to create a culture for inquiry and call these dispositions forward in educators. Fisher finds particular inspiration in Elie Wiesel’s words, “In the word question, there is a beautiful
word—quest. I love that word. We are all partners in a quest….The essential questions have no answers. You are my questions, and I am yours—and then there is dialogue. The moment we have answers, there is no dialogue. Questions unite people, answers divide them.” During the school’s closure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fisher’s role in shifting the school toward adopting constructivist learning practices made great strides. Many faculty members found themselves questioning their new roles as online teachers. Fisher worked to help teachers evolve into researchers, scientists and guides to help the children learn and grow in a virtual setting. Since Michele Block Gan Yeladim’s reopening, Fisher has
continued to move forward and elevate the school and its practices. While teachers are walking alongside their students,
Natalia walks alongside the teachers. Natalia’s new role facilitates an environment of co-constructing knowledge and learning together.
CURRICULUM, COMMUNITY AND CONFERENCE
By Karen Stern, First Congregation Sons of Israel
First Congregation Sons of Israel is proud to represent a diverse and engaged community. A congregation that celebrates benevolence in an everchanging world, we work to cultivate an environment that is both authentic and progressive. Members and
families plant roots here. And we grow together, striving for Jewish enlightenment that translates into fulfillment in all facets of life and relationship. We are thrilled to partner with the Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) to re-establish a Religious School and provide our
children exceptional religious education. A regional, transdenominational organization, the ISJL serves thirteen states with a validated program comprised of what they term the 3 Cs: Curriculum, Community, and Conference. Please visit ISJL.org to learn more.
Religious School classes will be held virtually and in-person (when possible) after Labor Day. To register for the Religious School, visit firstcongregation sonsofisrael.com. For questions regarding registration, contact Karen Stern (kstern426@gmail. com) or Rachel Castleberry (racheldlitt@gmail.com).
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