There are some things that are just core to what we do as Jewish early childhood educators. The rhythms of the Jewish year imbue our schools with an energy that becomes a part of us.
When it comes to understanding Judaism's big ideas, hands-on rituals, and the emergent classroom investigations that flow from them, there is much to learn for novice and veteran educators alike. How do we welcome and embrace the holidays without putting the curriculum on hold?
Our belief that children are created in God’s image compels us to hone pedagogical skills that are worthy of them—and of our own divine potential as educators.
Facilitated by
Judi Morosohk has been in the field of early childhood education for 45 years as a therapeutic teacher, ECE director, consultant, coach, and trainer. She held the position of Pedagogical Director of the Efshar Project, from its inception in July 2008 through July 2022, supporting Jewish ECE centers in the Denver/Boulder community in growing their knowledge and skills of progressive educational practices in working with young children and their families, as well as supporting schools in seamlessly weaving Jewish values into everything they do.
-
She continues to work for the project as their lead coach. Judi holds an MA in Educational Psychology with certification in Early Childhood/Special Education from the University of Colorado at Denver and a BS in Elementary/Special Education from the University of Delaware.
Veronica Maravankin is vice president of the Sheva Center for Innovation in Early Childhood Jewish Education and Engagement at JCC Association of North America. She previously served as the early childhood director at the Mandel JCC of the Palm Beaches, Florida, for 12 years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Club Nautico Hacoaj in Argentina, and a master’s degree in education from Harvard University. One of the original architects of the Sheva Early Learning Framework, she served as a member of the Sheva faculty for over four years. She is a native of Argentina
Jonathan Shmidt Chapman is the founder of The K’ilu Company, creating projects that activate Jewish early childhood education through theater and imaginative play. He is also the founding project director of Aggadah Adventures at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, a program that stages Jewish stories as immersive, multi-sensory, participatory theater experiences for young children and families. Jonathan is the recipient of the Covenant Foundation's 2022 Pomegranate Prize, recognizing innovative emerging leaders in Jewish Education.
-
He is also a part of the inaugural cohort of the Mandel Institute’s Jewish Education Leadership Program, a Jewish Education Project Young Pioneers Award recipient, a Glean Network START Fellow, and an International Asylum Arts Fellow. He currently serves on the theater faculty at Northwestern University.