David Bryfman, at The Blogs

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Dec 13, 2023, 3:54 PM

A new Anne Frank moment

Anne Frank. (via Jewish News)

Jewish educators must teach our youth to be confident and competent in their Jewish selves and in how they relate to Israel

Feb 14, 2022, 12:00 AM

A generational divide around antisemitism and Israel

Our news cycles in recent weeks have been filled even more than usual with antisemitic incidents, Holocaust related controversies, and anti-Israel diatribes. Like other Jewish adults, I want our youth to be as outraged as we are when we...

May 13, 2021, 2:20 PM

If you’re a Jewish educator this week…

Illustrative. A tired woman touches her nose bridge, with sticky notes on glass. (iStock)

You prepared your lessons, and then news from Israel changed everything. So you redid your lessons and comforted your students. What about yourselves?

Mar 11, 2021, 10:27 PM

Build back better for the Jewish community too

As we mark the one-year anniversary of the first case of the coronavirus in America, the Jewish community is looking ahead towards “the new normal” that will emerge after the pandemic. Non-profits, including many dedicated to Jewish education and...

Jun 25, 2020, 6:23 PM

A conversation on racial justice must lead to action

In the midst of a live video conversation on Jewish education’s role and responsibility to work for racial justice, Yoshi Silverstein of Mitsui Collective captured the urgency of this moment: “It’s a very ‘white’ response to say ‘Let’s learn...

Oct 17, 2019, 11:19 PM

Rabbis’ role in fighting the new wave of anti-Semitism

Through my work and personal life, I have been privileged to form close relationships with rabbis throughout the world. As a Jewish educator, I turn to them for pedagogical advice and information on trends in Jewish education. As a...

Nov 1, 2018, 6:06 PM

Good Israel Education is Good Education

Last week I returned from JFNA’s General Assembly in Tel-Aviv, which was preceded by a Jewish Agency convening about Israel Education. In both forums, I heard two distinct critiques about the state of Israel Education in North America (and,...

Mar 9, 2018, 2:20 PM

Post-Parkland activism shows teens don’t need our praise; they need a place at the table

Students walk to class at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida., on February 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)

The kids know what they're doing; it's on adults to empower them to take over the conversation with policymakers

Nov 8, 2017, 12:11 AM

‘For Which It Stands’: My America

It was the night of November 8, 2016, and my wife and I went with friends to a packed bar in Brooklyn for what we anticipated to be a night of celebration. As the evening progressed and the election...

Apr 6, 2017, 8:03 PM

The Wicked Child as a Discerning Connoisseur

One of the more common explanations about the wicked child is that they are labeled as such because of their choice to disassociate themselves from the community -- presumably the Jewish community. This makes sense given that it is written,...

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About Me

David Bryfman, PhD, is CEO of The Jewish Education Project in New York. He hosts the weekly livecast, Adapting: The Future of Jewish Education.