The Kohelet Prize Database

EVERlab 2.0: a next generation Beit Midrash

EVERlab is a learning environment dedicated to the integration of ideas and concepts from Jewish studies and “secular” academics. It combines elements of a conventional maker-space, including iteration, prototyping and design-thinking with the ethos of a Beit Midrash: the critical/open exchange of ideas and a collaborative search for deeper truth.

By: Robin Gluck, Evan Wolkenstein from Jewish Community High School of the Bay

Grade(s): 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Middle school, High school

Subject(s) of entry: Art, English/ Writing/ Language Arts, History, Philosophy/ Values/ Ethics/ Hashkafa, Social and Emotional Learning, Social Studies, Tanach

Pedagogy: Constructivist, Design-Thinking Model, Hevruta Learning, Social and Emotional Learning, 21st Century Skills

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Beth Tfiloh’s Lower School Israel Fair: A Student-led Interdisciplinary Experience

Beth Tfiloh Lower School students participated in a multi-week and school-wide interdisciplinary learning experience about various landmarks in Israel. Students (K-4th grade) conceived of, developed, and created fifteen hands-on exhibits to share their learning with the broader student and family community.

By: Elana Weissman, Elissa Hozore from Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School

Grade(s): K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Elementary school

Subject(s) of entry: Art, Computer Science, Engineering, English/ Writing/ Language Arts, History, Ivrit, Math, Music, Science, Social and Emotional Learning, Social Studies, Tanach, Technology

Pedagogy: Constructivist, Experiential Education, IBL - inquiry based learning, PBL - project based learning, Social and Emotional Learning, 21st Century Skills

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Making a Talmudic Sugya Occupy Space

Students composed their own talmudic sugyas using argument forms mastered during their year of study, based on key themes in biblical and talmudic texts they had learned. They then transferred the concepts of their sugyas into three-dimensional sculptures that reflect the thesis and arguments of the sugyas they had written.

By: Rabbi Daniel Rosenberg from Jack Barrack Hebrew Academy

Grade(s): 9, 10, 11, 12, High school

Subject(s) of entry: Art, Gemara, Philosophy/ Values/ Ethics/ Hashkafa, Social and Emotional Learning, Tanach

Pedagogy: Design-Thinking Model, Experiential Education, Hevruta Learning, PBL - project based learning, 21st Century Skills

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Learning from Failure: Tanakh Mastery Skills Lab

Last year, I introduced a “skills lab” component into my high school Tanakh class. It was designed to improve students' Tanakh reading skills while allowing them to work individually in a style and pace appropriate for each one. I was unsatisfied with the success of the lab last year, but I was not ready to give up entirely. I applied the lessons learned from last year and completely redesigned it based on the principles of mastery learning instead of differentiated learning. I am happy to report that the risk I took in revamping the skills lab has, to this point, paid off, with exciting results.

By: Adina Borg-Blaustein from Fuchs Mizrachi

Grade(s): 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Middle school, High school

Subject(s) of entry: Tanach

Pedagogy: Flipped Learning, PBL - project based learning, None of the Above

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Creating a Culture of Goal-Setting: Intrinsic Motivation and Personalized Learning

In view of the importance of intrinsic motivation as well as personalized learning, kindergarten students at Yeshiva Lab School engaged in an in-depth study of goals and goal-setting. Each child set goals over the course of the year with the guidance of an educator, who used these goals to target instruction.

By: Rachael Simon from Kohelet Yeshiva Lab School

Grade(s): K, 1, 2, 3, Elementary school

Subject(s) of entry: English/ Writing/ Language Arts, Ivrit, Math, Social and Emotional Learning, Tanach, Tefila

Pedagogy: Constructivist, Social and Emotional Learning, 21st Century Skills

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Fifth Grade Sustainability and Service Learning

Karen Hidalgo has developed a project-based unit on sustainability that has become the hallmark of Austin Jewish Academy’s fifth grade program. It has evolved over the past three years culminating in a service-learning project meaningfully integrated with Jewish studies presenting unique opportunities for students to become real world problem solvers.

Please begin with Text Introduction and proceed to Curriculum Outline.pdf

By: Ms. Karen Hidalgo from Austin Jewish Academy

Grade(s): 5, 6, Elementary school, Middle school

Subject(s) of entry: Halacha, Literature, Math, Mishnah, Science, Tanach, Writing, Technology, Engineering, Critical Thinking, Language Arts

Pedagogy: IBL - inquiry based learning, PBL - project based learning, UBD - understanding by design, 21st Century Skills

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