You are invited to our CJN Cross-border Program for the 2020/2021 school year for European, Israeli, and US Jewish schools. The program will begin on January 24, 2021, and end on April 25, 2021, and will take place online. During the project, you will choose from Jewish topics, based on which you will be paired with teachers from different countries, and develop cross-cultural projects for your students. Participating educators will receive 150 EUR stipend, and will have a chance to get to know each other, and form partnerships for the future.
What is Centropa? Centropa, a Jewish historical institute based in Vienna, interviewed 1,200 elderly Jews living in 15 European countries. We didn’t use video or focus on the Holocaust, but asked our respondents to tell us their entire life stories spanning the 20th c. as they showed us their old family photographs.
What is the Centropa Jewish Network (CJN)? CJN is a platform for teachers in European, Israeli, and US Jewish schools to network, share ideas, and create projects together. We do this by organizing seminars, student competitions, and international projects for Jewish schools.
In the CJN Cross-border Program, you will have a chance to
- create unforgettable memories to your students by giving them the opportunity to develop international friendships;
- build and strengthen your students’ Jewish identities;
- create the lesson you need for the students you teach;
- develop a meaningful program that works online;
- receive professional and financial support from Centropa.
Timeline of the program:
- January 24: orientation Zoom call with participants to get to know one another
- January 25 – February 12: parners will meet at least twice via videoconference, and at least once with their mentor to plan out their project idea
- February 14: presentation of lessons on a Zoom meeting with all participants
- February 22 – April 25: implementation of lessons, and touching base with mentor (Centropa staff is always available to assist and help troubleshoot)
- April 25: submit photos of project (from both/all classes) and student work
For a more detailed timeline, please follow our link.
Topics to choose from:
- My Jewish Community: What story your students want to tell about Jewish life in their hometown? In this project, students have an opportunity to explore their Jewish identities as they research the Jewish district in their town, a synagogue, their school, or their community. This will help kids to learn about the world, about another country
- Jewish stories: We can all learn from personal stories. Through this topic, students can explore Centropa stories, and find the one they can connect to the most. Create a video, or an art piece based on the story and share it with others.
- Jewish food & culture: Gefilte fish? Israeli folk dance? Songs, like Shalom alechem? Holiday customs, like lighting the shabbat candles? These are all things that connects us in some ways. In this topic, yours students can choose a Jewish food or cultural topic and explore it with their peers.
Project period: Between January 24, 2021 – April 25, 2021.
Where: Online
Registration deadline: January 20, 2021, midnight (CET).
Bonus: if your project meets our CJN student competition guidelines then you are welcome to submit your work to the competition!
Questions? Do not hesitate to contact Tina Hemera, CJN coordinator (hemera(at)centropa.org), or Lauren Granite, US Education Director (granite(at)centropa.org)!
