Almost 300 Jewish Education professionals from ECE-RJ (Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism) and ARJE (Association of Reform Jewish Educators) gathered at the historic Peabody Hotel in Memphis, TN for a 3-day professional learning opportunity. The conference, entitled “Yom Chadash” (a new day) focused on the concept of B’tzelem Elohim- Reimagining Belonging in Our Jewish Spaces. It was rich with spiritual, practical, and intentional learning that enabled participants to push their boundaries around what it means to be “warm and welcoming” in mission and practice. The conference itself was a beautiful representation of how two different organizations found the commonality needed to create moments of connection that will lead to changes within and across institutions. Participants left with the clear understanding that this groundbreaking partnership makes the field of Reform Jewish education stronger. By focusing all of our efforts on understanding the needs of current and future learners with a keen eye toward racial justice, diversity, and equity, we can ensure we offer a Jewish community that is vibrant, dynamic, and a place of belonging.

Early Childhood Educators kicked off with a Pre-Conference Day of Learning. The 35 participants, from all over North America, explored creating a “Culture of Belonging” through the lenses of environment, the five senses, and relationship building., It was a dynamic day that allowed the participants to leave with a shared vision, vocabulary, and understanding of how to enact plans of action needed to make visible changes.

The conference offered 2 full days of learning sessions, which focused on the meaning of belonging, racial justice/equity, and the intersectionalities we encounter in our settings.   As we gathered for tefillah on our first joint morning together,  we soaked in the energy of the space by mingling our voices in song and prayer.  T’fillah was led by participants of both organizations and featured an inspirational D’var Torah by presidents Rabbi Joe Eiduson, RJE, and Lisa Samick, charging us to remember the lessons from the text, “It is not enough to be free – we need to be seen, recognized and celebrated as individuals in the community”.

The first day was focused on listening and learning. Yolanda Savage-Narva, Vice President of the URJ led a powerful panel of People of Color working in Jewish educational settings who shared their own experiences of joy, pain, appreciation, and discrimination in their work. The learning continued with 16 high-level workshops focused on Overcoming Intergroup Anxiety, the intersections of Racism and Antisemitism, Learning from Latin Jewish families, Global classroom inclusion, authentic leadership, and tools to change the narrative and affirm everyone in our spaces. Sharing personal experiences and professional strategies, the presenters challenged, educated, and inspired all who attended.

On day two, the theme was ever present, as we explored the layered and complex history of the city of Memphis. We began with reflections on who we are as a community and where we find ourselves both geographically and historically. Participants then made their way through the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, Attendees gained insights, and perspectives and emotionally dove into the racial injustices that have existed throughout the history of our country. It also highlighted the tremendous amount of work that is still left to do. A tour of the Stax Museum of Soul Music illustrated how music can have a great impact on the culture beyond its community. Learning how soul music emerged from struggle and perseverance, provided additional insight into the role the city of Memphis has played in our country’s history. Visiting these institutions provided the platform for difficult conversations and reflections on how we may engage appropriately with our learners on the topics of civil rights, racial justice, and the intersectionality of music and culture. It also allowed us, as educators, to deepen our own personal work in confronting racism and learning about injustices in American history.

The final day of the conference was a culmination of all the experiences that had taken place throughout our time together. Reflecting in small groups, it became apparent that creating equitable spaces, representative of the culture and tenets of Judaism, is an important part of our roles as educators. Educators were able to support one another in their journeys. If we believe that we are all made in God’s image (B’tzelem Elohim), we must embrace the need for change and expand the walls of our tent to ensure people not only feel welcome but feel that they belong – it isn’t making space for them at the table, it’s designing the meal with everyone’s needs in mind from the start. We left Memphis with an understanding of the need to continue learning about g the historical, current, and institutional biases that impact our work and our learners. This conference brought to the forefront the need for ongoing conversation and learning around the unique and important role educators play in creating safe, inclusive spaces where people feel respected, acknowledged, and heard. We know that it is us, as leading Jewish educators, who can provide the path for a thriving multi-racial, multi-ethnic North American Jewish community.