THE iCENTER AND GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCE NEWEST COHORT OF GRADUATE DEGREE IN ISRAEL EDUCATION

Aug 31, 2022

Cohort 4 Moving to Year 2, Working Towards Masters in Israel Education

The iCenter for Israel Education and the George Washington University announced the newest cohort of its Graduate Degree in Israel Education. Twenty-one in-service professionals spanning the United States, Canada, and Israel, were selected through a rigorous screening and admissions process for the program designed to offer inspiration and strategies to place Israel education at the heart of Jewish communal life. Members of Cohort 5 work in Jewish federations, foundations, advocacy and social justice organizations, day and supplementary schools, Israel travel programs, experiential education institutions, and campus Hillels, among other settings. Students enroll in a one-year Graduate Certificate program that ultimately can be leveraged toward a second-year Master’s Degree.

“The cohort model is truly an integral part of our students’ success, with the range of experience and the diversity of institutions, settings, and nations represented in this stellar group.  Each student in this group brings unique experience and perspective that is invaluable to this program,” said Erika Vogel, The iCenter’s Graduate Degree Program Director. “We are extremely excited to welcome this new cohort, and very proud of Cohort 4 as they move into the second phase of the program.”

The only program of its kind, GW’s Graduate Degree in Israel Education, offered in partnership with The iCenter, provides rigorous academic preparation in the fields of experiential education and Israel studies towards the development of credentialed professional Israel educators. This unique integration of study, combined with individualized mentoring in the field, enhances the content knowledge, conceptual approaches, and pedagogical methods of Israel educators serving institutions across North America and Israel.

All students enroll as one-year certificate students and then have the option to apply for the year-two master’s program. Through a hybrid learning model—including in-person intensives, online seminars, and Israel-based experiences—students receive training in the academic discipline of Israel studies combined with the practice of experiential Jewish education, all taught by a world-class faculty.  Integral to the program’s success is the cohort model. The program has matriculated over 100 Jewish professionals, all of whom are now collectively and independently making an impact on the field.

The following students will begin the program with Cohort 5:

  • Daniella Aloni, Washington, DC—Political Education Manager, Leadership Development, AIPAC
  • Ezra Balser, Chicago, Illinois—Campus Rabbi/Base Rabbi, JUF/Metro Chicago Hillel
  • McKenna Bates, Jessup, MD—Israel and Civic Engagement Associate, Towson Hillel
  • Amit Dadon, Columbus, OH—Israel Fellow, Ohio State University Hillel
  • Kaela Evenchick, West Vancouver, BC, Canada—Director of Programs, Habonim Dror
  • Rebecca Fine, Glendale, WI—Associate Director of Campus Education, StandWithUs
  • Ellie Gamliel, Thornhill, Canada—Camp Director, Biluim Israel & Canadian Young Judaea
  • Rebekkah Gold, Stamford, CT—Director of Israel Experiential Education, RootOne @ The Jewish Education Project
  • Orr Grosman, Ramat Gan, Israel—Program Manager and Educator, J2 Adventures
  • Shira Kleinman, Haifa, Israel—Program Manager and Educator, J2 Adventures
  • Karli Krasnipol, Washington, DC—Leadership Development Director, AIPAC
  • Zoe Lang, Brighton, MA—Jewish History Faculty, Maimonides School
  • Deb Lichtenfeld, Burlington, VT—Executive Director, Onda Foundation
  • Jordan Liderman, Brookline, MA—Moishe House/1UP Health
  • Joshua Losner, Los Angeles, CA—Program Manager, Hillel International
  • Ilana Picker, Fort Lee, NJ—Assistant Director of Norther American Operations & Growth, Union for Reform Judaism
  • Shaked Ram, Washington, DC—Executive Assistant to the Ambassador of Israel, Embassy of Israel
  • Shuli Schwartz-Reznikovich, Migdal Oz, Israel—Head of Recruiting, Beren-Amiel Institute
  • Leetal Shoshan, Nashville, TN—Israel Fellow, Vanderbilt Hillel
  • Lea Speyer, Cedarhurst, NY—Program Director, Jewish United Fund’s Israel Education Center
  • Yuvi Tashome, Gadera, Israel—Chariman, Friends by Nature

 

For more information about the GW Degree in Israel Education, visit theicenter.org/GW.